Best project idea awarded on final pitches during the EIT Health StarShip programme

Six international multidisciplinary teams were working for almost a year on innovative project ideas responding for industrial challenges, and the best was selected on the 7 November in the event that was held in Budapest.

StarShip, the InnoStars Innovation Fellowship programme itself aimed to bring together the research with the industry on the field of real innovation solution, where ideas could be piloted in hospital environment and the best could turn into execution. Young, individual talents could apply for StarShip who had a high interest in the health sector, and bring in relevant background from biomedical, technical, engineering, economical, business, design or similar fields. Master or PhD was a plus.

They should come from a European country with moderate innovation performance (Central-, Eastern-Europe or Southeastern Europe). From the successful applicants six competing team were formed, each having team members from health-related sciences and business also.

The work started with a brain storming to find the best idea responding to GE challenges, which were the following:

• New ways for hospitals to access innovative algorithm
• Improve drug administration by digital labeling
• Decision support in critical care

During the first week education programme in March, teams were provided with information related to BioDesign and Innovation in the Health Sector (Lodz, hosted by MUL), whereas the second education module focused on Basics of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management in the Health Sector (April, Barcelona, hosted by IESE). The third week in September, hosted by the University of Coimbra was aiming to develop the teams’ innovation strategy. The final coaching helped the team in their presentation with a course named the Art of Communication and Implementation (November, Budapest, hosted by GE).

In the final pitches the teams came up with reasonable innovative ideas regarding the healthcare workers duty calendar. Various types of application helping the communication between patient and doctor regarding the medication dosing, changing in current health stage, etc.
But the winning idea was a non-invasive imaging solution that can be an alternative of colonoscopy. The winning projects were presented by Joao Ribas (member of the winning team) at the EIT Health Summit.
The first edition of StarShip proved to be a real success story of EIT Health. The programme managed to link company challenges with university research outcomes and validated clinical needs therefore it also contributed to KTI development.

By summarizing this is how the organizers see the first edition of StarShip:

“I was amazed by the team spirit and commitment. They started as individuals and ended up as team members. I was happy to hear that they would like to continue the work together and with EIT Health. Some of them already started to organise local hubs at home. InnoStars is committed to support their community activities at home and to listen to their project ideas in the future. “ Balázs Fürjes (InnoStars Managing Director) 

“We now have a programme where EIT Health industry partners, hospitals, universities, students can work together in a structured way to make the most effective example of Knowledge Triangle Integration, where students learn new entrepreneurial skills in multidisciplinary teams, identify market pains with support from the care providers and deliver added value for the strategy of industry partners. And the best news is that the next year edition of the programme is almost there!” Jorge Figueira (University of Coimbra)

“Seeing the progress that the teams have made is amazing. They have truly leveraged the international network that the StarShip programme provides and developed novel ways of tackling some of the most pressing challenges in health care today. It is with great enthusiasm that I look forward to seeing their future development.” Daniel Mogefors (KTH Stockholm)

“This is the third EIT Health education programme GE takes part in, with great results. EIT Health creates a community where business can connect great minds from academia and young entrepreneurs can get professional support to strengthen their entrepreneurial skills. It is very inspiring for us to work with interdisciplinary teams and to meet different approaches and perspectives for the improvement of healthcare,” Viktória Katona (GE Healthcare)

StarShip will continue in 2018 as well, to bring even more young talents on a unique innovation journey.

Call for participation for 2018 will open from January on the following website: https://www.starship.eithealth.eu