Accelup in focus | Interview with the Project Coordination team of EVOLVE2CARE

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As the EVOLVE2CARE Open Call continues to welcome applications from HealthTech innovators across Europe in order to matchmaking with Health and Wellbeing Living Labs and test their digital HealthTech solutions, one platform stands at the heart of the collaboration process: Accelup. Designed to streamline matchmaking, Accelup ensures that project proposals meet the right expertise, infrastructure, and support. In this interview, Evdokimos Konstantinidis, Project Coordinator, and Despoina Petsani, Project Mission Coordinator, share how Accelup works, what makes it unique, and why it’s a key enabler for co-creation and real-world validation in the EVOLVE2CARE ecosystem.

Read on to discover how Accelup is shaping collaboration in EVOLVE2CARE:

1. What is the Accelup platform, and how does it help innovators and Living Labs collaborate more effectively?

The Accelup platform is a digital matchmaking platform designed to connect innovators with Living Lab infrastructures. The platform offers the possibility for the innovator to upload a specific project specifying the services that would be required for its completion. For the design of the platform, a continuous assessment of stakeholder needs, existing tools and frameworks has been conducted, ensuring improved efficiency for the collaboration of the two parties.

2. How is it used within the EVOLVE2CARE project?

Within the EVOLVE2CARE project, the primary objective is to facilitate matchmaking between Health Tech companies and Living Labs. Rather than requiring innovators to independently identify a suitable Living Lab, Accelup facilitates improved communication and ensures that the matching process is streamlined, thereby relieving innovators of the need to undertake this task on their own. Therefore, it is designed to bring users with diverse research on demand needs together with Living Labs to co-develop, validate, and test innovative HealthTech solutions in real-life conditions.

3. Please give us a simple overview of how Accelup works.
Accelup enables innovators to create projects by submitting key details such as title, description, services required, budget range, and bid. ENoLL Certified Living Labs can then browse these projects, review the information provided, and submit bids with the required amount to perform the project, creating a structured and transparent matchmaking process.

4. Are there other platforms that aim to connect innovators with Living Labs? If so, what makes Accelup stand out in this space?

Yes, there are some other matchmaking tools that can be used in a similar way as Accelup. Such tools involve both digital and methodological approaches that facilitate the matchmaking process. However, Accelup’s mission is to enable transparent and effective matchmaking between innovators and Living Labs. Accelup is the only platform that gives the opportunity to innovators to get in contact with ENoLL Certified Living Labs that can facilitate their work. ENoLL certification provides a quality seal so that the innovators know that they will receive high-quality Living Lab services.

5. And finally, how is Accelup currently supporting the EVOLVE2CARE Open Call?

Accelup is the main form of connection of the two parties, with the innovator being given the opportunity to select a desired Living Lab. EVOLVE2CARE supports the collaboration by providing €5,000 to the selected Living Lab to perform the work that the innovator requested.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’re a HealthTech innovator looking to validate your solution or a Living Lab eager to collaborate on cutting-edge projects, join the EVOLVE2CARE Open Call and experience the power of Accelup matchmaking.

Learn more here

Responsible innovation: Legal & Ethical Essentials for Living Labs

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The third session of the EVOLVE2CARE Living Labs Training Series took place on August 27, 2025, and focused on a critical yet often overlooked dimension of innovation: legal, ethical, and regulatory frameworks. As Living Labs operate in real-world environments with real users, understanding these frameworks is essential to ensure responsible, inclusive, and sustainable innovation.

The session featured two distinguished experts—Maria Iakovidou, Attorney at Law at the Supreme Court of Greece, LLM in Civil Procedure Law, MSc in Law & Informatics, Data Protection Officer (DPO), who opened the discussion with a legal deep dive into GDPR, consent, and intellectual property; and Dr. Abdolrasoul (Rasoul) Habibipour, Director of Botnia Living Lab and Associate Professor in Information Systems at Luleå University of Technology, who followed with practical insights on embedding ethics into Living Lab design through real-world case studies.

