EIT Health, a network of best-in-class health innovators supported by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), a body of the European Union, began engaging with the Romanian healthtech ecosystem by opening a call for a local hub at the beginning of 2018. Since then, EIT Health has provided networking opportunities, expertise, and a platform for collaboration to Romanian healthtech startups and innovation projects.
By connecting the local ecosystem to European healthtech innovation centers such as Barcelona, Budapest, Berlin, and London, EIT Health has elevated the level of activity and understanding in Romania. Represented by FreshBlood HealthTech, a Cluj-based NGO dedicated to supporting health innovation, EIT Health has played a critical role in mentoring innovators, offering feedback, and fostering essential connections.
The Romanian healthtech ecosystem has undergone significant transformation over the past seven years, with EIT Health playing a pivotal role in driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and supporting startups.
Romanian HealthTech Ecosystem Performance and Notable Achievements
Insights from the “InnoStars Innovation Ecosystem Maturity Assessment” highlight the strong performance of Romanian companies participating in EIT Health programs. These startups excel in external grants received, valuation, and the percentage of market-entry startups, although they underperform in external funds raised compared to their peers. The ecosystem’s maturity level is classified as “experimenter,” supported by robust numeric indicators and extensive questionnaire responses. Notably, Romanian participants contributed more than any other observed countries to the questionnaire, reflecting EIT Health’s exceptional collaboration network in Romania, facilitated by FreshBlood HealthTech Community based in Cluj-Napoca.
A standout success story is Lumen, a Romanian startup creating glasses for blind individuals unable to use advanced mobile solutions. Lumen replicates the primary functionalities of a guide dog in a scalable product. In 2020, the startup was a winner at the EIT Health Headstart Grand Final and the EIT Health Healthy Longevity Catalyst Award. The startup also gained significant industry support, collaborating with Kaufland Romania and Ascendis. Lumen’s achievements include winning the prestigious Red Dot Luminary Award in 2021 and receiving €9.3 million in funding from the European Innovation Council (EIC), marking a milestone as the first Romanian startup to secure this level of support.
Mapping and Maturing the Romanian HealthTech Ecosystem
The Romanian HealthTech ecosystem is evolving rapidly, showcasing an increasing number of competitive and innovative startups. A recent report, the Romanian HealthTech Startups Overview, categorizes these startups into four main groups:
- Tools for self-care (with a focus on nutrition and mental health).
- Tools for patients and their relatives.
- Tools for healthcare professionals (not limited to doctors).
- Tools for institutions (healthcare providers and companies).
The ecosystem now boasts over 100 Romanian healthtech startups deemed worthy of follow-up, alongside 10 Moldovan startups increasingly collaborating with Romanian counterparts to enter the EU market. This growth is a significant leap from the 70 startups highlighted in previous reports, reflecting both maturity and regional connectivity.
The Romanian ecosystem is marked by a pragmatic approach, with many startups targeting professional and institutional players rather than solely focusing on consumer-driven trends. This shift, compared to the hype of five years ago, underlines the founders’ focus on delivering impactful and scalable solutions.
Some of these startups have gained international recognition, presenting at global medical conferences and entering international markets. At the same time, Romania has become a hub for startups from countries such as Poland, Czechia, and Estonia, attracted by collaboration opportunities.
Opportunities and Challenges for Growth
The ecosystem’s maturity is evidenced by its “experimenter” status (level 3 out of 5), as confirmed by an evaluation conducted by EIT Health in April 2023. This positions Romania alongside Italy and Poland in healthtech ecosystem maturity. However, significant challenges remain, especially regarding governmental support. The upcoming National Digital Health Strategy, set to begin implementation in 2025, is expected to provide a clearer path for integrating digital tools—many developed by startups—into the national healthcare framework.
Additional funding opportunities are also on the horizon. The Draghi Report by the new European Commission revealed that innovation should be a priority for all EU member states and the currently under implementation PNRR Digitalisation for Hospitals program will strengthen the framework that can drive hospital-startup collaborations. Notable projects such as Healthchain, where the Medisprof Oncological Center collaborates with Rayscape, exemplify the potential for such partnerships to foster trust, innovation and impact for all stakeholders involved.
Scaling Up and Building Bridges
Ion-Gheorghe Petrovai, Co-Founder and Director of Innovation at FreshBlood HealthTech, the EIT Health RIS Hub for Romania, highlights the maturation of Romania’s healthtech ecosystem, which has grown, with over 100 startups, to a dynamic community of innovators. Successful examples include Synaptic, which expanded to over 20 oncology centers and secured €1.5 million in grants, demonstrating the potential for scaling impactful solutions.
“Despite limited resources, Romanian startups are becoming increasingly competitive,” Dr. Ion Petrovai observes. EIT Health’s efforts to connect these startups with the European ecosystem have been instrumental.
