HealthCare Lab is an acceleration program supporting digital healthcare ventures in the CEE and Southern Europe region. The program’s mission is to connect, grow and nurture the community of innovators, researchers, healthcare providers, and regulators to bring ground-breaking innovations in healthcare to the market faster. Currently, in its second batch, HealthCareLab is supported by industry leaders from Roche & EIT Health and run by innovation experts from Civitta.
General questions
What is unique about the acceleration program?
HealthCare Lab is a first-of-its-kind program initiated in Slovakia. It is driven by the long-term commitment of Roche to support innovative solutions in healthcare. Going into its second batch, EIT Health joined this ambitious program as a key partner, giving the program a broader European outreach. In partnership with innovation experts from Civitta and a growing pool of international industry experts, HealthCare Lab is a unique opportunity for digital healthcare startups from the CEE region & Southern Europe to access valuable mentoring and resources to accelerate their growth. Apply by 30th of November 2021 to join the second batch!
What types of technologies are we looking for?
Applications are open to digital health ventures from the CEE region & Southern Europe. In terms of the development stage, the program targets early-stage startups (reached max. seed-stage funding) with a functional prototype and team committed to the project. The solution should be related to the following technology areas: Big data & Analytics, Mobile Health & Apps, Web platforms, Telemedicine, Remote monitoring & wearables, Personalized diagnostics, Patient education, Patient management or similar. Solution should address one of the 3 challenges on which HealthCare Lab 2022 is focusing on.
How long does the program last?
The acceleration program for the selected companies will run between January and March 2022 with the final Demo Day at the beginning of April 2022. The program will combine three 3-5-days long intensive sprints (first one in February) and continuous business coaching and mentoring with our large pool of experts and Roche business owners.
How and where is the program run?
The program will be run predominantely virtually. However, given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic situation, participants need to stay flexible. If the conditions allow it, the program will run in Bratislava, Slovakia - otherwise it will be held online. The program will combine one-off workshops for the participants, one-on-one business coaching & mentoring sessions, as well as more extended 3-5 days longs sprints with international experts and mentors.
Application process
When is the deadline for applications?
All applications for the 2nd batch must be submitted via the F6S platform before the 30th of November 2021 (before midnight CEST time).
What is the application and selection process for the program?
All companies must first submit applications via the F6S platform before the 30th of November 2021 deadline. The answers provided in the application form should provide a convincing case on why the company should be selected for the program. By the 3rd of December 2021, the 18-20 best startups will be shortlisted for an all-day selection bootcamp which will take place on the 8th of December 2021. Following the pitching and Q&As, the selection committee will select the 2nd batch (9 companies) which will participate in the program. A public announcement about the 2nd batch will take place on 13th of December 2021. All the companies which are not selected, will be addedd to a larger pipeline of startups for our Main program partners, Roche and EIT Health.
What are the eligibility criteria for startups?
HealthCare Lab is looking to support companies providing digital solutions within 3 specific healthcare system challenges. Moreover, the companies should be legally based within a specific region. The challenge descriptions can be found on our Challenges sub-page. Companies need to make sure they specify how their solution addresses the specific challenge in their application. The companies need to be legally incorporated in one of the 16 countries. The complete list can be found on our About sub-page. We may consider a few strong applying companies, which are not based in the specific region, but demonstrate strong fit and potential based on evaluation criteria below.
What are the key evaluation criteria for applications?
HealthCare Lab is designed for early-stage European digital technology companies offering innovative solutions to the healthcare industry. Firstly, the startup should consider basic program eligibility (See question about eligibility above). Secondly, companies with a functional prototype of their product or service aligned with 1 of the 3 challenges, combined with a strong and stable team, and expertise both in technology and business, will be prioritized. Selected companies will also have existing market traction with users, customers or validation from investors. In sum, there are three main evaluation criteria: innovativeness of the product, quality of the team and existing traction that proves potential for scalability.
Where can companies submit their applications?
Applications will only be accepted via the F6S platform which can be accessed via the "Apply Now" button. Companies should not send any additional materials or documents via email or other platforms. Applications must be submitted in full, with all required fields filled in.
Program structure
What does the program offer to its participants?
HealthCare Lab is an equity-free advanced program with 4 months of dedicated services for the selected companies. The program offers an opportunity to gain validation from international industry experts, investors and entrepreneurs, as well as a tailored one-on-one mentoring and business coaching approach. The strong credentials of the program are reinforced by the expertise and network of the industry leaders from Roche and EIT Health who support the program. Program business coaches and mentors will work with each selected company to identify a business growth plan with specific KPIs to reach by the end of the batch. Participants will be supported in generating new leads and piloting with program partners. HealthCare Lab will also offer a chance to meet major investors from the region. A cash prize and service package will be awarded to the Demo Day winner.
How is the program structured?
At the beginning of 2022, each company will be assigned a business coach that will co-develop a business growth plan with them. Based on the plan, each company will receive a fixed number of one-on-one mentoring sessions. Additionally, 3 sprints/bootcamps that will last 3-5 days will feature workshops with industry experts and stakeholders from the healthcare industry. The program concludes with the final Demo Day on the 1st of April 2022.
Which topics will be covered by expert mentors in the program?
The majority of the program will be structured based on the individual needs of the participating companies. Program mentors will cover more general topics like Marketing, Business strategy, Sales strategy or Intellectual property rights. On top of that, program bootcamps/sprints will feature industry experts with a background in more specialized expertise areas (e.g. diagnostics, therapeutics, healthcare data management, etc.). The full structure and topics covered by the program will be released by the end of January 2022.
What is expected from the startups participating in the program?
Each company must commit to its full participation in the selection bootcamp on 8th of December 2021, the program kick-off event (exact date TBA, scheduled for 17th-21st of January 2022) and all following events held as part of the acceleration program. This includes full participation in the 3 program sprints/bootcamps, proactive participation in business coaching and mentoring sessions based on the defined business growth plan and participation in the final Demo Day. Insufficient participation in the program missed meetings with mentors and coaches can lead to the removal of the company from the program.
How does the program end?
The program concludes with a public Demo Day that will be held on the 1st of April 2022. A Demo Day is a public event where all companies from the batch present their results and accomplishments achieved during the program. The event will welcome healthcare industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, investors, corporates and everyone else with a passion for health. The company that makes the greatest progress during the program will be awarded a final prize by the jury.