Legal Essentials for Living Labs

Maria Iakovidou opened the session with a comprehensive legal roadmap for Living Labs, covering:

Data Protection & GDPR

Living Labs often collect personal data through sensors, wearables, interviews, and digital platforms. Maria Iakovidou emphasized that GDPR applies whenever data relates to an identifiable person, and outlined the six core principles of lawful processing: lawfulness, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, and confidentiality.

Informed Consent in Real-Life Settings

Consent, Maria Iakovidou explained, must be freely given in advance, specific, informed, and unambiguous—and must be obtained before any data is collected. In Living Labs, where testing often occurs in public or semi-public spaces, this becomes especially complex. She highlighted red flags such as bundled consent, lack of withdrawal options, and overly technical language.

She also addressed the documentation of consent, stressing the need for signed forms or digital tools, and the importance of making it easy for participants to say both “yes” and “no.”

Intellectual Property (IP)

Living Labs frequently co-create innovations with startups, researchers, and citizens. Maria Iakovidou urged participants to clarify IP ownership and licensing terms early, distinguishing between background and foreground IP. She recommended involving legal advisors in drafting collaboration agreements and defining usage rights to avoid disputes later.

Liability & Risk in experimentation and pilot phases

From allergic reactions to data breaches, Living Labs face real risks. Maria advised teams to assess risks before deployment, include insurance and liability clauses, and clearly define responsibilities in case of harm or failure.

Living Lab & Ethics

Dr. Abdolrasoul Habibipour presented a structured approach to integrating ethical and legal considerations into Living Lab design. He explored key principles such as stakeholder engagement, transparency, and real-life experimentation. He illustrated their application through case studies from EU projects like SynAir-G and U4IoT, highlighting practical strategies for managing consent, data protection, IP rights, and liability.

Real-World Case Studies

SynAir-G

This EU project co-developed air quality monitoring tools with children in schools. The ethical challenges were significant: children are a vulnerable group under GDPR, and the app collected sensitive data like health status and GPS location. Dr. Abdolrasoul Habibipour shared how the team addressed these issues through dual consent (parents + children), age-appropriate explanations, and national ethics approvals.

U4IoT

This case supported large-scale IoT pilots in domains like smart cities and healthcare. It uncovered common pitfalls: biometric data collected without explanation, lack of signage in public testing, and unclear data ownership. The team responded by developing GDPR toolkits, user dashboards to increase transparency, and promoting Data Protection Impact Assessments.

Practical Tools & Red Flags

Abdolrasoul Habibipour introduced a Living Lab Ethics Checklist covering seven key areas: data protection (GDPR), informed consent, IP, risk and liability, inclusion and vulnerability, transparency and communication, and ethics integration in design. He encouraged teams to use this checklist at every stage—from kickoff to pilot launch—and to normalize ethical reflection in team meetings.

What’s next?

The Living Labs Training Series continues with the fourth session: “Building Innovation Networks: Communication and Engagement”, taking place on September 3, 2025, at 15:00 CEST. This session will focus on the importance of building strong innovation networks and effective stakeholder engagement within Living Labs. Participants will learn how to engage stakeholders in service design, with a particular focus on the Accelup platform. 

Stay tuned—and remember, attending at least 4 out of 6 sessions earns you a Certificate of Attendance from the EVOLVE2CARE project!

Register here

Smarter Matchmaking in HealthTech Innovation – Methodological Approaches

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While digital tools outlined in the previous blog provide speed and scalability, certain methodological approaches/processes, frameworks and best practices can ensure that the matchmaking system yields effective results. These approaches concern what data to collect, how to structure it, and how humans can facilitate the match process. Methodologies can be just as important as technology: a fancy algorithm will underperform if profiles are poorly defined, and conversely, a simple tool can excel if guided by a solid methodology!

