Monday, April 14, 2025
Many healthcare innovations fail due to a lack of funding, network, and support. The ZorgTech program helps entrepreneurs with the technological development of their innovation as well as the growth of their company. Perhaps the most important ingredient is a close collaboration between the startup and the hospital.
ZorgTech is an initiative of the Province of Zuid-Holland, the Rotterdam The Hague Metropolitan Region, Medical Delta, TNO, and InnovationQuarter. The program offers subsidy vouchers of up to €50,000 for healthcare startups, made possible through the regional economic stimulus program Kansen voor West. The ZorgTech program focuses on innovations that improve the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, and treatment of diseases. In addition to financial support, entrepreneurs gain access to expert coaching and a strong network of knowledge institutions, healthcare organizations, and investors.
Three entrepreneurs and an innovation advisor explain why an intensive collaboration between startups and hospitals is so valuable.
'ZorgTech is a warm welcome for startup entrepreneurs.'
Financial support is essential to advance an innovation. ZorgTech helps startups at crucial moments so that promising ideas don’t stall due to a lack of resources. Wijffels: "Without the support of ZorgTech, the medtech sector in the region would come to a standstill." In addition to subsidies, ZorgTech offers expert guidance and access to a valuable network. Startups receive support with strategic decisions and are connected to the right experts. Wijffels emphasizes the accessibility and expertise: "ZorgTech has a fantastic network. Personal, accessible, and with an incredible amount of expertise. A warm welcome for startup entrepreneurs."
'The LUMC does the science, we do the technology.'
Richard van de Wateringen can speak to that. The CEO of Implant Preservation Devices (IPD), a spin-off from LUMC, has been working since 2020 on a method to combat infections in orthopedic implants. In the current treatment, severe complications can arise, sometimes even resulting in death. "That is unacceptable," says Van de Wateringen. He aims to significantly increase the success rate, with fewer re-operations and lower healthcare costs as a result. The technology of IPD uses an electromagnetic field to heat the implant in the patient's body in a controlled manner. This kills bacteria without damaging the surrounding tissue.
To bring this technology into practice, funding and clinical validation are essential. Thanks to ZorgTech, IPD, together with LUMC – and other Dutch hospitals – can set up the first clinical trials. "LUMC leads the clinical and scientific side of the research, while we manage the technical development and business side," explains Van de Wateringen. This close collaboration is essential to combine medical expertise with innovative technology, ensuring the solution meets the needs of practice. IPD aims to make the innovation widely available in hospitals worldwide by 2028.
'ZorgTech helps us get into healthcare.'
Industrial designer Jefta Vriend developed the Pebbles for his wife, who was dealing with a burnout. The small devices, one for each hand, measure oxygen levels, heart rate, and temperature, and teach the user a healthy breathing rhythm through vibrations. The data is displayed in an app. What started as a personal project has grown into the startup Glimp. Currently, Vriend and his team are working with experts from the Haga Hospital and Juliana Children's Hospital to develop a scientifically validated breathing program for children with dysfunctional breathing. The goal is to create an accessible and sustainable solution that can be widely used in healthcare.
Hospitals often lack the budget to test innovations because funding is tied to existing treatments. As a result, promising ideas often don't get the chance to prove themselves in practice. The ZorgTech voucher provides Vriend with the opportunity to clinically research and further develop the Pebbles for broader use. "Without the voucher, we would never have been able to take this step. Now, we can further develop the Pebbles in a medical setting." In collaboration with doctors and researchers, Glimp ensures that the product optimally aligns with hospital protocols and patient needs. This increases the chance of broader application and possible reimbursement by health insurers.
Speed up your recovery
BioCheck offers a data-driven method that helps people recover faster from fatigue complaints after illness, stress, or trauma. "The approach combines physiological measurements, training, breathing exercises, and education, giving both participants and healthcare professionals better insight into the recovery process," explains innovation lead Desiree van der Gracht. "BioCheck makes stress and recovery objectively measurable in real time."
Together with ICU doctor Diederik Gommers from Erasmus MC, BioCheck is developing an accelerated recovery program for post-ICU patients. It starts in the hospital and continues through to the end of home rehabilitation. The collaboration is crucial: there is no standardized rehabilitation pathway for this patient group, while 50% suffer from long-term complaints that have a major impact on quality of life.
'Together with Erasmus MC, we turn data into healthcare'
Thanks to ZorgTech, BioCheck was able to further develop its method with new software and hardware. "Innovation in healthcare is complex and costly. We really needed their help," says Van der Gracht. To make BioCheck widely applicable in hospitals, scientific backing is required. Erasmus MC plays an important role by offering clinical expertise and analyzing recovery data from post-ICU patients. This helps to better understand which factors contribute to recovery. Healthcare professionals test BioCheck in practice and provide feedback, ensuring the method aligns perfectly with existing care protocols and work processes.
Working together for better healthcare
Innovation in healthcare requires courage and the right support at the right moment. And above all: a close collaboration between startups and healthcare institutions. The ZorgTech Innovation Program accelerates the implementation of innovative solutions so that impactful innovations do not remain stuck in the development phase. With subsidies up to €50,000 from Kansen voor West, specialized guidance, and a strong network of knowledge institutions, hospitals, and investors, ZorgTech provides startups the opportunity to break through.
Want to learn more about the program or participate yourself? Visit the ZorgTech Innovation Program and discover what we can do for your healthcare innovation.
