Are you looking to establish a programme for health and life science start-ups but don’t know where to begin? EIT Health DRIVE equips your organisation with the tools to become the next local change agent.
Join to learn how to design validated, sustainable support programmes for health and life science start-ups tailored to your regional needs. You’ll also gain insight into identifying and engaging key community stakeholders to create meaningful change. Once you have all the tools, you can secure co-funding of up to 50,000 EUR to implement your start-up support program.
Develop a tailor-made plan for the health or life science-oriented start-up support programme in your region
Learn with a unique methodology co-created with TU Delft, top engineering and technology university in the world
Learn from experienced European entrepreneurship ecosystems during on-site study visits
Tap into a network of acceleration managers from similar ecosystems and top innovation experts
Apply for 50% co-funding, up to €50,000, and mentoring to implement the programme you designed
The first phase of the EIT Health DRIVE training programme lasts 14 weeks (between 28 August and 29 November 2023) and consists of a mix of on-site & online training sessions and individual & teamwork.
The programme’s second phase starts in January 2024. The goal of the second phase is to facilitate the realisation of the most excellent start-up support programme designs.
Delft, Netherlands – 5 days
Learn about the DRIVE Methodology, visit one of the world’s most developed entrepreneurship ecosystems in the Netherlands, and define your ambition for your region
Online sessions and individual/teamwork to analyse your region and map entrepreneurship potential, as well as how to engage important stakeholders
Munich,Germany – 3 days
Map the specific needs of health and life science start-ups, find out what made Israel, the Start-up Nation from a guest expert, and receive advice for your programme design
Online sessions and individual/teamwork to brainstorm on building a fundable plan by applying learnings acquired up to this week
Budapest, Hungary – 3 days
Hear regional success stories from previous DRIVE participants, learn different funding models for your organisation, and create your action plan for the start-up programme
Implement your start-up support programme with a 50% co-funding rate of up to EUR 50 000 and receive mentoring by start-up acceleration experts
The programme is open to organisations in countries where the EIT Health Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS) is present through its network of hubs. The applicant organisation is expected to provide incubation & acceleration support for entrepreneurs (e.g. mentoring, matchmaking, validation support, training etc.) for at least 1 year and would like to establish a comprehensive health & life science start-up support programme. Applicant organisations can be, but are not limited to:
The applicant organisation cannot be a current EIT Health RIS Hub or EIT Health Partner or the affiliated entity of an EIT Health RIS Hub or EIT Health Partner. For more information, please read the Call document attached to the application form.
2023
The programme’s total cost is 20 000 EUR; however, EIT Health InnoStars offers you partial funding of 15 000 EUR. Therefore the following contribution fee is applicable: 5000 EUR participation fee for a two-person team from a single organisation. The travel and accommodation costs shall be covered by the participating organisation.
2024
The organisations that completed the DRIVE training will also possess the right to apply for co-funding and mentoring to help them realise the start-up support programmes designed in the first phase of the DRIVE training programme. The co-funding rate is 50%, up to 50 000 EUR.
The main challenge that we are facing all the time in our innovation ecosystem is how to connect scientists and research and development with business and industry. The EIT Health DRIVE programme gave us the support to understand the needs of our ecosystem and to do our best in communicating, collaborating, and pushing our innovation ecosystem forward.
Jana Blazevic Marcelja, Deputy CEO at Science and Technology Park Rijeka
When hearing about the credibility of the EIT Health network and the opportunities that we can bring, the universities and technology transfer centres and private tech companies suddenly became more interested than before, in working with us.
Cristina Baghiu, Co-founder & European Digital Innovation Hub Coordinator of the Digital Innovation Zone EDIH
Programme Manager, EIT Health
