Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGDInnoHealth USA proudly presents the winners of the Call for Ideas & Innovation
InnoHealth USA is a campaign led by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as part of the initiative »Research in Germany« funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The campaign, adressing small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and start-ups in the field of digital health, aims to connect the U.S. and German healthcare research sectors, to build networks and to identify areas for deeper collaboration for mutual benefit. In this context, InnoHealth USA was looking for the most innovative ideas in the fields of Digital Diagnostics and Smart Sensors. The expert jury of InnoHealth USA has recently nominated nine tandems with their innovative ideas who participated in the call. These tandems, each consisting of a person from research or science and a stakeholder from an SME or start-up, were successful with their innovative ideas.
Medicine in particular has been experiencing a high level of innovation momentum, even before the COVID-19 pandemic, with research and industry successfully collaborating worldwide to jointly develop new solutions for the benefit of patients. The need for these mutually developed innovations is the basis for InnoHealth USA to promote outstanding ideas. The campaign has thus sought and found ideas in the field of digital health, including innovations in areas ranging from image recognition, molecular markers and pathology to specific technologies such as wearables and bioelectrodes.
Digital health sector projects with a view to transatlantic collaboration
A total of nine tandems, consisting of representatives from the following companies and research institutions, have been awarded: Cosinus GmbH/Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST, diafyt medtech/Dresden University of Technology, IDMT GmbH/Otto-von-Guericke University, MindPeak GmbH/Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Medicine MEVIS, OZA Analytic GmbH/Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM, seleon GmbH/University Hospital Wuerzburg, ucura Deutschland GmbH/Fraunhofer Institute for Software and Systems Engineering ISST, velamed GmbH/University of Hamburg and ZEYS ONE/Fraunhofer Institute for Computer Graphics Research IGD.
Two examples may illustrate the innovation potential of all winning projects: ‘BODYTUNE’, a winner in the field of Smart Sensors that enables patients to monitor the condition of their carotid artery using a low-cost audio sensor and their own smartphone. Thanks to this computer-assisted system, arterial diseases can be diagnosed at an early stage. In the field of Digital Diagnostics, the ‘Patho AI and Image Fusion’ project offers histological tissue analysis using image fusion and AI technology. The software for tissue analysis distinguishes between tumor and non-tumor cells and finds regions and structures that may indicate cancer or other diseases. Find more about all winners and their innovations: https://www.research-in-germany.org/innohealth/participants/german-tandems-usa.html
From award to implementation
The winners of InnoHealth USA will receive training and information on successful R&D cooperation and market access in the USA. They will also, in addition to several preparatory workshops, participate in the one-week virtual Matchmaking Tour to the United
States in June 2021, providing them with insights into research institutions, companies, and media clusters on the East and West coasts. The tour will include multiple opportunities for exchange and networking with U.S. representatives from science and industry to identify potential partners. The winning Research-SME-Tandems will have the chance to participate in the Idea2Project Workshop of InnoHealth USA as well. At the event, stakeholders of Federal Ministries and funding organizations will advise on appropriate funding programs and options to further develop and implement their projects.
InnoHealth USA
The InnoHealth USA campaign is conducted by the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft as part of the Federal Ministry of Education and Research's (BMBF) »Research in Germany« initiative. InnoHealth USA focuses on small and medium enterprises (SME) and start-ups,
aiming to connect the US and German digital health research sectors and market in order to build sustainable networks and initiate collaboration for mutual benefit. InnoHealth USA is the second of three campaigns within the current phase of »Research in Germany«. Each campaign focuses on different topics and regions.
Research in Germany
The BMBF-initiative »Research in Germany« presents Germany as a country of research and innovation and creates a forum for international exchange and cooperation. »Research in Germany« provides international researchers with information about funding and career opportunities in Germany. The initiative gives research and science organizations from all over the world the chance to establish contact with potential German partners in the fields of science, research and industry.