As outlined in the latest project deliverable D1.3 – EVOLVE2CARE Action Plan, effective matchmaking relies on structured data, active engagement, and co-creation practices that make partnerships sustainable and impactful.

Structured profile frameworks and taxonomies

A fundamental step is defining what information innovators and Living Labs should provide to enable meaningful matches. Structured profiling means having well-defined fields and classification systems that capture the relevant attributes of each side.

  • Living Lab Information: Clearly describe services and capabilities using standardized frameworks.
  • Innovator Information: Include project details, target users, stage (e.g., prototype), and specific requirements (e.g., access to patients or regulatory advice).
  • Rating and Compatibility Scores: Profiles are scored on key factors such as project stage, domain match, and size to recommend the best matches.
  • Data Quality and Verification: Regular updates ensure accuracy; verification processes prevent mismatches.
  • Use of Structured Fields in Application Process: Shifting from free-text descriptions to dropdowns and tags improves matching, transparency, and fairness, with stakeholder input ensuring fields capture what truly matters.

Co-Creation and Engagement Methods in Matchmaking

Applying the principles of co-creation and user engagement to the matchmaking process can be beneficial. Methodologically, this means treating matchmaking not just as a database query, but as a collaborative journey where innovators and Living Labs actively engage to find a fit.

  • Moderated Matchmaking by Facilitators: Innovation brokers help bridge public and private sectors, review profiles, propose matches, and provide introductions, improving early-stage or critical pairings.
  • Case Studies and Best-Practice Sharing: Sharing examples of successful collaborations guides users in selecting the right partners.
  • KPI Framework for Matchmaking: Metrics such as successful matches, time to project start, user satisfaction, and match diversity allow continuous improvement.

By combining structured data, co-creation, and user engagement, Accelup’s methodological approaches ensure that the matchmaking process is transparent, fair, and of high quality. These approaches, along with the digital tools discussed earlier, make Accelup a comprehensive platform for fostering successful HealthTech collaborations. Together, the digital and methodological elements ensure that Accelup not only accelerates the matchmaking process but also guarantees that these connections create lasting, impactful partnerships.

Smarter Matchmaking in HealthTech Innovation – Digital Approaches

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In healthcare innovation, getting the right collaborators is essential for success, and this is the actual goal for the EVOLVE2CARE project as a whole! In order to bring this into life, the project utilises the Accelup platform, a product of ENoLL that provides an online space for wider, simplified, and more efficient access to the best Living Lab infrastructures and their research on demand services. As outlined in one of the latest public deliverables of the project, the D1.3 – EVOLVE2CARE Action Plan, the Accelup platform adds value by accurately profiling both innovators and Living Labs to create the most suitable partnerships.

To further enhance the Accelup matchmaking capabilities, the EVOLVE2CARE team has compiled an inventory of existing tools, surveying digital platforms and methodological frameworks that support similar processes—focusing on European examples and notable global initiatives. This blog highlights the most prominent digital functions used for effective and transparent matchmaking, knowledge exchange, and collaboration.

Digital approaches to innovator-Living Lab matchmaking

Digital approaches are categorized in D1.3 EVOLVE2CARE Action Plan into three groups: lightweight plug-ins, APIs & integrations, and AI-based recommendation systems.

Lightweight Plug-ins and Modular Tools:

Lightweight plug-ins add matchmaking features to existing platforms without building complex systems. They use structured profile data and simple algorithms, such as tag matching or rule-based filtering.

  1. Tag-Based Matching Modules: Use tags to identify shared interests or needs. The goal is to deliver “personalized connections” by filtering the community’s profiles to find resonant matches for each user.
  2. Profile Search and Filters as Plug-In Features: Platforms enable advanced search and filters, allowing users to find matches autonomously.
  3. Simple Recommender Libraries: Open-source libraries, like Python or JavaScript recommendation engines, provide plug-in solutions for developers.

