Consortium

28DIGITAL is Europe’s digital innovation engine, a multi-stakeholder platform, rooted in European values and open to the world, we turn knowledge into innovation, scale startups into global ventures, and build the next generation of digital talent to shape a fair, competitive, and human-centric digital future. 

We work at the intersection of science, business, and society, transforming breakthroughs in AI, cybersecurity, robotics, and advanced computing into solutions that strengthen Europe’s sovereignty, accelerate the green transition, and improve lives. 

Lombardy is one of the hotspots of digital and health innovation in Europe. It is the top Region in Italy for EU and Private investments. It leads the healthcare policies in Italy and also in Europe. Roughly 25% of Italian innovative start-ups and SMEs operating in the life sciences sector (138 innovative start-ups and 43 innovative SMEs) are located in Lombardy. It is the Italian most developed region in the Life Sciences sector, leading in genomics, biomedicine and healthcare management. Lombardy, has been working intensively to accelerate the digitalization of its healthcare ecosystem, fostering the adoption of telemedicine services, and supporting health and social workers in the complex process of treatment and assistance. It also supports the digitalisation of the healthcare sector 
in general, including by promoting technology transfer, supporting medtech start-ups, industrial innovation and collaboration between the public and private sectors. 

The contributions of Lombardy in the project will be related to investigate:

• The Health data storage system in use in each European Region
• The capability of each regional healthcare system to access, exchange, integrate and use the data
• The level of dematerialization of clinical documents
• The modality to access to clinical documents

Moreover, Lombardy Region will be involved in:

• Connecting the startup service ecosystems and service providers between regions;
• Collecting the inventory of available health data services in partner regions and placing it in UNITE Cloud
• Identify, analyse and connect to startup and scaleup funding services providers (e.g. VC, CVC);
• The Co-creation of Single Service Catalogue

All of these activities will be finalized to the participation in Open calls for developing a new digital product to improve the data accessibility and interoperability.

The Region of Central Macedonia (Kentrikí Makedonía) is a 2nd degree level of local administration in Greece. The Department of Innovation Support of the Directorate of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Support of the Region is the entity responsible for implementation, designing, monitoring and revising of Regional Innovation S3. 

One of the Central Macedonia Region aims is to foster innovation and entrepreneurship, to strengthen cooperation among ecosystem stakeholders, promoting their extroversion and supporting their enhancement and growth. Health (Biosciences – Health & Medicine) is one of the recognized sectors in the Regional Innovation Strategy, as big investments have elaborated, many startups and researchers produce innovative products and services. The strategy is giving emphasis on the silver-age economy, and the living of vulnerable social groups: well-being, accessibility, rehabilitation, integration. 

The Department of European Projects & Synergies serves RCM's vision is to be a key driver of sustainable growth and innovation by maximizing cross-sector synergies and ensuring the impactful use of European Union resources. Our mission is focused on administering and coordinating EU funding projects, fostering synergies, and supporting stakeholders to achieve meaningful outcomes aligned with EU policies and strategic priorities.

A national S3 authority UEFISCDI represents Romania in the project. The goal is that more healthcare institutions are adopting startup-provided solutions and more healthcare professionals are using startup-based solutions to solve their problems, providing testing opportunities throughout the regions of the country, notably at but not limited to capital region Bucuresti-Ilfov.

In Romania, the field of health was acknowledged as an objective of major social interest in Romania (e.g. National Strategy for Research, Development and Innovation, National Competitiveness Strategy, National Health Strategy). One can observe an increased activity and growth in the startup field, with more users of startup solutions. Even if the ecosystem is in its early stages, there is a significant increase in market penetration. The market evolution indicates that some healthcare institutions are adopting startup-provided solutions and some healthcare professionals are using startup-based solutions to solve their problems. Despite the challenges (fear of the unknown and the lack of understanding about technology, regulatory issues, lack of funding), there is a positive trend in the interest and the openness towards startups among medical professionals, particularly in the private sector. Prioritisation of health in public policies shows that public authorities started to understand their role in orchestrating the development of health tech ecosystem by advancing policies and funding opportunities supporting healthcare innovation. At national level, through this project UEFISCDI aims to bring together partners and stakeholders who understand and are committed to working together through collaboration, co-creation and open innovation to build a valley of health innovation around research infrastructures by promoting policies and funding opportunities that support health innovation. 

UEFISCDI will actively contribute to the UNITE project’s objectives by achieving the following goals, at both regional and national level: 

• A better sustainability of research and innovation investments ensured
• Improved science –business collaboration around health-tech innovation
• Community of health tech innovation actors built
• Complementary investments supporting regional innovation with high social impact identified

Scottish Enterprise is Scotland's national economic development agency and a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. We work to transform the Scottish economy by helping businesses innovate and scale and support projects that will result in more high value jobs, enable innovation, boost productivity levels, attract investment and support a just transition to net zero by 2045. 

We adopt a mission-based approach that allows us to deliver greater impact through developing collaborative relationships with our partners to shape opportunities and activities that will drive up levels of innovation, internationalisation and investment. 

