Speakers

Dr Pooja Sikka is a General Practitioner, Entrepreneur, and General Partner in the health-tech venture capital space. 

With over 20 years of clinical experience in the NHS, Pooja has combined her frontline insights with a drive to transform healthcare through innovation.  She holds an intercalated degree in Clinical Psychology and Neuropharmacology, and has worked in mental health services earlier in her career. 

In the investment sphere, Pooja is the Founding General Partner of the Innovations in Mental Health Fund, supporting early-stage health tech ventures aimed at improving access, clinical outcomes, and integration with public health systems. She has also held leadership roles at Octopus Ventures, heading their health-tech investment activities and bringing deep expertise in scaling digital health ventures. 

Her entrepreneurial work includes founding and advising health businesses in both the UK and India, including NHS-style primary and cancer services.  She has also led national programmes to help NHS organisations select, adopt, and scale health-tech innovations. 

As a speaker, Pooja brings a unique blend of clinical grounding, investment acumen, and a deep understanding of health systems. She speaks on topics such as mental health innovation, digital therapeutics, venture funding in healthcare, and the challenges of embedding tech into public systems.