However, Dr. Petrovai emphasizes the need for greater local contributions, advocating for increased allocation of resources and the creation of flagship events. Among the ambitious plans is organizing a medical hackathon in collaboration with MIT Hacking Medicine, envisioned as a reference event for Eastern Europe.
Ion-Gheorghe also acknowledges challenges brought on by the IT crisis, which exposed gaps in product development. Yet, this period also revealed opportunities for startups to focus on quality over quantity. “Customer feedback is now at the forefront of validating innovative solutions,” he says.
He further elaborates on the role of programs like LevelUP, Hubvantage and Health Innovation Zone in preparing startups for market entry. These programs provide practical feedback, connections to advisors, and a platform for refining ideas. Dr. Petrovai emphasizes that fostering collaboration between Romanian and international stakeholders remains critical for scaling efforts.
Growing Startup Support through Tailored Programs
Adriana Dunca, RIS Program Manager FreshBlood, underscores the evolution of the Hubvantage program, designed to provide Romanian startups with the mentorship and resources they need to thrive. Now in its third year, Hubvantage offers tailored mentorship based on a rigorous needs assessment conducted by specialists from partner organizations.
Hubvantage is a personalized support program for HealthTech startup founders, with all year round activities specifically designed to help HealthTech startup founders get the support they need to move to the next level. The program offers founders: thorough needs assessment and identification of the immediate needs to address, personalized one-on-one mentoring with healthcare, technical mentors and relevant patients/users, the opportunity to be part of an exclusive club of health founders that inspire and support each other, specially designed events with relevant high quality content, access to opportunities and resources, national and international exposure through the consortium network.
The Hubvantage program is organized in collaboration by FreshBlood HealthTech, HIVE Center for Health Innovation of Babes-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca and Activize and is supported by EIT Health.
A notable enhancement in 2024 was the introduction of a “mix and match” event, where startups engaged in focused 15-minute sessions with stakeholders, including hospital representatives and specialists. “Startups appreciated this fast, contextual approach,” says Dunca. Looking ahead, plans for 2025 include further customization to align with startups’ evolving needs
The EIT RIS Hub in Romania has also flourished under EIT Health’s guidance, particularly in the health sector. “We’ve seen significant growth in startups’ interest in tackling mental health problems, which is aligned with European health trends, “Dunca notes. Programs like LevelUP (Health & Life Sciences Accelerator) and FIX (Cluj Innovation & eXperiment Fund) have accelerated this growth, emphasizing the importance of tailored support and community-building.
Accelerating Health Innovation with Community Support
The LevelUP Health & Life Sciences accelerator, led by Anca Roman, exemplifies how healthtech programs adapt to ecosystem needs. Initially launched with a straightforward structure, the program’s second edition introduced competitive elements, including a mid-program ‘cut-off’ to enhance focus and drive.
LevelUP Health & Life Sciences Accelerator program in Cluj-Napoca has been developed with assistance from EIT Health as part of their DRIVE program by INNO, the North-West of Romania Regional Development Agency’s department responsible for regional innovation and attracting investors.
“We’re considering aligning the program’s schedule with specific health challenges, possibly integrating hackathons,” Roman explains. She highlights the program’s broader impact in fostering a supportive community where networking and collaboration thrive. “Around 20% of accelerated ideas have potential market viability, which is a promising outcome,” she adds.
Validating Ideas and Tackling Global Health Challenges
The impact of the LevelUP accelerator extends to projects like Forkpi, a startup addressing childhood obesity through personalized nutrition advice for parents. Entering the program with an unclear direction, the team received valuable feedback that helped them validate their idea, pivot their project, and focus on market-specific solutions. “The accelerator emphasized the importance of testing and validating ideas,” they shared, noting significant changes in their product development.
Forkpi’s app uses AI to analyze children’s meals and provide personalized insights to parents, starting locally in Romania with plans for EU and global expansion. The team credits the program for teaching them to focus efforts and avoid non-essential tasks, ensuring a targeted market approach. “The program helped us plan for scalable growth while solving one problem at a time,” they emphasized.
Reflecting on Seven Years of Progress
EIT Health’s presence in Romania has catalyzed the healthtech ecosystem’s evolution. Programs like Hubvantage and LevelUP have nurtured startups, while initiatives such as the EIT RIS Hub and Health Innovation Zone have cultivated a culture of collaboration and innovation.
Adriana Dunca’s focus on tailored mentorship, Ion Petrovai’s advocacy for scaling impactful solutions, and Anca Roman’s dedication to community-building all underscore a shared commitment to advancing health innovation.
As Romania’s healthtech ecosystem continues to mature, the lessons learned from EIT Health’s journey provide a roadmap for future growth—one that emphasizes adaptability, collaboration, and the unwavering pursuit of innovation.
