The DH-SMU course 1st edition from the coordinator’s perspective

We have provided 120 educational hours during eight weekends (six online and two on-site). Students were very active and committed – many thanks! It was a dynamic and diverse group of course participants. Among them digital health enthusiasts working in the healthcare sector and start-up’s developers willing to challenge their business strategies against knowledge experts in the field.  The course provided many opportunities to network with other entrepreneurs as well as venture funds owners and representatives of the healthcare public sector. The DH SMU course turned out to be an attractive proposition for those who has just embarked on a digital health adventure. It was a nice opportunity to learn about the practical aspects of setting up and running a start-up, i. e. to make their ideas real. The course showed them that although it is not easy, it can be done, because they are surrounded by mentors who support them.

Does the possibility of registering medical applications in Germany through DiGA is the best approach to achieve success in German and European markets? Is med-apps initial DIGI assessment as sufficient as it is the case in Finland? And what are the future fundraising opportunities in Central Eastern Europe and how are the changes at the level of the European Union affecting it? And what’s the optimal strategic approach for digital health solutions to enter the healthcare markets across EU settings? These are really hot issues!

As part of the course, students were challenged to present a business case in front of to the Council of Experts consisted of inter alia the director of e-Health Centre, the hospital manager, the representatives of pharma, IT and consulting companies. It was short high-level summary of the strategy for the development of digital health idea from conceptualization to implementation. Among others, business cases related to ML diagnostic algorithms (cardiology, dementia, ADHD), clinical decision support tools for rehabilitation and diagnosis (speech therapy, post-stroke management, irritable bowel syndrome) as well as platforms dedicated to time management for medical appointments were presented. The pitching activity in front of The Council of Experts was planned as a practical test of the real-life exposure of future interactions with investors and negotiations with budget holders within healthcare systems.

We invite you to the next edition of the Digital Health – Start Me Up course! Join the group of leaders in digital health innovation and create the future of medicine among the best!

Anna Zawada

DH-SMU course coordinator