Last week, the Berlin office of Startup Campus organized an international online conference in collaboration with the Medicen Paris Region Health Innovation Cluster and German business development agency Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI). The main topics were the digital healthcare system in Germany, with a particular focus on DIGA (Digital Health Application), and hospital procurement.
Julia Pietsch, the senior manager at Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) held an introduction regarding the state of e-health in Germany. The healthcare market is one of Germany’s largest growth markets at a glance. Some 70 million people have health insurance at 112 public and 44 private health insurance companies. They are treated in 1,951 hospitals with 500,000 beds. The EUR 344 billion healthcare expenditure per year accounts for 11.3% of the country's GDP.
Anne Christin Braun, program leader at the Digital Health Hub presented the opportunities in the Digital Hub Germany Initiative for foreign companies. At 12 centers of excellence across Germany, they connect medium-sized businesses and larger corporates with new innovation partners from the scientific and start-up communities.
Florian Körber, senior manager at Flying Health has introduced his learnings and outlook of the digital health applications (DiGA – in German: “Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen”). This program is open up a wide range of possibilities, both regarding the diagnosis and treatment of diseases as well as supporting a self-determined, healthy lifestyle.
Bettina Meyer-Hoffmann, accredited specialist for public procurement law provided everyday examples of the structuring and application process of procurement projects in the field of health services and supplies.
Miriam Sufraga, key account manager of the Startup Campus Germany, introduced the German market entry process of a startup from France, named JAPET Medical. During this process SC has opened several doors to establish and grow their business in Germany.
The event was watched live by about 100 participants from five different countries. The recording of the one-and-a-half-hour conference is free to view online by clicking this link.
The basis of the international cooperation in the frame of the conference is the EIT Health Bridgehead program launched last year by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, under which medical technology companies seeking foreign markets can receive a non-refundable grant of EUR 30,000-40,000. Thanks to this support, they can start entering the international market with the help of Startup Campus, among others.
In addition, Startup Campus Berlin will play an important role in two other events in Germany in the first half of this year. Domestic companies entering the German market can learn about the process and challenges of establishing a German company on March 3 within the framework of the MMAP Conference organized by Startup Campus and the Consulate General of Hungary in Munich. The common goal of the Hungarian and Bavarian speakers at the event is to give the Hungarian SME sector a comprehensive picture of entering the German market.
