European Commission: Setting Up a European Smart Health Innovation Hub

Deadline: 21-Apr-22

The European Commission’s (EC) Setting Up a European Smart Health Innovation Hub to support innovation of digital tools for better and more personalised treatments and self-monitoring of citizens and patients throughout Europe. However, adoption and deployment of digital health solutions in practice, both in the public health system and by private players remains low.

Building on the recommendations from the report of the Strategic Forum for Important Projects of Common European Interest, coordination and support is needed to:

create a pan-European operational network as a mechanism (a European Smart Health Innovation Hub) that can assess and promote Smart Health initiatives;
stimulate the demand-side and the uptake of Smart Health products and services; and
support the development of Smart Health products and services.

Areas

Applicants should propose activities in several of the following areas:

Promote transfer and exchange of knowledge and best practices (such as twinnings) between different actors, such as SMEs, mid-caps, accelerators, incubators, RTOs, EDIHs, Reference Sites of the EIP-AHA and Knowledge Hubs, such as EIT KIC Health, eHealth Hub or mHealth Hub – working on innovation of digital health solutions, including training to end-users, eg citizens, patients, health care providers, and deployment strategies.
Promote scalability of digital innovation solutions by organizing market places and pitching events to public health organizations and private entities and by involving industry and Member States representatives.
Integrating existing repositories into a sustainable European repository, serving as a reference of ready to market solutions (supply side) and public and private organizations adopting them (demand side), as well as best practices.
Reinforce the European Digital Health ecosystem by enhancing collaboration and networking between the different actors working on digital health innovation across Europe. Synergies with other relevant initiatives, like the Digital Transformation Accelerator that will manage the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs are encouraged, as well as with relevant initiatives in AI, Data and Robotics in Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe, Digital Europe and other programs.
The Digital Health solutions that would be part of the European Smart Health Innovation Hub should match the needs of all citizens and patients, regardless of their age, gender, social or economic background.

Funding Information

The check will normally be done for the coordinator if the requested grant amount is equal to or greater than EUR 500,000, except for:

public bodies (entities established as a public body under national law, including local, regional or national authorities) or international organizations; and
cases where the individual requested grant amount is not more than EUR 60,000 (lowvalue grant).

Expected Outcomes

Proposals under this topic should aim for delivering results that are directed, tailored towards and contributing to all of the following expected outcomes:

Empowered patients and citizens of all ages, gender, social and economic background adopt and use digital tools to monitor their health status independently.
A strong European ecosystem is created by innovators in the health domain, including, but not limited to SMEs, Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs), accelerators, incubators, (European) Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIH), European Reference Sites of the EIP- AHA and Knowledge Hubs, involving end-users.
Public and private entities adopt the innovations of European digital health companies, especially SMEs and mid-caps, enhancing their sustainability and resilience.
Citizens, patients, health practitioners and facilities, public and private actors access and make use of sustainable EU-wide reference repository of digitally-enabled innovative solutions addressing all health related sectors, areas and segments, with particular focus on self-management and prevention .

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for funding, applicants must be established in one of the eligible countries, ie:

the Member States of the European Union, including their outermost regions;
the Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs) linked to the Member States;
eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe;
- low- and middl e-income countries.