EVOLVE2CARE Final Event: Celebrating Two Years of Collaboration, Experimentation and HealthTech Innovation

On 16 September 2026, EVOLVE2CARE brought its community together online for the project’s Final Event, marking the culmination of two years of collaboration dedicated to strengthening experimentation and innovation in transitional care.

The event was not simply an opportunity to look back at what EVOLVE2CARE has achieved. It brought together the people, experiences and results that shaped the project: HealthTech innovators, Living Labs, project partners, the Advisory Board and representatives of the European innovation ecosystem. Together, they reflected on what happens when innovative health solutions move beyond development and are tested in real-life environments — and what Europe can do to make that journey easier, safer and more effective.

📺 Missed the Final Event or would like to revisit the discussions?

Watch the recording here:

From an Open Call to real-life experimentation

Following the welcome by Evdokimos Konstantinidis and Panagiotis Bamidis from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Kriza Christine, Project Officer, placed EVOLVE2CARE within the wider context of the HORIZON-EIE-2023-CONNECT-02-01 call and its ambition to strengthen connected innovation ecosystems.

A central part of the event was dedicated to one of the defining elements of EVOLVE2CARE: bringing HealthTech innovators and Living Labs together for real-life experimentation.

The EVOLVE2CARE experimentation approach and the outcomes of the Open Call were introduced before the floor was given to the innovators and Living Labs themselves. Through a series of real-life use cases, participants reflected on their collaboration and shared tangible experiences from the experimentation process. Rather than discussing innovation only in theoretical terms, these exchanges highlighted what real-world validation can reveal: how solutions interact with users, healthcare environments and existing practices, and how experimentation can help innovators identify what needs to change before solutions can progress further.

This practical experimentation model was at the heart of EVOLVE2CARE. Through the project, 10 mini-consortia were selected following the Open Call, enabling innovators to work with Living Labs and validate their solutions in real-world settings.

Looking beyond EVOLVE2CARE: what comes next for transitional care?

The Final Event also deliberately looked beyond the lifetime of the project.

During a dedicated Advisory Board session, participants discussed the future of transitional care, emerging challenges and opportunities, and the role that collaborative innovation could play over the next decade. The discussion reinforced a central lesson from EVOLVE2CARE: technological innovation alone is not enough. Bringing solutions into real healthcare environments requires collaboration among innovators, experimentation facilities, healthcare actors, users, policymakers and other parts of the innovation ecosystem.

The final part of the programme brought together some of the knowledge and tools developed throughout EVOLVE2CARE. Partners revisited the barriers and enablers identified during the innovation and experimentation process and presented the project’s policy recommendations for supporting the adoption and scaling of innovation in transitional care.

Participants were also introduced to the tools and resources that can carry the project’s work forward, including the AccelUP experimentation infrastructure, the EVOLVE2CARE KPI Framework and the project’s training resources for innovators and Living Labs. The session concluded by reflecting on the impact of the Open Call and the lessons generated through the experimentation journey.

The project ends, but its results continue

Although the Final Event marked the closing stage of EVOLVE2CARE, the knowledge, tools and connections developed through the project are intended to remain useful beyond its formal lifetime.

AccelUP provides a foundation for connecting innovators with experimentation opportunities; the KPI Framework offers a structured approach for assessing HealthTech experimentation and its impact; and the project’s training resources capture practical knowledge for both innovators and Living Labs. Together, these results reflect EVOLVE2CARE’s broader effort to make real-life experimentation more accessible and useful for HealthTech innovation.

Most importantly, EVOLVE2CARE leaves behind the experience generated by the people who participated in it — partners, innovators, Living Labs, experts, trainers, policymakers and stakeholders who contributed their knowledge, challenges, ideas and time throughout the project.

Thank you for being part of EVOLVE2CARE

As EVOLVE2CARE comes to an end, we would like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey.

To our project partners, for two years of collaboration and commitment. To the innovators and Living Labs who took part in the Open Call and experimentation activities, for putting the EVOLVE2CARE approach into practice. To our Advisory Board, speakers, trainers and external experts, for challenging our thinking and sharing their expertise. And to everyone who joined our workshops, training sessions, events and online community, for helping us build a conversation around the future of HealthTech innovation and transitional care.

The project may be reaching its formal conclusion, but the collaborations, knowledge and resources created through EVOLVE2CARE provide a foundation on which others can continue to build.

Thank you for evolving with us.

EVOLVE2CARE Final Event: Accelerating the Future of Transitional Care

Join us online on 16 September 2026 to explore the project’s achievements, real-world experimentation results and vision for the future of transitional care.

As EVOLVE2CARE approaches the completion of its journey, the project invites innovators, researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, Living Lab experts and other stakeholders to its Final Event, taking place online on 16 September 2026, from 13:00 to 16:30 CET.

Organised by the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), the event will bring together the EVOLVE2CARE community to showcase the project’s main achievements and reflect on how Living Labs, real-world experimentation and collaborative innovation can support the development and adoption of impactful HealthTech solutions.

