〇 GOAL

The healthhub Open Innovation Program aims to identify and test startup solutions to validated clinical prevention challenges defined jointly by hospital partners and industry sponsors. Rather than a generic open call, applicants respond to specific, hospital-sourced clinical challenges within the specialties of Cardiology,  Respiratory, and Oncology preventive care.

〇 CHALLENGE AREAS

Clinical specialties and prevention challenges have been collected based on real pain points identified in discovery sessions with Unidade Local de Saúde de Santa Maria, CUF and Hospital da Luz. As mentioned, the 2026 edition challenges target  3 clinical specialties: Cardiology,  Respiratory, and Oncology preventive care. 

Applicants should address at least one published challenge with a clear use case and project ideas could include but are not limited to:

Primary prevention aims to stop a disease or injury from occurring before it manifests. Hospitals are looking for solutions that: 

• Promote smoking cessation through support and monitoring programs.

• Improve control of cardiovascular risk factors, tackling therapeutic inertia.

• Foster healthy lifestyles, including diet and physical exercise.

• Strengthen health education and adherence to preventive behaviors.

Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and intervention after the disease process has already begun, but before symptoms appear or worsen. Hospitals are looking for solutions that: 

• Improve lung cancer screening programs.

• Optimize spirometry for COPD diagnosis and follow-up.

• Strengthen detection of pulmonary nodules and atherosclerotic plaques.

• Develop smart oncology screening, supported by technology.

• Create alert systems for incidental findings, ensuring proper clinical follow-up.

Tertiary prevention deals with managing an existing disease or condition, aiming to slow its progression, reduce complications, and improve quality of life. Hospitals are looking for solutions that: 

• Improve follow-up care for patients with rare diseases.

• Support oncology survivorship and follow-up for cancer survivors.

• Develop respiratory rehabilitation programs.

• Implement remote monitoring solutions for chronic patients.

• Strengthen support groups and networks for people already diagnosed with a condition.

〇 CALL STRUCTURE

Phase 1: healthhub Open Innovation Call Applications

• Startups apply with a use case addressing at least one challenge.

• 20 startups will be selected for Phase 2. 

Phase 2: Jury session and Finalists selection 

• The Top 20 selected projects will be invited to an online pitching session.

• From this session, the 9 finalists will be selected for Phase 3.  

Phase 3: Solution Showcase at the Prevention Day, a Problem-solving Breakfast

• Shortlisted startups will be invited to Pitch in person to all healthhub partners and jury members.

• One winner per challenge will be selected, resulting in the final Top 3. Apart from the title, this moment will be the time for the winning startups to join forces with the jury members to work towards conducting potential pilots together. 

Phase 4: Web Summit Stage + Prize 

• The Top 3 winners will have the chance to present their solutions on stage at the Web Summit. 

• All 3 finalists will get the support of European Longevity Hub and the chance to propose a pilot with the institution that its solution is more aligned with.

〇 SELECTION PROCESS

Step 1 — Eligibility Screening (UFL) Applications that do not address a published challenge or fail basic eligibility checks are filtered out. Applicants are notified by email.

Step 2 — Shortlisting (UFL)
UFL shortlists applicants for Phase 2 based on:

• Clarity and strength of the challenge-fit.

• Relevant team expertise and track record.

• Feasibility of running a pilot within the program timeline.

Step 3 — Finalist selection Evaluation process
Shortlisted startups pitch in person to the Jury. Each jury member will vote for at least one startup as a pilot candidate. Evaluation topics weighting will focus on:

• Challenge Fit & Clinical Impact (40%) — Does the solution meaningfully solve the published clinical challenge? What is its potential impact on prevention outcomes?

• Innovation & Ecosystem Value (25%) — How novel is the approach? Does it strengthen Lisbon's positioning as a health innovation hub?

• Feasibility & Pilot Readiness (35%) — Can the solution realistically be piloted with a partner in the given timeframe? Is the business model viable beyond the pilot?