Our missions are focussed around three priority areas:

• Creating an internationally competitive energy transition industry in Scotland
• Scaling the impact of Scotland’s innovation strengths into high-growth industries of the future
• Driving capital investment to deliver a step-change in Scotland’s productivity

Over and beyond our mission-based approach we also offer the following support -   

• Business development and advice
• Innovation support for new product and service development
• Export and international market support
• Targeting capital and inward investment that aligns with new market opportunities
• Helping businesses transition to net zero and adopt fair work practices by providing specialist advice and support
• Investing in projects that support regional innovation assets and connect with business capabilities in Scotland and around the world
• Entrepreneurial and scale-up support for high-growth spinouts, start-ups and scaling companies

For more information visit - Support and advice for businesses in Scotland | Scottish Enterprise (scottish-enterprise.com)

The NOM is the investment and development agency for the Northern Netherlands, focused on transforming the regional economy into one that is more sustainable, circular, healthier, and smarter. Supporting entrepreneurs throughout every stage of their business journey, NOM provides essential funding, strategic guidance, and valuable network connections while facilitating innovation. The organization offers specialized assistance through initiatives like the NOM Startup Program, Investor Readiness Program, and various sector-specific opportunities. By collaborating with diverse partners, NOM cultivates a dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem that strengthens the economy in the Northern Netherlands.

The Region of Extremadura is one of the 17 Autonomous Communities in Spain, located in the southwest and considered one of the largest regions in Europe. Extremadura covers a total area of 41,634 square kilometres, being the fifth largest region in Spain, with 8.1% of the total Spanish territory. In terms of natural resources, Extremadura has an outstanding biodiversity, with more than 30% of its territory under some sort of environmental protection, and one of the largest reservoirs of fresh water in Spain. In this geographical and demographic context, the region has a clear rural imprint.

The Region is responsible for providing health care services to citizens. Extremadura’s Healthcare Service (SES) is the Healthcare System in region that involves 14 hospitals with around 3000 beds, 113 Community Health Centres, 420 Primary care Centres and over 18000 professionals. SES is managed by a powerful Healthcare Information System (JARA) that provides 100% electronic prescription and an integrated medical record (primary and specialised care). Extremadura’s Sociosanitary System (SEPAD) provides more than 10,000 elder population in Government-dependent Nursing Homes. SEPAD supports and manages Nursing Homes, Day Care Centres, Senior Centres and other aged-friendly resources. SEPAD also collaborates with private institutions in order to guarantee a correct care for aged people. SEPAD assists also the elders by providing domiciliary services and other assistance to promote autonomous living and healthy lifestyle for senior people. It also manages different programs in tele-care and health.

The project management of UNITE is located at the Science and Technology Park of Extremadura (FUNDECYT-PCTEX). FUNDECYT-PCTEX, a non-profit foundation within the Public Sector of Extremadura, promoted by the Regional Government of Extremadura and the University of Extremadura was established with the goal of enhancing the competitiveness of the region’s socio-economic fabric through science, technology, and innovation. Following the quadruple helix model, FUNDECYT-PCTEX facilitates connections between the public sector, academia, private industry, and society.

Wales is one of the four nations of the United Kingdom, with a population of 3.13 million. The Welsh Government has responsibility for economic development and other devolved policy areas, including our National Health Service.  The Welsh Government’s budget for 26/27 is £27.5 billion.

Wales has a proud industrial heritage dating back to the Industrial Revolution.  In the 21st Century, the Welsh Government aims to re-invent the nation by supporting industries in the digital age.

Our ambition is for economic growth and prosperity and for a truly world-class health service.

Our International Strategy sets out Wales’s approach to international engagement, including an emphasis on co-operation with other European regions in areas of shared interest, like research and innovation.

The EU-UK Trade and Co-operation Agreement (TCA) provides a framework for our engagement with the EU, including the UK’s association to the Horizon Europe programme.  Therefore, teaming up with partners in the UNITE Digital Health Programme is a logical step towards realising our ambitions for both our economy and our health service.

Wales is also a prominent member of the Vanguard Initiative and supports its ‘Learn’, ‘Connect’, ‘Demonstrate’, and ‘Commercialise’ methodology.  This means we positively engage with European innovation networks which actually deliver collaborative activity.

We have an active and innovative business community with a strong research and innovation eco-system, including internationally recognised universities and research & technology centres.

Aragón is a rapidly developing innovation region in Spain, with a strong industrial base and an increasingly coordinated research and innovation ecosystem. While still considered a moderate innovator, the region has established a comprehensive governance framework connecting public authorities, universities, technology centres, hospitals, clusters and industry through the Aragón Smart Specialisation Strategy (S3) and the recently created Innovation Office. The ecosystem includes the University of Zaragoza, more than 250 recognised research groups, leading technology centres such as ITA and IACS, three technology parks, and a network of innovative clusters including Arahealth, the regional health cluster. Aragón is also highly active in European programmes and partnerships, with strong participation in Horizon Europe, Interreg and health-related European initiatives. Key strengths include advanced manufacturing, digital technologies, AI, data science, life sciences and knowledge transfer, while ongoing challenges relate to scaling innovation investment, accelerating commercialisation and attracting and retaining specialised talent.

Aragón has positioned Health and Wellbeing as one of its strategic specialisation domains, driven by an ageing population, dispersed rural communities and the need for innovative care models. The region combines a strong public healthcare network with research and innovation capabilities led by the Aragon Health Sciences Institute (IACS), the Aragón Health Research Institute (IIS Aragón), the University of Zaragoza and the Arahealth cluster. Strategic priorities include digital health, telemedicine, personalised medicine, AI, health data analytics, biosensors, medical technologies and silver economy solutions. The regional ecosystem is particularly focused on transferring research into healthcare practice through public procurement of innovation, hospital-led pilots, digital health services and collaboration between healthcare providers, researchers and companies. Aragón also offers strong opportunities for testing and deployment of solutions addressing healthy ageing, remote care and rural healthcare delivery, supported by active participation in European health partnerships and innovation networks.

Aragón supports health-tech startups through a highly collaborative ecosystem linking hospitals, research institutes, technology centres and industry. The region combines dedicated Health Tech entrepreneurship programmes, access to clinical validation environments, innovation procurement mechanisms, and strong participation in European health partnerships.