From experimentation to real-world impact

A central part of the event will be dedicated to the value of Living Labs and the experimentation approach developed through EVOLVE2CARE.

Following an introduction to the project’s Open Call approach and key outcomes, innovators and Living Labs involved in the Open Call will share real-life use cases and tangible results from their experimentation activities. Their experiences will demonstrate how collaboration in real-world environments can help HealthTech solutions move beyond development towards validation and adoption.

Shaping the future of transitional care

The programme will also look beyond the project itself.

During a dedicated Advisory Board session, experts will discuss the future of transitional care, emerging challenges and opportunities, and the role that collaborative innovation can play in transforming care over the next decade.

The discussion will provide an opportunity to reflect on how lessons from EVOLVE2CARE can contribute to future healthcare innovation and stronger connections between innovators, healthcare ecosystems and Living Labs.

Exploring the tools and results of EVOLVE2CARE

The final part of the event will showcase the knowledge, tools and resources developed throughout the project.

Participants will discover the barriers and enablers identified through EVOLVE2CARE’s innovation and experimentation activities, as well as the project’s policy recommendations for supporting the adoption and scaling of innovation in transitional care.

The programme will also feature demonstrations and presentations of key project results, including the AccelUP infrastructure, KPI Framework and Training Programmes, alongside insights into the impact and lessons learned from the EVOLVE2CARE Open Call.

Join the EVOLVE2CARE Final Event

Whether you are a HealthTech innovator, researcher, healthcare professional, policymaker or part of a Living Lab or innovation ecosystem, the EVOLVE2CARE Final Event offers an opportunity to discover practical results, exchange perspectives and explore the future of person-centred transitional care.

📅 16 September 2026
🕐 13:00–16:30 CET
💻 Online

Participation is free, but registration is required.

Register for the EVOLVE2CARE Final Event.

Join us as we reflect on the EVOLVE2CARE journey and explore how its results can continue supporting collaborative, evidence-based and person-centred innovation in transitional care.

EVOLVE2CARE at ISPIM Connects Bangkok 2026

EVOLVE2CARE was presented at ISPIM Connects Bangkok 2026 (9–11 March), an international forum bringing together researchers, industry experts, and policymakers to exchange knowledge on innovation management and its real-world applications.

Addressing the Gap in Clinical Practice 

During the event, Evdokimos Konstantinidis from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH) represented the EVOLVE2CARE through a presentation titled “Leveraging Living Labs to Integrate Research into Clinical Practice”, highlighting how Living Lab methodologies can support the adoption of digital health solutions in transitional care.

A central focus of the presentation was the persistent challenge of integrating research into everyday clinical settings. Drawing on findings from research involving Living Lab practitioners, Konstantinidis highlighted that while integration is essential, healthcare professionals face several critical obstacles:

  • Time Constraints: Heavy workloads often leave little room for research activities. 
  • Competing Care Priorities: Immediate clinical needs frequently take precedence over long-term research objectives. 
  • Misalignment: There is often a gap between research goals and actual clinical needs, coupled with a lack of aligned incentives for practitioners. 

The presentation emphasized that Living Lab methodologies are key to overcoming these barriers. By providing structured environments for co-creation and real-world testing, Living Labs act as enablers for transitional care innovation by: 

  • Improving Relevance: Ensuring research activities directly address clinical needs. 
  • Fostering Co-ownership: Engaging healthcare professionals directly in the innovation process. 
  • Enabling Collaboration: Facilitating multi-stakeholder partnerships between researchers and clinicians. 
  • Supporting Validation: Testing and validating solutions within real care settings to ensure they work in practice. 

These insights align with EVOLVE2CARE’s broader mission to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation within healthcare systems.

Integrating research into everyday clinical settings remains a key challenge in healthcare innovation. Healthcare professionals often face barriers such as limited time, competing care priorities, and misalignment between research objectives and clinical needs. 

The EVOLVE2CARE contribution addressed these challenges by presenting findings from research involving Living Lab practitioners. The results underline that time constraints and lack of aligned incentives are among the most critical obstacles to integrating research into practice. 

From experimentation to Real-World Impact

Moving beyond theory, EVOLVE2CARE showcased its practical approach to supporting innovators through its experimentation frameworks. Rather than just providing theoretical guidance, the project matches innovators with Living Labs through a dedicated Open Call.

Under this model, selected innovators receive specialized experimentation services from certified Living Lab infrastructures to test their HealthTech solutions. The costs for these services are covered by the project’s Open Call budget, ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder the validation of high-impact technologies. 

Participation in ISPIM Connects Bangkok 2026 highlights EVOLVE2CARE’s contribution to international discussions on HealthTech innovation, Living Labs, and the integration of research into clinical practice.

Advancing Regulatory Learning in HealthTech through EVOLVE2CARE Workshops

Behind effective HealthTech innovation lies not only strong technology, but also a clear understanding of the regulatory environment in which it operates.

As part of its work on transitional care, EVOLVE2CARE organised two dedicated workshops in February and March 2026, bringing together innovators, Living Labs, researchers, and policymakers to explore how regulatory learning can support the real-world adoption of digital health solutions.

