What David Nott Foundation does

The David Nott Foundation is a UK-registered charity (no. 1162537) founded in 2015 by Professor David Nott, a surgeon with three decades of war-zone experience, and Elly Nott, headquartered in London. The Foundation's core function is to deliver surgical training to doctors working in conflict and catastrophe zones, addressing the gap between conventional surgical training and the skills required to treat war wounds in resource-limited settings. It operates a portfolio of Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST®) courses covering trauma surgery (HEST®), anaesthesia (HEST®-A), obstetrics and gynaecology (HEST®-OG), and a UK-based cadaveric course (HEST®-UK) co-delivered with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, augmented by the proprietary Heston® anatomical war-wound simulator and an Anaesthesia for Austere Environments (AAE) course. Since inception it has trained 2,542 doctors across 77 courses in 19 countries including Ukraine, Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Iraq, Libya, Somaliland, Sudan, Myanmar, and Moldova.

Name

David Nott Foundation

Legal name

The David Nott Foundation

Website

https://davidnottfoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The David Nott Foundation is a London-based charity founded in 2015 that delivers hands-on hostile-environment surgical training to doctors working in conflict and catastrophe zones worldwide. Its proprietary HEST® curriculum, Heston® war-wound simulator, and faculty of frontline-experienced surgeons have trained 2,542 doctors across 19 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Surgical Training Services

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

EMS Education, Training & Simulation Centers (HLAFANAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Emergency Shelter, Camp Management & Non-Food Items (NFI) (BPAGAAAC), Emergency Medical Services (EMT/Paramedic) Training (EDAOAMAC)

Keywords

• Humanitarian surgical training
• Conflict zone medicine
• Trauma surgery education
• Hostile environment training
• Medical charity training

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Monthly and one-off donations from individuals supporting the Foundation's mission to train frontline doctors in conflict zones.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with companies like Oliver Bonas where the company supports the Foundation through fundraising, employee engagement, and sometimes product sales proceeds.
3. Challenge Events: Fundraising events such as the Three Peaks Challenge where supporters raise money through physical challenges.
4. Legacy Giving: Donations made through wills and legacies by supporters who wish to leave a gift to the Foundation.
5. School Fundraising: Children and students fundraise for the Foundation through school activities and societies.
6. Events and Experiences: Premium events like 'Doctor Theatre' where ticket sales/donations support the Foundation's work. The Doctor Theatre 2 event raised over £65,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The David Nott Foundation is a registered charity that delivers free, specialist surgical training to doctors working in conflict zones and catastrophe-affected regions. Its core offerings are the Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST®) courses for surgery, anaesthesia, obstetrics and gynaecology, plus UK-based HEST-UK courses, the Anaesthesia for Austere Environments (AAE) course, surgical missions, and scholarships, all supported by the proprietary Heston® war wound simulator. Training is provided at no cost to participants and funded entirely through donations, corporate partnerships, events, and legacy gifts.

Product overview

The David Nott Foundation offers a portfolio of humanitarian surgical training programs centered around the Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST®) brand, which includes specialized courses for surgery (HEST®), anaesthesia (HEST®-A), UK-based training (HEST®-UK), and obstetrics/gynaecology (HEST®-OG). The foundation also provides Surgical Training for Austere Environments (STAE) and Anaesthesia for Austere Environments (AAE) courses. Training is enhanced through the Heston® war wound simulator, an anatomically-correct teaching tool. The organization supports student engagement through Friends of David Nott Foundation (FDNF) societies and trainee development via the Trainees of David Nott Foundation (TDNF) network, while also funding scholarships and deploying surgical missions in conflict zones.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hostile Environment Surgical Training (HEST®) Flagship surgical training course for frontline doctors focusing on trauma surgery skills in conflict and catastrophe environments. Covers decision-making and technical skills for effective trauma care. Free of charge to participants.
• Hostile Environment Surgical Training – Anaesthesia (HEST®-A) Anaesthesia course focusing on resuscitation, and pre- and post-operative care for anaesthetists working in hostile environments. Free of charge to participants.
• Hostile Environment Surgical Training UK (HEST®-UK) UK-based trauma surgery course delivered in partnership with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, using human cadavers and cutting-edge teaching models. Equips international surgeons with trauma skills for hostile environments.
• Hostile Environment Surgical Training – Obs and Gynaecology (HEST®-OG) Obstetrics and gynaecology course focusing on childbirth and maternal care in conflict and catastrophe settings. Free of charge to participants.
• Anaesthesia for Austere Environments (AAE) Course providing clinically relevant foundation for anaesthetists who wish to pursue humanitarian work in resource-limited and high-risk environments. Covers ethical, clinical, and personal challenges.
• Surgical Training for Austere Environments (STAE) Training course for doctors from conflict-affected countries focusing on surgical skills in resource-limited settings.
• Surgical Missions On a case-by-case basis, the Foundation supports trainers to deliver operating missions in countries impacted by war and catastrophe, including joint missions with Action for Humanity in northwest Syria.
• Scholarships Additional funding offered to frontline doctors looking to further their training in humanitarian surgical care.
• Heston® War Wound Simulator Anatomically-correct human war wound simulator designed specifically for the Foundation, allowing doctors to visualize and practice treating wounds such as head trauma and limb damage. A registered trademark and proprietary teaching tool.
• Friends of David Nott Foundation (FDNF) Volunteer-led global student network of university medical students who champion the Foundation's mission on campus across 21 UK university societies and help inspire the next generation of humanitarian doctors.
• Trainees of David Nott Foundation (TDNF) Community of nearly 200 surgical trainees interested in humanitarian careers, providing mentorship, education, and collaboration opportunities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,542 doctors trained since 2015
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, secondary and core.

