GeriCare wins UCL GBSH Dragons' Den 2026 with AI-powered support for dementia carers

The next generation of healthcare innovators took centre stage at the UCL Global Business School for Health (GBSH) Dragons’ Den 2026, presenting ambitious solutions to real-world healthcare challenges before an expert panel of entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders.

The annual competition provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate critical thinking, leadership and commercial awareness while addressing some of healthcare’s most pressing problems. This year’s event marked a significant milestone, welcoming undergraduate students into the competition for the first time and reinforcing GBSH’s commitment to fostering innovation across all levels of study.

Following a competitive application process that attracted 16 submissions, six teams advanced to the final after participating in a series of preparation and pitch-development sessions. Finalists pitched their ideas in a live Dragons’ Den format, with five minutes to present and ten minutes to answer questions from the judging panel.

The finalist teams were:

• Evluve
• WellFacts
• EquiNova
• WaitWell
• GeriCare
• pHase Pharma

The Dragons included renowned cancer surgeon and health technology pioneer Professor Shafi Ahmed; healthtech entrepreneur and GBSH Health Executive in Residence Lloyd Price; Students’ Union UCL Engagement Assistant Nifemi Wilson-Adu; and founder of HUM2N, Dr Mohammed Enayat.

The judges praised the quality of submissions and the range of healthcare challenges addressed during the evening.

Congratulations to Team GeriCare

After a highly competitive final, Team GeriCare was named the winner of Dragons’ Den 2026.

GeriCare is an AI-enabled family coordination platform designed to support people caring for loved ones with dementia. The team’s idea addresses a question often overlooked within healthcare systems: who supports the carers?

Recognising the immense emotional, clinical and administrative burden shouldered by family carers, GeriCare aims to help families coordinate care more effectively, identify risks before crisis points emerge and provide a structured approach to managing complex care needs.

The winning team consisted of:

• Dr Veda Varshne
• Ahmet Tamer
• Emma Middleton
• Dr Inchara Nag Megalamane

Their success built on an already impressive entrepreneurial journey. Earlier this year, the team won GBSH’s PitchFest competition before returning to challenge and refine their concept, test assumptions and strengthen their business case ahead of Dragons’ Den.

Reflecting on the achievement, team members highlighted the months of collaboration, feedback, rehearsals and iteration that lay behind the final pitch. Their experience exemplifies the entrepreneurial mindset encouraged throughout the GBSH learning experience, where students are challenged to move from ideas to implementation while working in multidisciplinary teams.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The event reflects the distinctive approach to education at UCL GBSH, where students are encouraged to work on practical challenges facing health systems around the world while developing the commercial, leadership and innovation skills needed to drive meaningful change.

By connecting students with entrepreneurs, investors, clinicians and business leaders, Dragons’ Den creates opportunities to test ideas, receive expert feedback and build relationships that often extend well beyond graduation.

It also highlights one of the strengths of the GBSH community: bringing together students from diverse professional and academic backgrounds whose collaborations can evolve into future ventures, partnerships and impactful careers in healthcare.

The competition was made possible thanks to the generosity of supporters Vanessa Dekou and Chris Outram, whose contributions supported the winning prize fund. With special thanks to Dr Radi Haloub and colleagues whose commitment to creating opportunities for students to develop, test and present their ideas ensured another successful competition and an inspiring evening of healthcare innovation.

Congratulations to GeriCare and to all participating teams for demonstrating the innovation, determination and purpose that continue to define the GBSH community.