This document describes a health cluster in Brussels that works to raise awareness of opportunities in the aging population. It has over 100 members from industries like biopharma, medical devices, and e-health. The cluster provides services like financing assistance, CE marking, intellectual property support, and coaching for entrepreneurs. In 2014, it coached 65 entrepreneurs and helped launch 8 new companies. The document also describes a workshop the cluster held between entrepreneurs and managers of home services for seniors. The goal was to identify unmet needs and potential solutions. This resulted in 3 startup projects being selected as winners to further develop solutions to assist seniors.

1. 1
Raising awareness of an ecosystem about opportunities in
ageing population…
… more than one challenge
Azèle Mathieu, PhD
Managing Director

2. Project-based
services
 Financing
 CE Marking
 Health economics
 Intellectual Property
 Research projects
2
since
2010
More than 100 members
 Biopharma
 Medical devices
 E-health
 Ageing population?
Project-based services
 Financing
 CE Marking
 Health economics
 Intellectual Property
 Research projects
 …
Team (3,5 FTEs 2015)
Advisory Board
>20 events a year
 Workshops & training
programs
 Networking Events
 Events with partners
 International Missions
50 Partners
 Universities
 Hospitals
 Professional organizations
 Internationalization support
Incubators
In 2014:
 65 entrepreneurs
coached
 Out of which 30 new
projects
 8 companies launched
All our
services
are free
Who are we? Health cluster Brussels

3. Started with a 0 participation rate of
my Region to…
How to bridge the gap between
underlying needs of users and
providers of (high-tech) solutions?

4. Great idea between 2 inspiring
decision makers… organizing an event
between entrepreneurs &
… ok but how to implement it: which
format could we use? How to make the
link with the local community?...
Jean-Christophe
Vanderhaeghen
Bruno
Wattenbergh

5. 5
Innovation workshop with managers
of home services
Step 1: what are the unsolved needs
of the sector? Are they open to
innovation?

6. Challenges Step 1
• Concerns about ownerships of ideas
• Specific vocabulary
• Do not reinvent the wheel
• How to interest them to contribute concretely to next steps?

7. 7
Step 2: how & who could solve these
needs?
The event
• 140 participants
• 6 startup projects
• 5 prestigious sponsors
• Involvement of specialists
• …

8. 8
3 winners
Simpl.it: to redefine design on the
Internet for old people
Energaid: users of Energaid receive
training & advice on critical decisions
concerning exercise, food and sleep
SPACEFITguru: an app helping seniors
become fitter by exercising anywhere,
anytime while having fun.

9. Challenges Step 2
• Interest direct users (local home services,…)
• Language
• Idealization of the aged person
• Make the link with 1st event:
output of step 1 = input of step 2
• Continuation of the project after the event

10. To conclude
• What is YOUR experience in building bridges between:
– High-tech and users
– Different stakeholders
– Generations?
• We keep it up with a new project  and are looking for:
- Foreign living labs, user groups
- Startup/ SME or large enterprise to commercialize an
innovative solution for aged persons

11. 11
Chaussée de Charleroi 110
B - 1060 Brussels (Belgium)
+32 2 422 00 31
brusselslifetech@impulse.irisnet.be
www.lifetechbrussels.com
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