In the presence of 15 HHINT participating companies, Top sector Life Sciences & Health (LSH) in cooperation with the Task Force Health Care (TFHC) organised the official kick-off meeting of the HHINT Starter programme. A new programme that guides and supports starting healthcare entrepreneurs in international business. After a short round of introductions, TFHC and Top Sector LSH gave several pitches on global healthcare, export and the corresponding ambitions. Following the pitches the HHINT participants were given an overview of the 12-month programme and ended the day with a network gathering.

One of the participants: 'Great that the Top Sector Life Sciences & Health is taking this effort, especially because it’s not an exclusive, but a whole program where starting entrepreneurs are coached how to export their innovative products.'

HHINT Participants 2016

Clinical Science Systems, INCISION, LeQuest, Livv Mobile Health, MedicalX, Medisit, MEDOX, Mofixx, MyDiagnostick Medical, Netherlands Institute for Healthcare and Wellbeing, NovyMed, Omics2Image, ReturnPool, Smart Signs Solutions, Urifoon, VARI-STEPP, Villerius Medical, Zintouch.

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The event that turned Amsterdam into an innovative living lab.

More than 5500 visitors headed to the north of Amsterdam on 14 April for the Innovation Expo. They were introduced to surprising novelties and inspired by lively lectures and workshops. For one day the area surrounding the EYE Film Museum was the innovative living lab of the Netherlands. Of course Top Sector LSH had to join this event and chairman Jan Raaijmakers went on a small exploratory trip.

Mutual Wave Machine

Several sensational life sciences and health projects were presented at the Innovation Expo. First of all the Mutual Wave Machine at the booth of the Hersenstichting where visitors experienced live brain research. Participants examined whether their brainwaves were comparable and what can happen during brain synchronicity. Even Raaijmakers was curious to see how he could influence his brainwaves.

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EYE Bus

The Rotterdam Eye Hospital brought two of their Eye buses to the Innovation Expo ground. It is a convenient tool fully equipped with the most modern ophthalmic equipment. With the Eye Bus excellent preventive eye care is brought close to the client, at home or at work. This is unique in the Netherlands. The Eye Bus is a scientifically proven concept that has been in operation for more than six years. Raaijmakers spoke with Kees Sol, CFO at the Rotterdam Eye Hospital, about the implementation of such innovations. Additionally, Raaijmakers took advantage of the opportunity to get his eyes checked.

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Personalised Medicine

Top Sector LSH’s chairman Raaijmakers led one of the 25 sessions at the event. This session addressed the future of medicine with three leading speakers on Personalised Medicine. First, professor René Bernards from the Netherlands Cancer Institute illustrated the opportunities and challenges regarding personalised medicine. Dr. Robert Vries, HUB Hubrecht Organoid Technology, showed how organoid technology can change our future healthcare with better and affordable medicines. This can benefit the industry and health insurance companies. Finally professor Bas Bloem, Radboud UMC, elaborated on the future of patient centered healthcare, with an example of ParkinsonNet. Together with chairman Raaijmakers the three speakers discussed the hurdles that need to be overcome in our current system to make way for personalised medicine. The most frequently mentioned aspects were the financial support of the government, the infrastructure possibilities, and the competing health insurers.

Overall, it seems clear that the Netherlands is buzzing with innovative entrepreneurs who want to turn their ideas into action via collaboration with new partners. Their plans for the life sciences and health sector are inspiring and will hopefully become a reality soon. 

Watch the video below to get an impression of the Innovation Expo 216.