API-Driven Integrations and Data Sharing

APIs allow Accelup to integrate external platforms to enrich profiles and improve matchmaking. For example, innovators can import LinkedIn or ORCID data, and startups can sync Crunchbase info automatically.

  1. Cross-platform Profile Federation: Users can pull in existing data to seed their Accelup profile, reducing manual input and improving accuracy.

AI-Based Recommendation Systems

AI recommenders analyze complex data to suggest the most relevant match between Living Labs and innovators, going beyond simple tags by using past interactions, project descriptions, and success rates.

  1. Machine Learning Recommenders in Innovation Networks: Platforms like Crowdhelix, which is a global open innovation network, connecting universities, SMEs and innovators and organizations for Horizon Europe collaboration. By harnessing bespoke AI technology, Crowdhelix claims to “establish synergetic connections” among its 18,500+ members.
  2. Collaborative Filtering & User Feedback: In a mature recommender, the system learns from user behavior and feedback from successful collaborations to improve future recommendations.
Digital tools can significantly streamline the process of matching innovators with Living Labs by automating profile collection, search, and recommendations. While these tools are not mutually exclusive, combining elements from all three could offer a flexible and scalable approach for future development. In the next blog, we’ll dive into how methodological approaches complement these digital tools, ensuring that matchmaking remains not only fast but also fair, transparent, and of high quality.

From insight to impact: The procedures behind the project’s framework

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Developing EVOLVE2CARE’s framework means first of all crafting a solid foundation of meaningful Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that support the efficient and evidence-based integration innovations into healthcare. Such effort might be interestingly similar to a professional athlete’s preparation! Before stepping into a major event, an athlete undergoes a series of procedures—from training sessions with targeted practice to blood tests and stress assessments—to ensure peak performance. These procedures help highlight what’s effective, what needs improvement, and what’s essential for success.

Likewise, as it is analytically written in Deliverable 1.2 ‘Stakeholder Needs Analysis and KPI framework’, EVOLVE2CARE consortium applied multiple procedures to ensure that the framework of key indicators of the project is adequately accurate and relevant to foster successful innovations of HealthTech solutions for patients transitioning between care settings; which is called Transitional Care.

The primary goal, highlighted on previous blog, was to understand the needs of primary stakeholders—such as researchers, Living Labs, end-users, and regulators—and translate these insights into a practical framework of key indicators. Building on the barriers and enablers identified in Deliverable 1.1 “Roadmap on Navigating the Complexities of Enabling Innovative Technologies in Transitional Care”, we outlined the needs across two major dimensions: (1) collaboration between Living Labs and innovators, and (2) the implementation of HealthTech solutions in Transitional Care. As a result, we developed two distinct key indicators repositories:

  • Use Case Evaluation KPI Repository, which focuses on individual collaborations and end-user alignment.
  • Impact Assessment KPI Repository, which evaluates broader impacts such as regulatory readiness, financial sustainability, and social inclusion.

In practical terms, the accuracy and relevance of the framework were validated through a stakeholder-driven process. To make it more concrete, internal feedback was gathered via an online workshop involving the project partners. On top of that, three webinars conducted in March 2025 titled ‘Accelerating Innovation in Transitional Care – Identifying Key Needs & Meaningful Impact’, featuring distinguished professionals, designed to engage healthcare providers, experts, innovators, and stakeholders in co-developing solutions that enhance patient care during transitions from hospital to home. In addition to the valuable insights regarding the repositories of indicators that arose during the workshops’ discussions, further feedback came from a live session at the 14th Medical Conference at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, and from the collaboration with the GILL project supported the development of social key indicators, especially around gender-responsive innovation and inclusive healthcare.

