What Innovative Trials does

Innovative Trials is a clinical trial patient recruitment and retention specialist founded in 2010 and headquartered in Letchworth, United Kingdom, with a regional office in Raleigh, North Carolina opened in 2022. The company delivers bespoke patient recruitment strategies for pharmaceutical, biotech, and Contract Research Organisation (CRO) clients, supported by a global network of Clinical Enrolment Managers (CEMs) covering approximately 70 countries and 65 languages. Core service lines comprise Site Optimization (CEM deployment, recruitment coaching, chart review), Referral Support (HCP networks, study websites, pre-screeners), and Community Engagement (patient advocacy groups, digital campaigns, diversity outreach), supplemented by two newer modules: the Navigator Service (launched October 2023), which provides dedicated patient navigators and secondary prescreening, and the Retention Patch Program (launched 2023), a pediatric retention initiative developed with the Oliver Patch Project.

The underlying technology stack centers on operational tooling rather than a unified software platform: in-house study website and pre-screener development, digital campaign execution, and AI-assisted secondary prescreening within the Navigator module, backed by data accumulated across ~200 clinical trials and ~40,000 recruited patients. The company employs 60+ staff in the UK and approximately 65 personnel stationed overseas, with no disclosed private equity or venture capital investment; ownership remains with co-founders Kate Shaw (CEO) and David Watkins (CIO), with Anita Owen appointed as first Chief Operating Officer in April 2026 and John Watkinson as first Non-Executive Chair in January 2025.

Revenue is generated through project-based professional services contracts sourced via a formal RFP process and direct consultation; pricing is not publicly disclosed and is tailored to each protocol's therapy area, geography, and complexity. Distribution is enterprise-led, with services delivered through direct deployment of CEMs to trial sites and supported by content marketing (whitepapers, webinars, case studies) and industry conference presence. The customer base includes named enterprise sponsors across large pharma and CROs as well as NHS-affiliated partners such as The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.

Name

Innovative Trials

Legal name

Innovative Solutions Group Limited

Website

https://innovativetrials.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Innovative Trials is a UK-based clinical trial patient recruitment and retention specialist serving pharmaceutical, biotech, and CRO clients across ~70 countries via a global Clinical Enrolment Manager network, three core service lines (Site Optimization, Referral Support, Community Engagement), and patient-support modules including the Navigator Service and Retention Patch Program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Letchworth

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Clinical Trial Patient Recruitment Services: Provides bespoke patient recruitment and retention strategies for clinical trials. Services include site optimization, referral support, community engagement, and patient support programs. Revenue generated through project-based contracts with pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotech companies.
2. Clinical Site Optimization Services: Clinical Enrolment Manager (CEM) support, site recruitment coaching, chart review, and provision of study materials. Services delivered through direct engagement with trial sites.

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Innovative Trials is a clinical trial patient recruitment and retention specialist that helps pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotechs accelerate patient enrollment through three core service lines: Site Optimization, Referral Support, and Community Engagement. Services are delivered via a global network of Clinical Enrolment Managers (CEMs) in 70+ countries and supplemented by specialized offerings including the Navigator patient support service and the pediatric Retention Patch Program.

Product overview

Innovative Trials is a clinical trial patient recruitment and retention company offering a portfolio of services including three core service lines (Site Optimization, Referral Support, and Community Engagement) plus specialized modules (Navigator Service and Retention Patch Program). The company operates globally in over 70 countries with Clinical Enrolment Managers providing localized support. Services range from site-level optimization and patient pre-screening to community outreach, digital campaigns, and educational resources including webinars and whitepapers. The Navigator Service provides personalized patient support, while the Retention Patch Program addresses pediatric trial retention through a partnership with Oliver Patch Project.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Navigator: A patient recruitment and retention service providing personalised VIP support, guiding patients and caregivers through every step of their clinical trial journey with dedicated Patient Navigators.
• Retention Patch Program
• Innovative Trials Academy

