Children & Young People Digital Health Challenge 2026
The Children and Young People Digital Health Challenge 2026 is the next innovation programme under the Ripple Digital Health Challenge initiative. This Challenge aims to accelerate the development of impactful, scalable digital health solutions that address the crisis point reached in children and young people's health, where children are less healthy than they were a decade ago and face increasingly long waits for the care they need. We are looking for visionary solutions that meet young people where they are and extend support into the community, including schools, clubs and other parts of their neighbourhood.
Ripple Scale is now seeking delivery partners, funders, advocates and community leaders. Whether you're a health system, research group, NGO, clinician network or corporate sponsor, this is your chance to lead meaningful change.
Every adult's health story begins in years they barely remember. Together, we can accelerate change that truly meets the needs of our young generations and shapes the future.
Who should apply and why?
The Children and Young People Digital Health Challenge 2026 welcomes innovators of all backgrounds whose expertise lies in children and young people's health, technology or care delivery. You may be a researcher, clinician, entrepreneur, digital health team, non-profit, or health system leader with a strong proposal for impact.
This Challenge aims to help the most promising projects become pilot-ready apps. Selected teams will join a 12-month programme, with the first six months focused on supporting development on the Cogniss no-code platform with structured workshops. This is followed by six months of pilot deployment, facilitated where possible through Ripple Scale, deploying a portfolio of digital support tools into associated pathways.
Together, this support will help innovators not only build solutions but also take them to the children, young people and families who need them most.
Challenge focus areas
Ripple Children and Young People (CYP) Digital Health Challenge 2026 is seeking patient-centred digital solutions, i.e. tools that reach children and young people where they are and extend support into the community, including schools, clubs and other parts of their neighbourhood.
These could include solutions that address health inequalities, support health education and prevention, support school attendance, streamline transition to adult services and move care out of hospital.
We welcome innovations addressing, but not limited to, the following areas:
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
Neurodevelopmental conditions
Long-term conditions
School attendance and adolescent transition
Oral health
Early years development (0-5)
We recognise that the children and young people who stand to benefit most are often the hardest for services to reach. This includes young carers, looked after children and care leavers, those in contact with the justice system, disabled and neurodivergent young people, and those from ethnic minority and inclusion health groups. Apps developed through this Challenge should be designed with inclusivity and sensitivity to individual needs.