On Thursday November 3 the second edition of the Health Innovation Challenge (HIC) took place. During the HIC 35 SME-entrepreneurs came up with solutions for seven crucial healthcare challenges. They did this in co-creation with healthcare institutions like ErasmusMC, IJsselland Hospital and Pameijer. Maarten Struijvenberg, elderman of Municipality Rotterdam (Employment & Economy)  awarded the grand prize of the ECE New Business Cycle to the winners of ‘We Want You’.

“We Want You” won the second HIC, because it brings two challenges on a good way together and solves them. About half of the adult population indicates that they’re lonely sometimes. ‘We Want You’ sees these lonely people as potential volunteers, however.

“I support this concept wholeheartedly, because it assumes that everyone has something to offer”, says Maarten Struijvenberg, alderman Municipality of Rotterdam.

Seven challenges

The 35 entrepreneurs started off with challenges such as creating a safe and comfortable home environment for the elderly, encouraging volunteering in the care and motivating exercise for patients in the hospital. Under supervision of ECE´s dr. Ferdinand Jaspers entrepreneurs have developed innovative solutions. Masterclasses as “idea-creation”, “idea-testing ‘and’ idea development ‘ inspired entrepreneurs to think out of the box. In addition, the entrepreneurs could also test and validate their ideas at various healthcare institutions who coined the challenges.

Test Panel of children
As icing on the cake of co-creation SME entrepreneurs could also allow assessment of their innovative ideas by a test panel of gifted children from the Rotterdam primary school Passe-Partout.

Winner “We Want You”

“We want you” was by the jury, consisting of Hubert Vermeer, managing partner Holland Venture and manager of the Zorg Innovaties Fonds, Edwin van der Meer, Chairman of the Board of BovenIJ Hospital and Robert Barnhoorn, owner Spark Design & Innovation, chosen as the winner. The winners will have the opportunity to develop their idea further into the New Business Cycle of ECE worth € 10,000, a EYnovation strategy session of EY and a coaching conversation by EIT Health. “In a very short time, within one day, we have brought together two challenges within healthcare providers and children. We look forward now to get started and to develop the idea further really a tangible result that the problem of loneliness is actually dissolved in the society. Everyone is so happy if he can make someone else happy? “Said the winning team of Frank de Roon, Eva van der Last, Hans van der Last (all three of Aenova), Nienke Pauw (Rotterdam Cares) and Danny van der Roest (Maverick).

Zorg41 Summit

During the plenary program Zorg41 Summit where 220 stakeholders from the healthcare sector were present, gave Noud van den Boer, DGA Royal Van den Boer Group, Paul Iske of the Institute of Brilliant Failures and Mark Venekamp, manager Foundation Humanitas their sights on co -creation and innovation in healthcare. Everyone was also a version of the new Young SMO publication: “Of Self Directed to Health innovation.”

About the Health Innovation Challenge

The Health Innovation Challenge is an initiative of the Municipality of Rotterdam in cooperation with VNO-NCW Rotterdam Region and the Chamber of Commerce. The Health Innovation Challenge was organized by ECE and SMO.