Internal mid-term demo day
The Internal Mid-term Demo Day, marking the completion of the first phase of the Forward to Health Innovation program, took place on Wednesday, July 3rd, at AstraZeneca’s premises in Zagreb!
The Demo Day brought together startup teams, mentors, partners, representatives from AstraZeneca and Selvita, as well as investors interested in fostering innovation in Croatia’s healthcare sector. The teams, who have been actively participating in the Forward to Health Innovation program over the past few months, presented the projects they have been diligently working on.
Filip Stipančić, representing Smion and the event organizers, welcomed the attendees and recapped all the activities carried out during the program’s current phase, officially opening the event.
Our partners
AstraZeneca, a global innovative biopharmaceutical company, supports innovation and the development of the healthtech sector, as “the motivation for such actions lies in the ambition for innovation,” stated Ena Vitlov, who presented AstraZeneca, its operations, mission, vision, and the motives behind supporting the program.
Through a longstanding collaboration with AstraZeneca, we have supported startup teams in the Forward to Health Innovation program, actively contributing to the advancement of healthcare.
Selvita, one of the largest pharmaceutical companies focused on research and development of innovative therapies, and the only company of its kind in Croatia, started with just 20 employees! This collaboration marks a continuation and expansion of the longstanding support that Selvita and its experts have provided through the Health Innovation program.
Adrijana Vinter presented Selvita’s work, sharing her personal connection and passion for the role she fulfills at the company. She compared the preclinical drug development process to a Rubik’s Cube: “You’re always moving forward and backward, forward and backward, and repeating.”
In addition, Adrijana, along with Ana Salapić, marketing manager for cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic diseases at AstraZeneca, Ines Potočnjak, specialist in clinical pharmacology and toxicology and assistant professor at the Clinical Hospital Center Sisters of Charity, and Dario Šimović, executive director and co-founder of BigDot & LittleDot, participated in the expert committee that guided the teams with their questions and offered advice.
Pitching
Additionally, during the mid-term demo day the pitches from ten teams were eagerly awaited. In front of investors, other startup teams, mentors, and partners, the team representatives presented their projects, receiving feedback from the expert jury, which provided comments, advice, and both positive and negative critiques. Apart from the jury, other teams were also able to share feedback anonymously and ask questions.
The teams CroatiaHealthTourism, E-NJURY SmartPlast, Jurlina Coenergy, Lunas Spectrum, MediBoost, Moj Liječnik, PolyAnalytica, RepairStroke, SeniorSOS.help, and WERXE completed the first phase of the program, with many now taking the next step towards market launch.
CroatiaHealthTourism is seeking a few hundred euros in initial investment, E-NJURY SmartPlast was introduced as “the Arnold Schwarzenegger among plasters,” and we had the opportunity to hold it in our hands. Jurlina Coenergy, SeniorSOS.help, and MediBoost will incorporate artificial intelligence into their operations. Lunas Spectrum was praised by the jury as “an exceptionally innovative idea,” and Moj Liječnik already has an existing platform. PolyAnalytica aims to enable wide use of blood extraction from home, while RepairStroke is working on patenting its product. The WERXE team seeks to solve the issue of 90% of healthcare entities being non-compliant with GDPR!
The Center for Research, Development, and Technology Transfer of the University of Zagreb (EIT Health Hub Croatia) and Smion have been strengthening healthcare innovators for the third consecutive year, helping them turn their ideas into effective solutions that address unmet healthcare needs and improve patient outcomes.
In previous editions of the Forward to Health Innovation program, three generations of startups have been supported, which includes 39 teams and over 100 participants. The teams have received support in going to market, achieving first sales, and securing investments.
The goal of the Health Innovation program is to empower and support innovative startups in the field of health technology in Croatia and help them succeed in the global market.
As a conclusion to the event, mentors and teams had the opportunity for “speed mentoring” along with a networking reception.
