New Competence Program Accelerates Health Innovation

The Accelerator Program for Health Innovation has been established by the Ministry of Health and Care Services to unlock the potential of business-driven solutions for the health and care sector – with a particular focus on workforce-saving innovations. The initiative follows up on the National Health and Cooperation Plan, the Health Industry Roadmap, and the government’s export strategy for the health industry. The Accelerator Program is coordinated by Innovation Norway.

– Business has an important role to play in realizing the government’s health policy goals. The Health Accelerator Program can increase the use of established instruments for health innovation and thereby also help reduce waiting times, said Minister of Health and Care Services Jan Christian Vestre at the launch of the program.

As part of the initiative, the competence program developed by HealthCatalyst provides closer connections between companies and the health services, strengthens knowledge, and creates better opportunities to spread innovations in the domestic market – an important step toward export.
– By building competence, reducing barriers, and linking the health services more closely with industry, we are laying the foundation for more Norwegian solutions to be adopted at home and succeed internationally, says Hilde Færevik, Senior Adviser for Health and Life Sciences at Innovation Norway.

First Module in Bergen: Regulation as a Driver of Growth

The first open module of the competence program gathered nearly 100 participants at the Eitri Innovation Center in Bergen on September 9. The theme was regulatory strategy – not only as a requirement, but also as a key to growth and international scaling.

Participants learned how to achieve a “license to sell” in Europe and the USA, heard experiences from startups that have faced regulatory challenges, and met experts from Inventas, Smart Care Lab, and NorTrials. The day concluded with one-to-one meetings where startups received tailored guidance adapted to their specific needs.

– Regulatory processes can often be seen as a barrier, but they are also an opportunity. Used correctly, a solid regulatory strategy can give you a competitive edge in the market – which is why it is so important for companies to focus on this from an early stage, says Tone Skår, Head of Norway Health Tech in Vestland.

Next Steps in Oslo

This autumn, the competence program moves to Oslo, with two new modules focusing on the next critical phases in the innovation journey: approval and implementation.

Module 2 gives participants a condensed introduction to the requirements for health technology – and how best to plan for navigating a complex approval process. The agenda features short presentations from the Directorate of Health, DMP, and our own Smart Care Lab on guidance schemes, testing, medical products, and CE marking. Through interactive sessions, participants will map the requirements relevant to their own solutions and develop a concrete plan, supported by a practical handbook. The program concludes with strategies for how to finance the process, from early phase to market introduction. Register here!

Module 3 focuses on how new solutions can deliver measurable benefits in the health services. Here, the spotlight is on cost/benefit analysis – one of the most decisive factors for achieving sales in the health sector. The aim is to equip participants with tools to identify the right partners, understand how to work with cost/benefit requirements, and develop a strategy that supports scaling. Register here!

Both modules are open for registration and offer participants a unique opportunity to meet experts, build networks, and receive practical guidance that can move their innovation projects a significant step forward.

Bridging Development and Use

For Norway Health Tech, the ambition is clear: The competence program should serve as a unique arena for learning, networking, and collaboration – and as a catalyst bridging the gap between development and real-world use.

– Innovation does not stop once a solution has been developed. It must also be approved, financed, implemented, and adopted by the health services. With this program, we want to make that journey simpler and faster, to the benefit of both the health industry and the health services, says Marit Hagland, Project Manager at Norway Health Tech.

Other deliverables and initiatives in the Accelerator Program for Health Innovation, coordinated by Innovation Norway

• Menon Economics: Mapping of efficiency-enhancing solutions, collection of benefit data, identification of bottlenecks and scaling
• Roundtable conference with health leaders hosted by Håkon Haugli, August 22
• Analysis of companies’ experiences and assessment of a new financing model
• Evaluation of the competence program and proposal for a new policy instrument
• Collaboration agreement with the Directorate of Health and LUP on joint market dialogue and method assessment
• Mobilization of Team Norway for export promotion and international profiling
• Dialogue meetings with stakeholders from the health sector and industry