Meet #OurEntrepreneurs. Today we welcome Patient Entrepreneur Joe Broad, Founder and CEO of Novocaddy, based in the West Midlands.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m Joe Broad, Founder of Novocaddy.
My Type 1 diabetes diagnosis five years ago has been the driving force behind my journey into health innovation, where I’ve channelled personal challenges into a purposeful solution to improve the lives of others managing long-term conditions.
Name: Joe Broad , NHS Clinical Entrepreneur Patient Cohort 2
Occupation: Founder and CEO of Novocaddy
I have also just been named as a finalist in the Young Entrepreneur of Year at the Innovation Awards 2025.
Tell us about your innovation
Insulin is highly sensitive to temperature, and improper storage can lead to reduced effectiveness, increased risk of complications, and costly hospital admissions. Patients often struggle to maintain the right storage conditions when travelling, working, or living in warm environments. By addressing this challenge, we can improve patient outcomes, reduce avoidable complications, and support adherence to treatment. Every insulin pen disposed early of due to being comprised is a cost to the NHS, and it impacts the environment through plastic waste. This is why it’s important to optimise the life span of each insulin injection.
I am developing a smart, portable health solution designed to support people living with diabetes. Its goal is to make daily treatment management safer, simpler, and more reliable therefore reducing stress for patients and giving them greater independence and confidence in their care.
How did you find out about the programme and your aims for the next year?
I came across the programme on LinkedIn and recognised the opportunity to connect with a community of innovators working within the NHS. I applied to gain structured support in navigating the healthcare system, and I’m most looking forward to learning from mentors and peers who have successfully translated innovation into impact.
I hope to access guidance around regulatory pathways, expert mentoring, and the right networks to build by business. I also value the programme’s potential to support funding opportunities and investor readiness, which are critical to bringing my product to market.
Over the next year, my focus is on finalising product development, building partnerships with the NHS, and preparing for pilot programmes. I want to ensure the solution is validated, accessible, and positioned to make a measurable difference to patients’ lives. The key to being able to do this is obtaining funding for both hardware and software development.
Why is innovation in healthcare important?
Diabetes care is complex, relentless, and often underestimated in terms of the daily effort it requires. By reducing one of the practical burdens patients face, this innovation has the potential to improve medication safety, reduce complications, and ultimately support better long-term health outcomes for millions around the world.
We are pleased to welcome Joe to the programme as part of our Patient Entrepreneur Programme – to read more about the Patient Programme please visit https://nhscep.com/pep/