30 healthcare entrepreneurs from around Europe will be in Galway next week competing for €4 million in the final stage of the Wild Card: At The Edge competition.
They’re competing for one of two grants of €2 million as well as mentorship, business and research support, and the use of high-end facilities.
The tournament is being hosted by EIT Health, a European body to promote innovation, together with local medtech companies BioInnovate and BioExcel.
Dr. Paul Anglim, Strategic Development Lead at BioInnovate says the Wild Card tournament could benefit medtech and healthcare businesses in Galway.
“The city is internationally recognised as a centre for medtech and healthcare, and At The Edge will allow the local business and science community to show of their expertise to some of Europe’s most promising healthcare innovators.
“In the future, this could lead to deeper collaboration between Galway and European healthcare leaders.”
CEO of EIT Health Jan-Phillip Beck said that Galway was chosen over other European cities due to its leading position in healthcare research and innovation.
According to EIT, as a medtech hub Galway could also be chosen as the development site for one or both of the winning solutions.
Wild Card: At The Edge is the inaugural event of an EU-funded initiative to tackle the issues of data storage and antibiotic resistance.
In the SMART HEALTH challenge entrepreneurs must devise a concept which uses artificial intelligence to deliver more personalised healthcare solutions and to improve overall patient care.
While the FIGHT BACK challenge is about finding new solutions to antibiotic resistance for European healthcare.
The entrants will be split into teams and set a series of tasks throughout the week to develop an idea for a product or solution in one of these areas to a board of judges from EIT Health.
Jan-Phillip Beck is confident the tournament will produce ideas and solutions of great benefit to healthcare.
“By the end of the week, we are confident that we’ll have some game-changing ideas that will really transform the face of European health.”
Wild Card: At The Edge will take place from Monday to Friday next week, the 16-20 April, at several locations around the city including NUI Galway, the Portershed workspace, and the Salthill Hotel.