Next Steps: Engaging stakeholders and ensuring continuous improvement

To make sure the framework of key indicators keeps evolving and finds its way into real-world use, we are focusing on expanding its reach, getting feedback from the relevant stakeholders and to foster adoption, and making it as practical and user-friendly as possible. To keep the framework relevant and aligned with the dynamic needs of stakeholders, we will set up feedback channels to refine the framework of key indicators over time. In particular, here’s how we are moving forward by channeling our efforts towards three dimensions:

  • Living Labs Engagement: The Living Lab KPI Repository will be shared with the Health & Wellbeing Working Group of the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL), helping us align the framework with the needs of real-world testing environments and innovators.
  • End-Users Integration: Keeping work on a user-centric approach, we will connect with EIT Health to explore how the End-User KPI Repository can be circulated within their network. We will also collaborate with HADEA (Health and Digital Agency) of the European Commission to assess the framework’s relevance to ongoing and future initiatives.
  • Wider Impact and Solution Deployment: To proliferate real-world adoption, the framework will be presented to organizations such as EHTEL (European Health Telematics Association) and the Era4health partnership since these entities play a critical role in shaping policy and practice around digital health solutions.

At EVOLVE2CARE, we think of the framework of key indicators as a magnifying glass that helps us check whether the project is able to make a difference in the healthcare sector! We aim to make sure that the framework is effective and relevant for all stakeholders involved.

Navigating through multiple barriers to HealthTech for the Transitional Care

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While HealthTech holds immense potential to transform transitional care, the challenges don’t stop at legal, regulatory, and fiscal barriers. Even with clear policies and sustainable funding, technical, operational, social and economic obstacles continue to hinder widespread adoption. Issues like interoperability, provider resistance, and patient trust must also be addressed to ensure these innovations can thrive.

The Evolve2Care Project is committed to tackling these challenges head-on. As outlined in Deliverable D1.1, “Roadmap on Navigating the Complexities of Enabling Innovative Technologies in Transitional Care,” a structured approach is needed to help stakeholders—healthcare providers, innovators, policymakers, and investors—overcome these hurdles. In this second part, we dive into the technical, operational, social and economic factors that stand in the way of seamless HealthTech integration.

3. Technical Challenges

Integrating HealthTech innovations into existing healthcare systems brings various technical hurdles that must be resolved for well-tempered implementation.

Interoperability Issues

HealthTech solutions rely on seamless data exchange between electronic health records (EHRs), diagnostic tools, and monitoring devices. However, varying formats and standards create inefficiencies, errors, and delays, making it difficult to ensure continuity of care.

Scalability and Customization

Innovators face challenges in making HealthTech solutions adaptable to different healthcare environments. What works in a small clinic may not suit large hospitals, and vice versa. Additionally, tailoring solutions to meet the diverse needs of patients, healthcare professionals, and institutions remains a key hurdle.

User-Centred Design and Accessibility

HealthTech solutions must prioritize user-friendly design to ensure accessibility for all users, especially patients with limited technical expertise. If a technology is difficult to use or understand, patients may disengage, reducing its impact on transitional care.

4. Operational Challenges

Healthcare providers often struggle to integrate new HealthTech solutions, especially in transitional care, where continuity is key.

Integration into Existing Care Pathways

Integrating new technologies into healthcare workflows is challenging, often facing resistance due to changes in care pathways. Successful adoption requires effective change management and alignment with existing processes.

Training and Support for Healthcare Professionals

Lack of adequate training hinders the effective use of new tools. Comprehensive training programs and ongoing technical support ensure that healthcare professionals can confidently integrate new technologies into their practice.

Patient Engagement and Adoption

For HealthTech solutions to succeed, patients must understand and engage with them. User-friendly design, patient education, and trust-building are essential to driving adoption and achieving better health outcomes.

5. Economic and Social Challenges

Beyond legal, regulatory, fiscal, technical and operational hurdles, economic and social factors also impact the success of HealthTech innovations in transitional care.


Economic Viability and Long-Term Sustainability


Many stakeholders have raised concerns about the long-term sustainability of HealthTech solutions. Ensuring cost-effectiveness in improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs is crucial. A thorough evaluation of their economic impact is necessary to align with healthcare system budgets and ensure financial viability.

