Smart Specialization for new products, services and processes in Health
The focus of SmartHealth is to foster collaboration and technology and knowhow transferal notably among SMEs, but also encompassing other actors, like end-users and public institutions and research centers from several cross-sectors (ICT, Medical Devices, Aerospace, Maritime) for the benefit of Health in less developed regions (specially from South and East of Europe). The rationale behind this approach is to make available to less developed regions results produced in more intensive research regions and from cross-sectorial areas, while at the same time the direct contact with new problems, solutions and realities triggers new opportunities and unleashes back new researches and results within Europe.
SmartHealth will seek alignment with the RIS3 priorities of the participating regions, so that innovative funds from RIS3 can be leveraged in order to further accelerate the expected impacts and osmosis, like for example the RIS3 strategy of Murcia region (South of Spain) focused in fostering entrepreneurship.
By building on the expertise of the participating partners and on the synergies generated by the projects in which they are involved (like H2020 INNOSUP-1-2015 INNOLABS (http://www.innolabs.io), Neptune (http://www.neptune-project.eu), or H2020 e-HealthHub (http://www.ehealth-hub.eu)) and with the support of end users and regional institutions, SmartHealth partners aim at tackling the large societal challenges existing nowadays in health care, not only intrinsic ones like cancer or rare diseases but others extrinsic like aging populations, rising costs and scarcity of public resources. One of the strongest aims of SmartHealth is to work simultaneously on the offer and demand side, and align the impetus and entrepreneurial mindset with the needs for new solutions and new developments both in end users and large enterprises.
The potential transferal of technologies and knowhow underlying the considered sectors can be reflected in for example:
· ICT: ICT plays a central and disruptive cross-sectoral role to all economy sectors. By combining ICT into Health we can promote end-users to the driving seat and at the same time break down barriers allowing SMEs and start-ups to enter established markets and create new ones;
· Aerospace: the knowhow of critical complex systems development, reliable materials, collaboration with machines and satellite communications, as well as an extensive experience of human and organisational factors in risks management can contribute to innovation and safety expectations of the Health sector;
· Energy and Maritime: fluid technologies, materials such as polymers, circuits, valves technologies and others can have a direct application in health like in endovascular stents. In the same way processes innovations appearing in Energy enable users' empowerment and are closely linked to ICT technological advances (Digital Economy);
· Industry 4.0 is the new revolution happening right now in manufacturing and embracing all industries. Just in time production has evolved to deliver personalized production, zero waste, efficient energy products, new shapes and applications based on 3D additive manufacturing and pure mass customization in real time. They can enable new revolutions to happen in Health due to the new possibilities attainable in personalized products.
SmartHealth will also apply methodologies and partners’ knowledge in cross-fertilization, lean product design, risk management and team building, as well links to private investors and public funds in addition to RIS3. So, SmartHealth clusters partners will provide the knowhow and bridges for the technology and processes transfer and new ideas to occur and thrive among different regions and sectors for Societal Challenges in Health benefit, through a long-term cooperation agenda and joint actions. In addition, support for start-ups and new entrepreneurs is expected to be provided thanks to the links of the members to health accelerators, business angels and private equity capital.