#H.I.G. Capital #London #United Kingdom #Health Innovation #Barts Health

H.I.G. Realty and Barts Health NHS Trust Join Forces for Life Sciences Project

On January 19, 2026, H.I.G. Capital, an esteemed global alternative investment firm managing $74 billion in capital, announced a strategic partnership with Barts Health NHS Trust aimed at establishing the first applied healthcare innovation building within the Barts Life Sciences Cluster located on Cavell Street in Whitechapel, London.

This pivotal collaboration brings together one of the largest NHS Trusts in the UK, a premiere global investment platform, and a specialist in scientific and technological development. The goal is to foster new collaborative models among clinicians, researchers, and industry professionals. Spanning an impressive 170,000 square meters, the Cavell Street site will be a flagship project within the Cluster, heralding a new epoch of health innovation in East London, characterized by superior clinical excellence paired with commercial capabilities.

Cavell Street will create a novel collaborative hub between the NHS and industry. This initiative will enable businesses to work directly alongside Barts Health's clinicians and researchers to develop, test, and refine next-gen technologies across MedTech, AI, digital health, and other emerging fields. The objective is to establish a state-of-the-art environment for applied health innovation in which MedTech enterprises and life sciences organizations can co-develop, trial, and validate their technologies within real clinical settings, in partnership with the personnel from the Royal London Hospital and other hospitals under Barts Health’s umbrella.

The Cavell Street project aims to foster a thriving ecosystem conducive to innovation, accelerating the journey from prototype to patient while strengthening the UK’s capacity for innovation through the NHS.

Shane DeGaris, the CEO of Barts Health NHS Trust, expressed, “Through the Barts Life Sciences Cluster, we are creating new pathways for clinicians, patients, industry stakeholders, and academia to collaborate. This first partnership project at Cavell Street represents the realization of that ambition. By cultivating environments where innovation can be directly shaped by NHS teams and tested in real care environments, we aim to improve patient outcomes and support economic opportunities in East London.”

Jérôme Fouillé, CEO of H.I.G. Realty in Europe, conveyed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are excited to collaborate with Barts Health on the Cluster’s initial innovation-focused development. Cavell Street will provide a new platform for international firms to work directly with NHS clinicians, further solidifying the Cluster’s stature as a leading hub for applied healthcare innovation.”

About Barts Life Sciences Cluster

Located in Whitechapel, East London, and anchored around the Royal London Hospital, the Barts Life Sciences Cluster is dedicated to building a world-class ecosystem that integrates clinical practice, research, innovation, and industry in MedTech, artificial intelligence, digital health, and therapeutics. The Cluster incorporates the Royal London Hospital, known for its clinical excellence and diverse patient population, and is strategically situated near Queen Mary University of London, renowned for its research credentials. Its mission is to expedite the development and adoption of innovation, drive inclusive economic growth, and enhance health outcomes for patients in East London and beyond. More information can be found on the Barts Life Sciences website, along with images of the Cluster.

About Barts Health NHS Trust

Generating a revenue of £2.5 billion and employing over 20,000 individuals, Barts Health is one of the leading healthcare providers in Britain and one of the largest public health organizations in the country. The Trust's five hospitals—the St Bartholomew's Hospital in the City, Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, Newham Hospital in Plaistow, Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, and Mile End Hospital—deliver compassionate, high-quality care to 2.5 million residents in East London and beyond, including the births of over 14,000 babies each year and treating more than 7,000 patients daily. For additional details, visit bartshealth.nhs.uk.

About H.I.G. Capital

H.I.G. Capital, based in Miami and with offices across major U.S. cities and several international locations including Hamburg, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Bogota, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Dubai, and Hong Kong, specializes in providing debt and equity capital to mid-market companies, employing an operationally-focused and flexible approach to create value.

Investment Focus:
H.I.G.'s equity funds engage in management buyouts, recapitalizations, and the turnaround of both profitable and underperforming companies in manufacturing and services. Their debt funds focus on first lien, unitranche, and second lien financing across all company sizes, both on a primary basis (direct creation) and in secondary markets. H.I.G. also manages a publicly traded business development company, WhiteHorse Finance.

H.I.G.'s real estate funds invest in value-add properties that can benefit from enhanced asset management practices, while H.I.G. Infrastructure centers on value-add investments and “core plus” investments within the infrastructure sector.

Since its inception in 1993, H.I.G. has invested in and managed over 400 companies globally. The current portfolio includes more than 100 companies with a combined revenue exceeding $53 billion. To learn more about H.I.G., visit hig.com.