Social Acceptance and Trust

Public trust is essential for the adoption of HealthTech solutions. Concerns about data privacy, care dehumanization, and potential misuse of patient information must be addressed through trust in HealthTech solutions.

What needs to be done to overcome these hurdles?

Overcoming these challenges requires collaboration between innovators, healthcare providers, policymakers, and regulators. By addressing legal, financial, technical, operational, and social barriers, stakeholders can create an ecosystem where HealthTech innovations thrive.

Evolve2Care is committed to driving change—because better technology means better outcomes for patients and a more efficient healthcare system.

HealthTech in transitional care: What’s standing in the way?

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HealthTech innovations hold great promise for improving transitional care, enhancing patient outcomes, and streamlining healthcare processes. However, their implementation faces significant challenges, including regulatory hurdles, financial constraints, technical limitations, and social acceptance issues.

The Evolve2Care Project is dedicated to identifying and addressing these obstacles through collaboration and evidence-based strategies. As part of this effort, Deliverable D1.1, “Roadmap on Navigating the Complexities of Enabling Innovative Technologies in Transitional Care,” provides a structured framework to support stakeholders—including startups, researchers, investors, healthcare professionals, and policymakers—in recognizing and overcoming barriers to HealthTech adoption. Let’s dive into the challenges!

1. Legal and Regulatory Challenges:

Fragmented and Inconsistent Regulations

Regulations differ across regions, slowing down approval and market entry. Some countries have clear policies, while others lag behind. In Europe, complex regulatory frameworks make scaling innovations difficult and add compliance burdens.

Regulatory Uncertainty in New Technologies

Technologies like AI diagnostics and telemedicine often do not fit neatly within existing regulatory structures, creating uncertainty for innovators. Rapid technological advances often outpace the ability of regulators to adapt, making approval processes unpredictable and slow and innovators unsure of the approval process.

Data Privacy and Security Concerns

Strict regulations like GDPR in Europe require strong data protection measures. Innovators must ensure compliance while safeguarding patient data, especially when using cloud storage or cross-border transfers.

Liability and Accountability

Determining responsibility when a HealthTech solution fails is complex. Who is accountable? The lack of clear liability frameworks increases risks for innovators and discourages investment in new technologies.

2. Fiscal Challenges

Financial constraints slow down the adoption and scaling of HealthTech solutions, limiting innovation and access.

Lack of Sustainable Funding and Investment

Innovators face difficulties in securing long-term funding. While some early-stage funding is available, there is a notable gap in financial support for scaling up innovations.

High Upfront Costs of Implementation

HealthTech solutions offer long-term cost savings, but high upfront costs often discourage healthcare providers from adopting new technologies. Hospitals and clinics with limited budgets struggle to allocate funds for new systems, especially when immediate returns on investment are unclear.

Reimbursement Issues

Unclear reimbursement policies prevent many HealthTech innovations, especially in transitional care, from being covered by traditional insurance or public funding. Without financial incentives, healthcare providers hesitate to adopt new technologies, limiting their potential to improve patient transitions and care quality.

Conclusion

Regulatory frameworks, fiscal limitations, and legal uncertainties create significant hurdles for HealthTech adoption in transitional care. But even if these hurdles are overcome, will the technology be technically feasible, operationally sustainable, and socially accepted?

In Part 2, we’ll explore how HealthTech innovations must tackle technical, operational, and social challenges to truly succeed in transforming patient care.

Bridging Perspectives: The challenge of Transitional Care Innovation

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Why is Transitional Care innovation so challenging?

Moving between healthcare settings, whether an elderly patient returning home after hospitalization or a young adult shifting from pediatric to adult care, can be overwhelming. While innovative solutions have the potential to make these transitions smoother and more efficient, real-world implementation is often hindered by regulatory, financial, and practical challenges.

