InnoHSupport Kicks Off in Madrid: Advancing Innovation in Healthcare Public Procurement Across Europe
On September 18, 2024, the European healthcare innovation landscape took a significant step forward with the launch of the Horizon-funded project, InnoHSupport — Supporting Innovation in Healthcare Public Procurement. The project, led by the Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO) and backed by eight other European partners, aims to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing healthcare systems today. The official kick-off meeting was held in Madrid at the SILO headquarters, bringing together representatives from research organizations, universities, healthcare services, and innovation networks across six European countries.
The InnoHSupport project is a multi-stakeholder initiative focused on enhancing the capacity of healthcare procurers to adopt innovative solutions. With rising healthcare costs, an aging population, and increasing demand for environmentally sustainable practices, the project comes at a critical time for healthcare systems across Europe. By bridging the gap between public procurers and suppliers of cutting-edge technologies, InnoHSupport seeks to modernize the procurement process and drive forward innovation on a large scale.
A Game-Changer for Healthcare Procurement
The kick-off meeting was an opportunity for the project partners to align on key goals and set the foundation for the next two years of impactful work. During the event, Esther Martinez Alvarez, Project Coordinator from SILO, outlined the project’s transformative vision:
“The InnoHSupport project is willing to be a game-changer for healthcare procurement in Europe. By bringing together public buyers, SMEs, startups, and investors, we aim to create a vibrant ecosystem where innovation can thrive and be implemented at scale. This project will ultimately support healthcare systems and act as the intermediary between different actors, ensuring an ecosystem of exchange, learning, and adoption among them while fostering sustainability and technological progress.”
Creating a Hub for Innovation: The Innovation Procurement Agora
One of the project’s flagship initiatives is the creation of the Innovation Procurement Agora — an open innovation space where public and private stakeholders can collaborate, exchange knowledge, and drive the adoption of innovative technologies. This hub will serve as a central platform for public and private actors to share best practices, address existing barriers to innovation, and create sustainable procurement strategies that align with environmental goals.
Key Objectives of InnoHSupport: The project aims to build a robust network of public and private actors that will facilitate procurement innovation. Through capacity-building programs and executive education, it will equip healthcare professionals with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage innovation procurement effectively. The Innovation Procurement Agora will serve as a collaborative space for knowledge exchange, where stakeholders can share best practices and work together to promote innovative solutions. Additionally, the project will prioritize promoting sustainable procurement strategies that align with broader environmental goals, ensuring that healthcare procurement not only addresses innovation but also sustainability.
Over the next two years, InnoHSupport will deliver tailored advisory services, training programs, and procurement tools to support healthcare professionals at every stage of the innovation procurement process. By creating a thriving ecosystem of collaboration and learning, the project aims to ensure that healthcare procurement in Europe is well-positioned to meet the challenges of the future.
The Power of Partnership
InnoHSupport is powered by the collaborative vision of nine European partners, each bringing their unique expertise to the table. These partners include Science and Innovation Link Office (SILO) as the project coordinator from Spain, alongside Tech Tour, as well as the University of Twente (Netherlands), Servicio Madrileño de Salud (Spain), Fundación para la Investigación e Innovación Biosanitaria de Atención Primaria (Spain), ECHAlliance (Ireland), TICBioMed (Spain), and Health Proc Europe (United Kingdom). Together, these organizations will work towards driving innovation across the healthcare sector and empowering healthcare professionals to embrace innovative solutions in public procurement.
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