Digital health elevated as a strategic priority in new SFI round

📸 Line Linstad

The SFI scheme covers all themes and sectors with the potential to contribute to innovation and value creation in industry, and is an important instrument for long-term, research-driven innovation by the Research Council. Interest in the scheme is high: for this call, the Research Council received 96 applications, of which eight were awarded SFI status.

Among the recipients is the Norwegian Centre for E-health Research (NSE), which receives NOK 96 million to establish and lead the Centre for Personalized Digital Health Promotion. The centre will develop and test personalized digital solutions aimed at preventing lifestyle-related diseases, reducing health inequalities, and contributing to a more sustainable healthcare system.

Prevention, technology and scaling

The ambition is to make it easier for more people to make healthy choices—among other things through digital tools that, over time, may provide personal risk profiles and health recommendations via Helsenorge. Artificial intelligence, large-scale digital studies, and close collaboration with both industry and the public sector will be key enablers. At the same time, the solutions must be easily accessible for citizens and economically sustainable for both the public sector and industry.

– We want to develop digital solutions that promote good health and prevent disease before it occurs. This will help reduce both sick leave and the need for healthcare services, thereby strengthening the sustainability of the healthcare system, says Professor Paolo Zanaboni, who will lead the centre, in an article published on the centre’s website.

Important for industry development

The centre brings together strong research environments and actors from industry and the public sector, with the aim of ensuring that new knowledge is more rapidly adopted and scaled. The Norwegian Centre for E-health Research will collaborate with SINTEF, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, NTNU, Nord University and the University of Agder.

In addition, seven Norwegian companies and four public-sector partners are involved in the centre: ABEL Technologies, Motitech, Lifeness, ExorLive, Valori, Mia Health and Braive, as well as KS, Norsk helsenett, LHL and the Municipality of Bodø. Several of these are members of Norway Health Tech.

– The SFI scheme is an important instrument for improving healthcare services and building a strong health industry in Norway. When research, healthcare services and companies commit to long-term collaboration, the likelihood increases that solutions will be adopted and create value, says Arild Kristensen, COO of Norway Health Tech and board member of the Norwegian Centre for E-health Research.

– This award provides a strong foundation for developing, testing and commercializing digital health solutions with international potential, he adds.

Eight new SFIs – a broad national innovation effort

In addition to the Centre for Personalized Digital Health Promotion, the following seven centres were awarded SFI status in December 2025:

• SFI Seaweed – industrial research and innovation in seaweed
• CISU – Centre for Innovative and Sustainable Underground Use – sustainable use of the subsurface
• SAINT – Sustainable Applied and Industrialized Nuclear Technology – nuclear technology for future needs
• FAST – Future Aluminium Structures – circular and low-carbon aluminium
• CELECT – Centre for Effective Engineering and Learning in Complex Systems – complex systems engineering
• ICE – Center for Intelligent Computers and Electronics – energy-efficient edge AI
• ICoN – Innovation Center for Neuroresilience – new solutions for neurological health

Together, the awards highlight the breadth of Norwegian research-driven innovation—and how digital health and prevention are now clearly positioned as strategic priority areas.