Addressing these challenges requires a strategic approach to integrating innovative solutions into transitional care. The Evolve2Care Project is committed to this goal, leveraging collaboration and evidence-based strategies to drive meaningful change. Deliverable D1.1, “Roadmap on Navigating the Complexities of Enabling Innovative Technologies in Transitional Care,” provides a structured framework to support stakeholders—such as startups, researchers, investors, healthcare professionals, and policymakers—in overcoming barriers to HealthTech adoption.

Through literature review, surveys and stakeholder interviews conducted within the preparation of D1.1, the findings highlight key trends, stakeholder perspectives, and the crucial steps needed to drive effective innovation in transitional care.

What common patterns emerge in transitional care innovation?

Through research, surveys, and expert interviews, three major themes emerged as pivotal in shaping the future of transitional care:

● Regulatory Complexities: Navigating healthcare regulations is challenging due to inconsistencies across regions.
● User-Centered Design & Usability: Healthcare professionals and patients stress the importance of easy-to-use technologies. No matter how advanced a solution is, its success hinges on real-world usability and seamless integration into existing healthcare workflows.
● The Role of Funding as a Key Enabler: Funding is a major driver of transitional care innovation, helping ideas grow from prototypes to real-world impact. However, many innovators struggle with financial barriers, while policymakers stress the need for sustainable funding models. Public-private partnerships are emerging as a key solution, especially for high-risk healthcare technologies that need validation and testing.

Where do stakeholders see things differently?

Despite a shared goal of improving transitional care, different stakeholders often approach the problem from unique angles:

● Innovators vs. End-Users (Healthcare Providers and Patients): Innovators focus on technical challenges like interoperability and data security, while healthcare providers prioritize ease of integration and efficiency in daily practice. Patients, on the other hand, value user-friendly solutions that empower them in self-care.
● Innovators vs. Policymakers: While innovators push for faster regulatory approval pathways, policymakers emphasize regulatory rigor to ensure safety.
● Healthcare Providers vs. Patients: Healthcare providers are concerned with the adoption of new technologies within clinical workflows such as training requirements, costs, and system integration, while patients focus on ease of use and how well a technology fits into their daily lives.
● Living Labs vs. Innovators: Living labs focus on real-world testing and iteration of new healthcare technologies, while innovators prioritize technology development and market readiness, sometimes viewing feedback as an added complexity.

How can we align perspectives and drive change?

To turn challenges into opportunities, stakeholders must work together to ensure the effective advancement of transitional care innovations.
Key areas for alignment include:

● Collaboration between Innovators and End-Users: Engaging healthcare providers and patients early in the design process ensures solutions that are practical and easy to adopt.
● Balancing Flexibility and Regulation: Policymakers and innovators must work together to harmonize regulatory frameworks across countries, making pathways clearer while maintaining patient safety standards.
● Sustainable Funding Models: Policymakers and funding bodies must establish long-term, outcome-driven funding models to support the development and scaling of transitional care innovations.

What’s next for transition care innovation?

To truly transform transitional care, innovation must be practical, well-regulated, and financially sustainable. Here’s how we can make it happen:

● User-Centred, Interdisciplinary Approaches: By involving interdisciplinary teams in the development process, new solutions can be ensured to be clinically effective, user-friendly, and seamlessly integrated into care workflows.
● Clear and Flexible Regulatory Pathways: Streamlining approval processes while ensuring patient safety requires ongoing collaboration between innovators, regulators, and healthcare providers.
● Improved Funding Support: Policymakers must ensure long-term financial backing for impactful solutions. Sustainable funding structures are needed to support pilot projects, commercialization, and scaling of transitional care innovations.

The Evolve2Care Project continues to explore how we can bridge the gaps in transitional care, ensuring that innovation leads to real-world improvements for patients, providers, and the entire healthcare ecosystem.

