University is set to support the development of the Estonian economy in health technology accelerator Health Founders Estonia

The focus areas of Health Founders Estonia are gene technology, personalised medicine, drug development, bioinformatics and medical technology, as well as software as medical device, digital diagnostics and treatment and healthcare system ICT solutions.

At the launch event on 19 March, Health Founders Estonia introduced its programmes starting this spring to support health technology companies of different development stages. From 16 to 17 May, the hackathon Health Founders Startup Bootcamp takes place, the best teams of which will progress to the core programme Define. Application to the core programme Define, product development and validation programme Develop and business growth and export programme Grow opens in April. Read more about the programmes on the website.

In addition, Health Founders Estonia will introduce its programmes at the innovation and idea collection event of Tartu University Hospital on 26 March and the doctoral spring school on 7–8 April. See all events on the website.

According to Erki Mölder, entrepreneur and Chair of the Advisory Council of Health Founders Estonia, the vision is to have 1,000 health technology start-ups in Estonia by 2035, of which at least 10% achieve international breakthroughs. “This means new jobs and hundreds of millions of euros in export turnover. We bring together researchers, doctors, entrepreneurs and investors to increase the market entry of research-based health technologies and make Estonia a leading health technology breeding ground worldwide,” said Mölder.

Although Estonia's e-health infrastructure is top-notch, the international competitiveness and export capability of the health technology sector have been modest so far. Health Founders Estonia helps companies enter the market by offering support, mentorship and ideas on how innovative health solutions can be applied in practice. “We do have health technology companies and initiatives, but not always the necessary resources or motivation to implement these solutions in the healthcare system,” said Kristiina Sepp, Health Technology and Services Focus Area Manager at the Estonian Business and Innovation Agency.

Sepp hopes the project will give rise to many health technology unicorns. “If Estonia gets even one very good success story in the field of health technologies, others will follow. Hopefully this will lead to a steady flow of start-ups, the application of ideas and an increasing role of health technologies in the economy,” emphasised Sepp.