Nelson Advisors invited to Judge the UCL GBSH Dragons' Den Final 2026

Nelson Advisors has been invited to Judge the UCL GBSH Dragons' Den Final 2026 taking place on June 24th 2026. 

The UCL GBSH Dragons’ Den Final is an annual live pitching competition where UCL Global Business School for Health students pitch healthcare start‑ups to a panel of “Dragons” (investors and entrepreneurs), competing for cash prizes and a year of mentoring.

What the event isThe competition is run by UCL’s Global Business School for Health as a flagship entrepreneurship event focused on innovations that improve healthcare delivery and outcomes.

It is a live, in‑person evening pitching event, typically held in late June at UCL, with an audience of students, staff, and external guests.

Who can enter

The most recent editions are open to all GBSH postgraduate and MBA Health students with innovative business ideas in any part of the health ecosystem (digital health, biotech, pharma, health management, public health, etc.).

The inaugural 2023 event was broader, allowing any UK postgraduate student with a healthcare business idea to compete, not just those from UCL GBSH.

Format and prizes

Applicants go through a multi‑round selection process, with several rounds of screening before reaching the final live pitch.

At the final, 8–10 shortlisted teams pitch their ideas to a panel of Dragons drawn from healthcare investment, entrepreneurship, and industry leadership.

All finalists receive a cash contribution to help start their ventures, and the winning team receives a larger cash prize (recently around £4,000) plus a year of expert mentoring.

Recent final and winner

In the third annual Dragons’ Den Final (2025), five finalist teams pitched healthcare innovations spanning digital health, public health, and biotech.

The winning team, Lumina, presented an AI‑powered perinatal mental health platform, which impressed the judges for its scalability, clinical relevance, and existing pilot activity in the United States.

Judges highlighted Lumina’s potential for industry partnerships and policy impact, and the founders described the competition as transformative for turning academic work into a real‑world venture.

Why it matters

The Final gives health‑focused postgraduates hands‑on experience in venture creation: refining a business model, pitching to investors, and receiving critical feedback.

It also acts as a networking hub, connecting student founders with healthcare investors, operators, and mentors who can support commercialisation of their ideas beyond the university setting.