• Oliver BonasflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 May 2026Corporate partnership where Oliver Bonas supports the Foundation through employee engagement events, fundraising activities, and cause marketing. Oliver Bonas employees participated in team away days featuring DNF CEO and exhibition of teaching tools. Company values align around kindness and positive impact.
• GASOC (Global Anaesthesia, Surgery and Obstetric Collaboration)secondaryStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 October 2025TDNF delivered a practical workshop at GASOC's 10th anniversary conference in Glasgow on humanitarian surgical response in conflict and crisis.
• Almeida TheatreflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 September 2025Venue partnership for 'Doctor Theatre 2' fundraising event featuring conversations between actors and Professor David Nott. The event raised over £65,000 for the Foundation.
• Association of AnaesthetistscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2025Partnership supporting the Anaesthesia for Austere Environments (AAE) pilot course. The Association provided the venue in central London and collaborative development of the course curriculum.
• World Health Organization (WHO) for occupied Palestinian territorycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 15 July 2025Partnership for delivering HEST® courses in Ramallah, Palestine. WHO provides funding and institutional support while DNF delivers surgical training to Palestinian surgeons.
• UOSSM (Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024Partnership in Ukraine providing logistical support for delivering HEST® and HEST®-A courses. UOSSM works with DNF to enable course delivery in conflict-affected areas.
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 26 March 2024Landmark collaboration delivering HEST®-UK courses for surgeons worldwide. The partnership combines RCSEd's global healthcare mission with DNF's expertise in conflict surgery training. First course delivered in June 2024 with 24 surgeons, followed by December 2024 course with 23 surgeons and June 2025 course with 28 surgeons.
• Action for HumanitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 May 2023Joint surgical missions in northwest Syria, including earthquake response. Action for Humanity leads the operating arm while DNF provides surgical training. Together they treated over 300 patients and trained 23 local doctors.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Partners in Health: A major global health non-profit that trains and supports clinicians in resource-limited settings, including conflict-affected regions. Comparable train-the-trainer ethos, though broader in clinical scope.
• International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC): Operates hospitals and surgical training programmes in conflict zones worldwide, with explicit focus on war surgery. Comparable to DNF in theatre selection (Syria, Ukraine, Yemen) and clinical mandate, though at much greater institutional scale.
• Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): The largest independent humanitarian medical organization, delivering emergency surgical care and training in conflict and disaster settings globally. Directly comparable in mission (treating patients in conflict zones) but vastly larger and broader in scope than DNF.
• Royal College of Surgeons of England: The UK surgical training body with global programmes in trauma, conflict, and disaster response. Comparable as a deliverer of advanced surgical education and a potential institutional counterpart to RCSEd.
• Mercy Corps: A large humanitarian NGO operating in conflict-affected and disaster zones globally, including health programming. Comparable operational footprint in DNF's geographies, though broader in mandate.

Direct peers

• Operation Smile: An international medical non-profit delivering surgical missions and training local surgeons in low- and middle-income countries. Directly comparable in deploying surgeon-led missions and building local surgical capacity.
• CURE International: Operates a network of paediatric surgical hospitals and training programmes in low- and middle-income countries. Comparable as a non-profit training and treating surgeons in austere environments.
• Global Anaesthesia, Surgery and Obstetric Collaboration (GASOC): A UK-based collaborative of anaesthetists, surgeons, and obstetricians working in global health. Already a DNF partner through TDNF; comparable in focus on anaesthesia and obstetric capacity-building in low-resource settings.
• Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd): An active strategic partner of DNF and a global surgical training body running fellowship and trauma courses. Comparable as a deliverer of advanced surgical education and a co-developer of HEST-UK.
• Lifebox: A global non-profit focused on safer surgery and anaesthesia in low-resource settings, including training and equipment distribution. Closely comparable mission: building surgical capacity in resource-limited and conflict-affected environments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-david-nott-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about David Nott Foundation