Six Swedish start-ups selected to accelerate in the French AI and digital health market

In July EIT Health launched a new joint accelerator programme for Swedish start-ups in digital health and artificial intelligence with support from the Swedish Innovation Agency Vinnova within the framework of the strategic innovation partnership between Sweden and France.

During 12 months six selected Swedish start-ups specialised in digital health and in artificial intelligence will receive tailor made support from EIT Health experts and through the French and European partner network, access to the French healthcare ecosystem, develop new research and tech collaborations and accelerate their solution on the French market. The companies will start with a 360° need-assessment to create a clear and individualised roadmap.

– We want to overcome obstacles to innovation so we can improve healthcare delivery in Europe and make life-changing solutions possible. By working together, we can remove barriers across borders to create a more resilient and dynamic European healthcare system. This accelerator is a great example of how our network can provide the right ingredients to coach entrepreneurs, foster new businesses and spur growth

Jean-Marc Bourez Managing Director, EIT Health France

The companies have wide range of solutions, from monitoring devices to help reduce heart failure, an app for biomarkers to monitor obesity and heart failure, an app for test and diagnostic results to training for caregivers, advanced gait analysis and an e-health solution for caregivers and patients.

– Sweden and France are global pioneers in developing and adopting cutting-edge technologies to improve conditions for caregivers and the quality of lives for patients. With the support from EIT Health, we aim to establish collaboration with hospitals and R&D clinics in areas such as post-stroke rehabilitation and mobility disorders, to bring the benefits of Walkbeat into peoples’ lives.

Siddhartha Khandelwal, CEO and Founder of Walkbeat, one of the participating start-ups.

The inauguration of the accelerator takes place at the World’s largest startup campus incubator in Paris, Station F, during the AI for Health Summit on 17 November. The companies will be introduced to the French ecosystem and will pitch their solution to a selected committee of over 25 representatives from EIT Health partners including PariSanté Campus, Alcen, Digital Pharma Lab, Fondation de l’Avenir, Medicen and Medtronic.

EIT Health will also moderate the “Ecosystem Talk” on the main stage in collaboration with PariSanté Campus, Future4Care, the joint venture by Sanofi, Capgemini, Generali and Orange, and Ministry of Health and Solidarity together with one of the Swedish startups.

The accelerator program is implemented within the framework of the strategic innovation partnership between Sweden and France, where both health, AI and digitalisation and innovative small and medium-sized companies are among the priority areas for in-depth cooperation between the countries.

– We are very pleased to see that the accelerator program is now being inaugurated, giving the six selected innovative Swedish start-ups, a unique opportunity to engage with the French innovation and healthcare system. This effort is in line with several of the goals in the Swedish Life Sciences Strategy and is also a good example of what can be obtained within the French Swedish Partnership for Innovation, says Jenni Nordborg, National Life Sciences Coordinator, Government Offices of Sweden

Sweden has a growing ecosystem of AI and digital health start-ups. Sweden invests three percent of GDP in research and innovation. Healthcare and medicine are one of the top industries implementing the use of AI. The technology-friendly population, qualified researchers, a culture of innovation and research, and the presence of tech unicorns and multinationals offer a high capability of welcoming AI and new technology.

– We look forward to welcoming the six selected Swedish start-ups, to the French market. We are impressed by the level of innovation and believe the startups have great opportunities to develop new partnerships within the French healthcare system, says Håkan Åkesson, Ambassador of Sweden to France.

With 82 laboratories, 268 research teams and 5,300 researchers, France is already one of the most dynamic European countries in AI R&D and many opportunities open up for cooperation with the French government to create a more efficient healthcare system, using AI-based solutions. The French Government will dedicate EUR 1.5 billion to develop AI by the end of 2022, including EUR 700 million for research.

– The bilateral cooperation between France and Sweden offer a great opportunity for the Swedish start-ups as The French Ministry of Health in collaboration with the French eHealth Agency (Agence du Numérique en Santé – ANS) has implemented G_NIUSs, a hub of services designed to support and encourage innovation in eHealth. We encourage cross-border innovation in ehealth and the fact that G_NIUS is now live in English offer great opportunities for Swedish start-ups, stated David Sainati, Director eHealth projects, French Ministry of Health.

Start-ups:

Acorai AB: is a non-invasive intracardiac pressure monitoring device to help reduce heart failure (HF) re-hospitalisations.

Contact: Filip Peters, CEO filip.peters@acorai.com

Tel: +46 708 756 781

Deversify: is a Swedish R&D company offering health-tech solutions for consumers. We develop and commercialise mobile electronic devices and apps to monitor biomarkers for individualised health, specialising in breathalysers and personalised nutrition. Our vision is that everyone should understand their own health.

Contact: Sara Lindgren, CMO sara.lindgren@deversify.com

Tel: +44 7771 774 014

INFRION AB: via a web portal (SaaS) we deliver all the components needed to run a testing clinic, interfacing with labs, health authorities and patients.

Contact: : Aslak Felin, CEO aslak@infrion.com

Tel: +46 706021745

Minnity: Lets caregivers improve their caregiving skills through short, interactive digital training and enhances their working environment through a personalized care tool with care team collaboration features

Contact: Sophie Maillard, Co-founder & Country Manager France sophie@minnity.com

Tel: +46 766353317

Walkbeat AB: World’s first easy-to-use tool to monitor, track and accurately analyse gait in any environment such as clinic or daily life for areas such as orthopedics, post-stroke rehabilitation, mobility disorders and sports injuries.

Contact: Siddhartha Khandelwal, CEO, Founder sid@walkbeat.se

Tel: +46 760205391

Worldish AB: a digital and multilingual communication and work assistant called Helen that can be used within healthcare between caregiver and patient.

Contact: Abhishek Jacob, CEO, abhishek.jacob@worldish.se

Tel: +46 703244124

About the Swedish French Accelerator program

The aim of the programme is to facilitate for Swedish start-ups, specialised in digital health and artificial intelligence, to build new solid relationships with the French ecosystem, attend tailor-made training and eventually accelerate their solution on the French Market. The Swedish French Accelerator is a one-year program which offers a unique combination of mentoring, onsite and online training sessions, that will help the start-ups to validate their solution and fit to the French market. The program is funded by the Swedish innovation agency Vinnova within the framework of the strategic innovation partnership between Sweden and France.

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