Workshop 1: Understanding regulatory barriers in transitional care

The first workshop, “Understanding Regulatory Barriers and Enablers in Transitional Care”, took place on 25 February 2026, gathering 19 participants in an interactive session focused on identifying key regulatory challenges.

The session introduced the concept of regulatory learning and explored how Living Labs can contribute to navigating complex regulatory environments. Through a hands-on exercise using a collaborative Miro board, participants shared real experiences, highlighting barriers related to compliance, policy fragmentation, and implementation constraints.

Beyond identifying challenges, the discussion also focused on potential solutions. Participants exchanged strategies for addressing regulatory obstacles and proposed policy measures that could better support innovation in transitional care.

Workshop 2: From insights to ecosystem-level discussion

Building on these initial findings, EVOLVE2CARE contributed to the ENoLL Joint Working Group on Regulatory Learning, relaunched on 4 March 2026, which brought together 61 participants.

During this session, EVOLVE2CARE presented the first results from the workshop and the regulatory learning survey, contributing to a wider discussion involving the Joint Research Centre (JRC) and Living Lab practitioners across Europe.

The workshop also featured best practice examples, illustrating how regulatory learning approaches are already being applied in real settings. Participants reflected on key questions around skills development, capacity building, and the role of collaborative frameworks in supporting regulatory adaptation.

Across both sessions, a clear message emerged: regulatory challenges remain a major barrier to scaling digital health solutions, but they can be addressed through structured, collaborative approaches. 

The Vital Role of Living Labs

Across both sessions, a clear message emerged: regulatory challenges remain a major barrier to scaling digital health solutions, but they can be adA recurring theme across both workshops was that while regulatory challenges are significant, they are manageable through structured, collaborative approaches. Living Labs are central to this effort because they enable: 

  • Real-world testing: Validating solutions in actual care environments. 
  • Early identification: Spotting regulatory constraints before they become roadblocks. 
  • Stakeholder collaboration: Building stronger ties between innovators, healthcare providers, and policymakers. 

Looking Ahead

The work continues with a third workshop scheduled for May 2026. This upcoming session will focus on translating workshop and survey data into actionable recommendations, capacity-building activities, and policy-oriented outcomes for the HealthTech ecosystem.

By fostering this ongoing dialogue, EVOLVE2CARE aims to bridge the gap between innovation and implementation, creating a more responsive regulatory environment for the future of healthcare.

EVOLVE2CARE at LSOS 2025: Leveraging Living Labs for Innovation in Transitional Care

On 28 November 2025, EVOLVE2CARE was represented at LSOS 2025 – Life Science Open Space in Kraków, Poland, bringing the project’s work on Living Lab-based experimentation and validation to a wider life sciences and innovation community.

LSOS 2025 brought together researchers, healthcare professionals, industry representatives, startups, policymakers and other actors from across the life sciences ecosystem, with a strong focus on turning innovative ideas into real-world solutions through collaboration. Hosted in Kraków, the event explored areas ranging from prevention and next-generation therapies to inclusive healthcare, sustainable life sciences and the development and scale-up of innovative ventures.

Bringing Living Labs into the StartUp & ScaleUp conversation

As part of the StartUp & ScaleUp Zone: Where Life Science Ventures Take Off, Despoina Petsani from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTH), Coordinator of EVOLVE2CARE, delivered the presentation:

“Leveraging the Power of Living Labs for Innovation in Transitional Care.”

Her presentation highlighted the role of Living Labs as catalysts for digital health innovation, providing environments in which users and relevant stakeholders can actively participate in the development, experimentation, and validation of new solutions.

This approach is particularly important in transitional care, where innovative technologies need to respond to complex real-world needs and demonstrate their relevance in practice. Living Labs can help bridge the gap between technological development and real-world implementation by enabling innovators to engage with users and stakeholders throughout the innovation process.

Sharing the EVOLVE2CARE experience

The presentation showcased the experience and results of the EVOLVE2CARE Horizon Europe project, which works to strengthen collaboration between Living Labs and HealthTech innovators and facilitate access to real-life experimentation and validation opportunities.

A central message of the presentation was the value that Living Labs can offer startups, SMEs and companies seeking to bring HealthTech solutions closer to the market. Through user testing, experimentation and validation in real-life environments, innovators can better understand user and stakeholder needs, gather evidence and further develop their solutions.

At the same time, effective collaboration requires a clear understanding of what innovators themselves need from experimentation environments. This two-way relationship between Living Labs and innovation actors lies at the heart of the EVOLVE2CARE approach.

Connecting ideas for better health innovation

EVOLVE2CARE’s participation was closely aligned with the wider ambition of LSOS 2025: connecting ideas and accelerating innovation through collaboration. The StartUp & ScaleUp Zone provided a particularly relevant setting for exchanging perspectives on how promising HealthTech solutions can move from development towards real-world application and sustainable growth.

By sharing the project’s experience with the LSOS community, EVOLVE2CARE contributed to the wider discussion on how collaborative experimentation ecosystems can support innovators in developing solutions that are not only technologically promising, but also responsive to the needs of users and healthcare environments.