Sanofi, Capgemini, Generali and Orange announced the creation of a joint venture to launch “Future4care”, Europe’s only health-focused startup accelerator program. The objective is to stimulate the development of e-health solutions and their go-to-market, for the benefit of both patients and health professionals.
Healthcare providers together with researchers and academics, who drive the success of digital health projects, will be fully integrated into this initiative including hospitals, healthcare institutions, higher education institutions, universities, and patient associations.
The startup selection process is based on two routes: either applications in response to a specific call for projects or a spontaneous application. The first call for projects will be launched in September 2021 around two themes: virtual care using digital tools and personalised care (from diagnosis to treatment).
Future4care is a unique open-innovation ecosystem in Europe. It is both a startup accelerator and an Institute providing content on digital health and delivering reference certifications. The Institute is a genuine knowledge centre offering conference programs, conducting constant monitoring of new technologies and their use and connecting members of its community with external experts.
Moreover, from December 2021, Future4care’s startups and partners will have access to a space of nearly 6,400 square metre space, located in the heart of Paris. This highly attractive building, which combines work, meeting, reception and networking areas, will bring together a global industry open to national and international partnerships. By housing each startup’s employees, the Future4care BioPark aims to become the European hub that encapsulates progress in digital health.
Startups choosing to join Future4care, benefit from personalised support through a series of thematic Labs:
- Creative Lab ;
- Medical / Regulatory Lab ;
- Business & Ethics Lab ;
- Data & AI Lab ;
- Living Lab.
Through this journey and the collaboration with partners, each startup will have the capacity to design, test, validate and launch solutions that are both concrete and innovative.
Finally, the entire Future4care offer will also be available online, via a digital exchange platform, (www.future4care.com) allowing it to attract European entrepreneurs.
As access to data is essential for digital health, the founding members will work together to provide startups with data relevant for their development, in compliance with the applicable ethical and legal framework.
Ultimately, the Future4care accelerator aims to bring together a wide ecosystem of diverse contributors including:
- the four founding members ;
- fifteen corporate partners ;
- one hundred French and European startups;
- health, technology and insurance players;
- public and private hospitals;
- patient associations;
- regulators ;
- schools and higher education institutions.
« New technologies and data have become essential to innovation in healthcare. France, and more broadly Europe, have the assets needed to develop the e-health solutions of tomorrow. We are convinced that combining the resources of large companies with the agility of startups will lead to the emergence of digital solutions that will create value for patients and to the healthcare ecosystem as a whole » said Philippe Peyre, Future4care’s Chairman.
Agnès De Leersnyder, CEO Future4care, added:
« Future4care is a unique opportunity for startups and, more generally, for all healthcare players to join forces to build the digital health of tomorrow. The support we provide to startups is designed to give talented growth companies the means to successfully plan their go to market and to offer concrete solutions that improve both the patient’s life and the healthcare system. While we will provide all of our services on our digital platform, we will also open a place of work and collaboration in the heart of the BioPark in the centre of Paris.
I really look forward to seeing the community grow, with its mix of startups, corporates, scientific experts, academics, patient associations, hospitals and healthcare institutions. All together, they will create “made in Future4care” solutions for patients and healthcare professionals”.
Agnès Pannier-Runacher, French Minister Delegate for Industry, declared:
« I welcome the creation of Future4care, which is in line with the government’s priorities to make France a leader in digital health. Indeed, digital innovation is at the heart of our priorities to improve patient care and find more effective therapeutic solutions.».