Products and services

• Site Optimization Clinical site optimization services delivered by Clinical Enrolment Managers (CEMs) working directly with investigator sites to accelerate patient recruitment. Includes the global CEM network (70 countries, 65 languages), patient recruitment strategy and planning, site recruitment coaching, chart review, and provision of site materials. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotechs running multi-site trials.
• Referral Support Clinical trial referral support services to maximize referral opportunities around study sites. Includes patient pathway optimization, HCP referral network development, referral material provision, referral recruitment coaching, and in-house study website and pre-screener creation. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotechs seeking to broaden patient identification beyond investigator sites.
• Community Engagement Patient engagement solutions focused on community involvement at each step of clinical research. Includes study branding and design, Patient Advocacy Group support, community outreach, digital campaigns, patient and community insights, patient materials, and diversity and minority outreach. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotechs seeking to improve trial accessibility and diversity.
• Navigator Service Personalized patient and caregiver support service providing VIP assistance throughout the clinical trial journey. Features dedicated Patient Navigators for all study-related inquiries and secondary prescreening capabilities. Available globally with multilingual support. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotechs seeking to improve patient experience, retention, and pre-screening conversion.
• Retention Patch Program Global pediatric retention initiative operated in partnership with the Oliver Patch Project non-profit. Children enrolled in pediatric clinical trials receive collectible retention patches at enrollment and at each study milestone completed, designed to boost retention rates in pediatric clinical trials. Targeted at pharmaceutical companies, CROs, and biotechs running pediatric clinical trials.

Quantifiable outcome

• 181% increase in patient pre-screening rates (Type II Diabetes Phase IIIa rescue study)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2024UK charity partnership supporting GOSH Charity's Build it. Beat it. appeal to raise £300m for a new world-leading Children's Cancer Centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital. Partnership began formally in June 2023 and was originally intended to last 12 months. The company raises funds through internal activities and events to support pediatric cancer research and care.
• Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2023First-ever US-based charity partnership committed to helping improve blood cancer care and advance research into multiple myeloma with the aim of finding cures. Partnership lasted until May 2024 with commitment to raise $4,000. MMRF has committed over $500 million for research and helped bring 15+ FDA-approved therapies to market.
• Oliver Patch ProjectcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023US charity partnership extending the Retention Patch Program launched in 2023 - a joint initiative to boost clinical trial patient retention in pediatric studies. Children enrolled in pediatric clinical trials receive patches for milestones. The company commits to donating $6 to the Oliver Patch Project for each child enrolled where sponsors commission the Retention Patch Program.
• Crohn’s and Colitis UKminorOthersPrevious UK charity partnership.
• Alzheimer's Research UKminorOthersPrevious UK charity partnership.
• MS SocietyminorOthersPrevious UK charity partnership.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Parexel International: Parexel is a major global CRO offering comprehensive clinical trial services including patient recruitment and retention programs — competing for the same pharma and biotech sponsors as Innovative Trials.
• IQVIA: IQVIA is the world's largest CRO offering full-service clinical development including bundled patient recruitment, site management, and decentralized trial capabilities — directly competitive for sponsor RFPs.
• ICON plc: ICON plc is a top-3 global CRO providing full-service clinical trial execution including patient recruitment, feasibility, and site optimization — competing with Innovative Trials on enterprise RFPs.
• Labcorp Drug Development (formerly Covance): Labcorp Drug Development is a global CRO with extensive clinical trial services including site management, patient recruitment, and central laboratory services — competing for enterprise clinical trial contracts.
• Syneos Health: Syneos Health is a fully integrated biopharmaceutical solutions organization offering clinical development and commercialization services including patient recruitment — competing for large pharma RFPs.

Direct peers

• BBK Worldwide: BBK Worldwide is a long-standing clinical trial patient recruitment and engagement agency offering similar patient-centric recruitment, site optimization, and patient engagement services to pharma and CRO sponsors globally.
• ClinEdge: ClinEdge is a clinical research services company specializing in patient recruitment, retention, and decentralized trial services for biotech and pharma sponsors — closely comparable in scale and service offering.
• MMG (MMG Global): MMG is a clinical trial patient recruitment and retention company providing global site engagement and patient-centric services — comparable peer in the patient recruitment specialty services space.

Emerging players

• Antidote (formerly TrialReach): Antidote is a digital patient recruitment platform that matches patients to clinical trials through online search and AI-driven matching. It represents the tech-enabled alternative to Innovative Trials' CEM-led model.
• AutoCruitment: AutoCruitment is a digital patient recruitment company using targeted digital advertising and AI-driven pre-screening to accelerate enrollment — represents the tech-native alternative to traditional recruitment models.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/InnovTrials
• Facebookfacebook.com/InnovTrials
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovative-trials

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Innovative Trials