This programme provides the benefits of living labs and test beds to entrepreneurs, so they can develop market-ready products with high benefit and a high probability of success. Living labs and test beds are open innovation ecosystems where stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and patients, cooperate on solutions to healthcare challenges. Living labs support the innovation process throughout the different phases of the value chain, including ideation, co-creation, validation, and scale-up.
Who should apply?
This programme is open to any European start-up, SME, entrepreneur or innovation project that aims to improve their product by validating, co-creating and ideating with the end-user in a real environment.
All organisations seeking to improve their products are invited to work with the EIT Health living labs network. It has wide geographic coverage throughout Europe and wide coverage of thematic areas such as MedTech, Digital Health or e-health, allowing a diverse group of organisations to benefit from the network across Europe.
Programme
The Living Labs and Test Bed programme to accelerate start-ups and SMEs has four phases:
- Annual call (six cut-off dates, bimonthly): Annually, start-ups and SMEs from Europe can request access to the services of the European network of living labs and test beds focused on the healthcare domain, and the EIT Health living labs network;
- Analysis of applications and needs: A group of experts from the project consortium analyses applications, performs a needs analysis and selects living labs and test beds that are best suited to the applicant’s needs;
- Matchmaking and contact: This phase exists to agree upon, define and organise the specific service to be provided;
- Follow up: Both the living lab or test bed and the start-up will be monitored by a living lab expert, who is responsible for the project network and to accompany the process. They will gather information to evaluate the proper functioning of the programme, and make any necessary improvements.
More information about this programme can be found at the EIT Health Living Labs and Test Beds website.
Applications should be submitted via the EIT Health application platform, hosted by Optimy. To apply, you will need to create an EIT Health Optimy account: eithealth.optimytool.com
Application deadline: Several cut-off dates for application throughout the year were stablished. The next application deadline is 31 May 2019. The other dates will be announced in June.