Bridging the Gap in Transitional Care: Key Drivers, Barriers, and the Path Forward

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Have you ever considered how easy—or challenging—it is to transition from one healthcare setting to another or back home?

For patients with chronic or acute illnesses, this process often involves specialized medical support. Older adults may require advanced care coordination, while young people need tailored support when transitioning from child to adult health services. This process, known as transitional care, relies on seamless coordination and continuity to ensure patients receive the right care at the right time.

Recognizing the importance of well-tempered transitions, the Evolve2Care Project is dedicated to transforming transitional care through innovation, collaboration, and evidence-based strategies. As part of this mission, Deliverable D1.1, titled “Roadmap on Navigating the Complexities of Enabling Innovative Technologies in Transitional Care,” provides a comprehensive framework to help stakeholders —including startups, SMEs corporates, researchers, investors, living labs, hospital administrators, clinicians, healthcare professionals, healthcare providers, policymakers, and tech innovators- address the challenges of integrating HealthTech solutions into transitional care settings. By analyzing literature, surveys, and stakeholder interviews, the general results highlight 3 key drivers, 3 barriers, 3 intersections of drivers and barriers and 3 opportunities that shape the future of transitional care innovation.

What’s driving change in transitional care?

Three major themes consistently emerge as driving forces behind innovation:

  • Regulatory Support & Flexibility: Clear policies and adaptable regulations help new technologies scale faster, particularly in areas like home care and AI-driven tools.
  • Technological Advancements: From AI to wearable health monitors, cutting-edge tech is making transitional care more efficient and accessible.
  • Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement: Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. Successful solutions often emerge from partnerships between healthcare providers, patients, researchers, and tech developers.

The Barriers: What’s limiting us?

Even though some challenges are universally acknowledged, different stakeholders perceive them in unique ways.

Here are the three biggest hurdles to slow down innovation:

  • Regulatory Challenges: Navigating healthcare regulations is no easy task. Literature reviews highlight the complexity and inconsistency of regulatory frameworks across different regions, making approval processes slow and cumbersome. However, innovators and policymakers face uncertainty, as national policies may not align with innovation.
  • Funding and Financial Constraints: Innovators struggle to secure investment and navigate reimbursement systems, while policymakers and accelerators emphasize the need for sustainable financing models and funding structures.
  • Technology Integration and Interoperability: New healthcare technologies often don’t “talk” to existing systems identified interoperability as a major challenge.

Where do drivers and barriers intersect?

Understanding how drivers and barriers interact is crucial for pushing innovation forward. Here are some key intersections:

  • Regulatory Flexibility vs. Safety Concerns: While flexible regulations foster innovation, they must also ensure safety, particularly for AI and medical devices.
  • Technological Advancements vs. Infrastructure Limitations: While digital health tools are evolving rapidly, healthcare infrastructure often lags behind. This is especially true in underserved areas, where limited access to digital infrastructure can slow the adoption of game-changing technologies.
  • Collaboration vs. Resistance to Change: While collaboration is essential, healthcare practitioners can be hesitant to adopt new tools due to the lack of training, trust, and perceived inefficiencies associated with new technologies.

So, how do stakeholders bridge these gaps and make transitional care innovation a reality?

  • Holistic Support Systems: Apart from including financial and regulatory backing, healthcare providers and patients need hands-on training and education to effectively use new technologies.
  • Tailored Solutions for Different Stakeholders: Developing targeted solutions that address each group’s concerns will help create a more integrated system.
  • Sustainability of Innovations: To ensure long-term success, funding strategies must prioritize sustainability. Demonstrating clear benefits in terms of patient outcomes and cost savings will encourage wider adoption and continued investment.

By understanding what’s driving innovation—and what’s holding it back— stakeholders can create a more connected, efficient, and patient-centered transitional care system. The future of healthcare innovation may afford turning challenges into opportunities if we seek for deeper collaborations and thus greater cross-fertilization.