We present the teams bringing innovations to the healthcare sector through the Forward to Health Innovation program
About the Forward to Health Innovation program
This year’s Forward to Health Innovation program brought together 10 teams that will participate in the realization of their innovative ideas in the healthcare sector!
This is the third edition of the Forward to Health Innovation program, which has supported 25 healthcare startups over the past two generations, helping them work on their ideas and develop them into products and services. This year, 10 teams are participating in the FtHI program, and we expect outstanding results from them. Read more about the teams below and follow the development of their ideas in the coming months of the program.
CroatiaHealthTourism
CroatiaHealthTourism addresses the need for affordable and high-quality healthcare services through a platform for health tourism in Croatia. They identified the problem of high healthcare costs in developed countries, which makes access to quality care difficult for many people.
They are working on creating a platform that connects patients, healthcare institutions, accommodation providers, and tourism services all in one place. Their initiative not only provides access to healthcare services but also contributes to the sustainability of tourism in Croatia.
The team consists of Max Mucko, an economist with experience in venture capital investments and working with startups, and Toma Babić, a resident ophthalmologist with experience in the healthcare system and working with startups.
Their next goal is to develop a minimum viable product (MVP) to test the concept and begin the revenue phase.
E-NJURY SmartPlast
E-NJURY SmartPlast addresses the problem of hypertrophic scar healing with a next-generation plaster.
Ivan Dilber, the initiator of this idea, is a plastic surgeon with many years of experience in wound dressing and treatment, and is familiar with various complications associated with them.
He is seeking individuals from various fields, including economics, law, technology, and investment, who could enable the transformation of the idea into a finished product.
The goal is to create a company capable of manufacturing and distributing to a large market involved in wound dressing, with a product that is simple in nature yet surpasses the current products from competitors in terms of quality.
Jurlina Coenergy
This startup focuses on the development of off-grid energy systems tailored for high-energy medical devices such as MRI machines and other devices connected to the city grid. The goal of this team is to make these devices environmentally friendly and economically viable for healthcare institutions. They use adaptable implementation on existing networks, ensuring scalability and seamless integration.
This team, composed of young innovators, is driven by the vision of providing sustainable energy solutions for the healthcare sector. The next step is to secure funding for prototype development and conduct real-world testing to demonstrate energy savings.
Lunas Spectrum
The area of colors has been superficially addressed for individuals with visual impairments, and their use has been left to personal adaptation. In the context of integrating blind people into society, the use of color labels within the Lunas Spectrum system should fill the gap that exists in this area. One of the significant outcomes would be increased awareness, both among the blind and those who work with the blind, about the importance and potential of colors and their use.
The target market includes all individuals with visual impairments, for whom the color system allows the use of colors in everyday life, as well as those who work with blind individuals, either professionally (special education teachers, occupational therapists, caregivers) or privately (family members). Colors and their use have recently been a taboo subject among the blind.
The team consists of competent individuals who are dedicated to the vision of breaking this prejudice and enabling universal access to colors.
MediBoost
They are working on the problem of hospital readmissions, a significant challenge for healthcare systems due to high costs and the burden on institutions. Their model is based on machine learning and integrates a wide range of clinical and demographic variables. It is designed for high explainability, allowing users to optimize patient discharge decisions based on accurate risk assessments, leading to improved clinical resource utilization and increased quality of healthcare provided.
The team consists of Andrija, Jan, and Karlo. Each team member possesses knowledge in the fields of medicine and data science, enabling the creation of technically advanced and clinically relevant solutions.
The next steps in development include gathering quality data from healthcare institutions, which is key for further testing and model development. Additionally, they plan to align processes with regulatory requirements and conduct pilot projects, all with the ultimate goal of commercializing the technology.
Moj liječnik
Moj liječnik aims to help patients find the best doctor or healthcare institution, while also making it easier for doctors and healthcare facilities to find new patients. Moj liječnik wants to standardize healthcare offerings in Croatia and provide easy access for users to find the best facilities. The initiator of this idea is Ilija Ćosić, a university graduate in economics with a focus on marketing, and a UX/UI designer.
As an individual who needed to find quality healthcare services and schedule appointments more easily (due to a busy schedule), he decided to develop the Moj liječnik project. He wants to solve his own problem while also providing everyone else with easier and more transparent access to healthcare services.
Through this project, Ilija Ćosić’s goal is to create the first Croatian platform that will enable the simple search for doctors and provide relevant educational content about health. He believes that for the problem of finding the best doctor, a comprehensive solution should be designed – Moj liječnik.
PolyAnalytica
PolyAnalytica addresses the need in the Krapina-Zagorje County for a laboratory that will enable faster diagnostics, longer working hours, and provide mobile healthcare unit services for individuals with limited mobility. The team aims to facilitate access for county residents and private polyclinics to diagnostic tests without the need for appointments or referrals.
RepairStroke
Stroke is a major health problem, the leading cause of disability and the second leading cause of death worldwide and in Croatia. With care for patients and the introduction of therapies that restore blood flow to affected vessels, as well as addressing risk factors, Croatia has reduced stroke mortality by more than half over the past 20 years. Any progress in this direction is welcome and significant, and the goal of this team is to contribute to it.
The team’s concept is based on preclinical stroke research experience using the GlowLab platform at the Medical School in Zagreb, where innovative procedures are used to observe and care for mice in a similar way as if they were patients. This allows them to design ways to help patients and validate their ideas through laboratory animals using GlowLab. The RepairStroke team, made up of researchers from the GlowLab platform, aims to help people at risk of stroke.
SeniorSOS.help
WERXE
In the digital age, understanding IT systems is crucial for compliance with GDPR. WERXE, a startup specializing in digital privacy, focuses on the financial and healthcare sectors where data is especially sensitive. WERXE provides expert support in defining data management systems, including system diagnostics, DPIA assessments, risk evaluations, training, and consultations.
Their work involves identifying gaps in digital privacy, documenting data management processes, and facilitating control over data processing activities. Reducing data breaches and incidents through the application of privacy-by-default and privacy-by-design principles are some of the key features of their services.
The team is led by Nikša Štrucelj, a data protection officer and internal auditor for ISO 27001, and Filip Pravica, a Master of Computer Science with extensive experience in the development and analysis of information systems.
Their goal is to develop an integrated service that will enhance privacy protection as a fundamental human right and increase trust in organizations that apply GDPR.
More information about the Forward to Health Innovation program
A participant from last year’s program stated: “Overall, the Forward to Health Innovation program is a one-stop shop for anyone looking to launch MedTech and HealthTech startups,” and you can find the full impression through the link.
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Applications for the second phase of the program
This year’s program is currently in the phase of validating needs and markets, and within the program, 10 teams are developing their ideas, working towards the following results:
- Structured feedback from 5+ clinical stakeholders
- Market environment and competitive solution characterization
- Value proposition design for their own solution
- Description of key user and technical features of the minimum viable product (MVP)
The second phase of the program (Advance to Health) focuses on market entry, where teams will be supported by experienced experts from various fields to help them further develop their projects.
In this phase, teams work on proving the business and development concept and preparing for fundraising. Each phase includes training sessions, mentoring, and an intensive working environment.
Advance to Health is an advanced phase of the program, with criteria that include a clearly defined and validated need or problem related to human health and a set MVP concept with descriptions of key user and technical features. Motivation to participate in the program and prior work on the solution are also important, demonstrating the ability to develop and enter the market with a solution aligned with user and customer feedback.
The program is ideal for teams in the development and MVP validation phase, with the goal of market entry.
More information about the program can be found on the official program website and on our social media (Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn).
