Collaboration is key in health innovations – Helsinki works together with international testing facilities
For innovative health sector companies, EU TEF-Health provides a pathway to international testing environments. The City of Helsinki, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, and HUS continue their collaboration within a cross-border ecosystem.
Aging population, declining birth rates, and challenges in the social and health sectors shake Finland. Well-being and health technologies play a key role in developing new solutions. The Health Proof Helsinki service, developed in collaboration between the City of Helsinki, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, and HUS, has streamlined the research and testing pathways for companies in the well-being and health sector since 2022. The initiative was then entirely new and demand-driven. It provides a collaborative and needs-based environment for research, development, innovation, and education for companies in the health and well-being technology industries.
At Health Proof Helsinki, businesses can experiment with and develop their solutions in Metropolia’s simulation hospital while utilizing Helsinki’s social and health sector facilities and HUS’s specialized healthcare environments. This ensures that companies’ solutions can be tailored to meet real patient needs.
Exciting news was announced at the Health Proof Helsinki closing event: this crucial initiative will now continue as a permanent model. Moreover, the operations are set to expand further as we participate in European-wide collaboration within the EU TEF-Health network.
International EU TEF-Health: testing and developing health innovations across Europe
EU TEF-Health provides both virtual and physical testing and development environments. It helps companies bring their health innovations to market through testing and validation. The service enhances the capabilities of companies at various stages. It supports research, development, and innovation in AI and robotics-based health solutions, commercialization of their products, and international expansion through ecosystem networks.
Sanna Hartman, Senior Advisor in health innovation activities at Business Helsinki, celebrates the continuation of the initiative:
— We have been promoting the testing and development of health innovations for years. This is a step toward establishing a permanent health innovation ecosystem. It is fantastic that our significant work and excellent collaboration will continue at an international level. This allows us to drive the growth and global expansion of the health technology sector while strengthening the Helsinki region’s attractiveness as a hub for health research and business. At the same time, Finnish companies gain access to international testing environments.
— In international discussions, we have noticed that Helsinki’s health innovation testbed is already highly advanced, and we are recognized as pioneers. We have a lot to contribute to the global TEF initiative. For Finnish companies, this is an excellent opportunity to enter international testing environments, says Minna Elomaa-Krapu, Innovation Director at Metropolia University of Applied Sciences.
EU TEF-Health (Testing and Experimenting Facilities)
What is it? A Europe-wide initiative providing testing and development environments for health sector innovations, particularly AI and robotics solutions.
For whom? Membership in the network focused on health technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics enables Finnish health tech companies to access Europe’s most significant medical device testing environments.
Why? When new solutions are verified and validated with real end users, companies can refine their products to better meet actual needs and become market-ready.
Who? Health Proof Helsinki stakeholders are involved in EU TEF-Health. The initiative operates across nine countries with 52 partners and is co-funded by the European Union.
Developing health innovations through collaboration – EU TEF-Health’s open call
TEF-Health is looking for new health innovations utilizing artificial intelligence or robotics for testing. Does your SME have a healthcare solution that should be trialed in a real healthcare environment? The call is open until the maximum number of service providers is reached or until December 31, 2027.
Health Proof Helsinki participates in the TEF-Health network through the STAI project (Simulation, TestBed, and AI services for Uusimaa-based companies), funded by the Uusimaa Regional Council’s Akke program.
The STAI project aims to create the foundation for a broad innovation network in Uusimaa within the health technology sector, develop the commercialization of services around the Health Proof Helsinki initiative, and integrate the TEF network into services offered to growth companies. This provides a faster route for companies to support their internationalization efforts.
