HealthEConnect: A New Era for HealthTech Education in Europe

A new European project is reshaping how students and professionals enter the health innovation space. HealthEConnect, an EU-funded initiative, is building bridges between Portugal and Denmark’s healthtech ecosystems to train the next generation of healthtech entrepreneurs and innovators.

What is HealthEConnect?

HealthEConnect is a European healthtech education program funded by the European Commission under the Horizon Europe framework. It focuses on developing entrepreneurial skills in healthcare, offering a unique combination of academic training and real-world startup experience. Led by institutions such as NOVA School of Business and Economics, NOVA Medical School, and Copenhagen Business School, the project creates a structured path for students to engage in health innovation, digital health, and health entrepreneurship.

A Practical Approach to Health Innovation Education

The HealthEConnect program is structured in three levels:

• Level 1: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training
  Students gain foundational knowledge in business innovation, startup development, and impact-driven entrepreneurship.
• Level 2: HealthTech Ecosystem Introduction
  Tailored for both medical and non-medical students, this phase helps participants understand healthcare systems, patient needs, and the value of digital solutions.
• Level 3: Work Projects in HealthTech Startups
  Participants collaborate directly with startups and healthtech companies, applying their skills to real-world challenges in both Portugal and other EU countries.

The goal is to equip students with the skills to create or join healthtech startups, contribute to digital health innovation, and drive systemic change in European healthcare.

Connecting HealthTech Ecosystems in Portugal and Denmark

By linking Lisbon and Copenhagen, HealthEConnect creates a ross-border collaboration between two complementary innovation ecosystems. While Denmark brings expertise in healthcare digitisation and advanced medtech, Portugal offers a growing health innovation scene and a strong startup culture.

This transnational healthtech partnership also promotes talent mobility, encouraging students to explore opportunities beyond their home country.

Early Impact and Future Outlook

In its first edition, HealthEConnect has already helped 13 out of 19 students secure collaboration opportunities with startups. Participants come from diverse fields — public health, economics, sociology — showing the value of interdisciplinary learning in health innovation.

Why is HealthEConnect important

Europe is facing growing challenges in public health, digital transformation, and healthcare workforce shortages. HealthEConnect responds to these challenges by:

• Promoting digital transformation in healthcare
• Supporting health innovation skills development
• Boosting startup–university collaboration
• Creating a model for cross-border healthtech training in Europe

For more information about the program and its future editions, visit the official website: www.healtheconnect.eu