- Dr Michael Watts, founder of Blüm Health, emphasises the importance of embedding clinical insight into digital health innovation to ensure safety and compliance from the outset.
- The Verbo platform exemplifies how Blüm Health bridges the care gap by delivering virtual speech therapy to underserved schoolchildren.
- Watts advocates for early internationalisation to diversify risk and enrich understanding of culturally sensitive healthcare delivery.
Dr Michael Watts is a UK-based physician and the Co-founder and CEO of Blüm Health Ltd. He has worked with the National Health Service (NHS) since the age of 18 and now plays a pivotal role in bridging clinical practice with technological innovation. In addition to his medical duties, he is a Fellow of the NHS Innovation Accelerator (NIA), a clinical informatician, and a Visiting Professor at Birmingham City University. Recognised as the Young Health Tech Leader of the Year 2024, Dr Watts has become a key voice in shaping the future of digital healthcare.
In this interview with BTW Media, Dr Watts discusses how his clinical background informs his approach to innovation, the importance of regulatory foresight in product development, and how internationalisation can offer both growth and resilience for healthtech startups. Through projects like Verbo, which delivers virtual speech therapy to underserved schoolchildren, he illustrates how digital solutions can drive real-world impact. The following conversation sheds light on his vision, achievements, and the principles guiding Blüm Health’s continued success.
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OUR TAKE: Dr Michael Watts’ journey from NHS physician to digital health innovator exemplifies the powerful fusion of clinical experience and entrepreneurial thinking. His emphasis on compliance, patient-centred design, and proactive international expansion offers a valuable blueprint for early-stage healthtech ventures. Through collaborative efforts like the Verbo project, Blüm Health demonstrates that scalable, affordable, and ethical innovation can genuinely transform care delivery in underserved communities.
Q1: How has your clinical background informed the development of digital solutions at Blüm Health?
Watts responded by stressing that being a clinician brings critical advantages, particularly in identifying regulatory risks and patient needs. However, he cautioned that medical knowledge alone is not sufficient. “Innovation should be patient-centred, expert-led, and market-informed,” he said.
A notable example came from their burns care app, used by over 20,000 users, which calculates the fluid requirements for burn patients. When asked to integrate photography for clinical use, his team identified the need for digital consent protocols and proactively developed GDPR-compliant consent workflows—demonstrating how clinical foresight can pre-empt legal pitfalls.
Q2: Could you share an example of how your work has improved patient care through collaboration?
In response, Watts introduced the Verbo project, a collaboration with Hamilton NHS Trust in Hackney, London. Verbo is a digital platform that provides virtual speech and language therapy support to schoolchildren who otherwise would not receive it due to staff shortages. The system empowers teaching assistants and special educational needs coordinators to provide guided care.
Watts clarified that the goal is not to replace speech and language therapists but to extend essential support to those who would otherwise be overlooked. “We’re using digital tools to support more children, at a lower cost, without the need for travel,” he said, noting the overwhelmingly positive feedback from both educators and families.
Q3: What advice do you have for healthtech startups expanding internationally?
The next question focused on strategic growth. As Blüm Health has supported small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in going global, what lessons does Watts have for others hoping to do the same?
He acknowledged regulation as a core challenge, but noted that Blüm Health deliberately internationalised early to manage market turbulence in the UK. Doing so also provided insights into diverse cultural approaches to care. He encouraged other startups to view internationalisation not only as a risk mitigation strategy but as a route to richer user experience.
“You might find a gap in the market—but you need to be sure there’s a market in the gap.”
Dr Michael Watts, Co-owner of Blüm Health
Q4: How has your work been received in the UK?
Watts reported enthusiastic reception across the UK healthcare community. Blüm Health was recognised as one of the fastest-growing healthtech firms in 2025. He attributed this success to a spirit of collaboration and pragmatism, working closely with hospitals, universities, and charities. “We’re just the development partner,” he said humbly, “We enable change through innovation and development.”
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Q5: Are there any final thoughts you’d like to share with aspiring innovators?
In closing, Watts encouraged new entrants to healthcare innovation not to be discouraged by complexity. While the NHS may seem daunting, it remains fertile ground for impactful solutions. He stressed the importance of ensuring that innovations address real needs with viable markets, reinforcing the importance of clarity, purpose, and scalability.
OUR TAKE: Dr Michael Watts’ journey from NHS physician to digital health innovator exemplifies the powerful fusion of clinical experience and entrepreneurial thinking. His emphasis on compliance, patient-centred design, and proactive international expansion offers a valuable blueprint for early-stage healthtech ventures. Through collaborative efforts like the Verbo project, Blüm Health demonstrates that scalable, affordable, and ethical innovation can genuinely transform care delivery in underserved communities.
