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Interreg Alpine Space: looking for partners from Switzerland, Slovenia and Austria to complete project consortium in the field of health.

Summary

Profile Type
  • Research & Development Request
POD Reference
RDRIT20250611010
Term of Validity
11 June 2025 - 11 June 2026
Company's Country
  • Italy
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement
Targeted Countries
  • Slovenia
  • Switzerland
  • Austria
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General information

Short Summary
The health and life sciences regional cluster from Piedmont Region is partner of a transnational consortium for an Interreg Alpine Space project focused on scaling up certified digital health solutions for prevention and chronic disease management, particularly in rural and remote Alpine areas. The consortium is currently seeking clinical, design, and regulatory partners from Switzerland, Slovenia and Austria to finalise and submit the project proposal.
Full Description
Alpine rural and mountain regions are increasingly affected by ageing populations, social vulnerability, and limited healthcare access due to geographic isolation and under-resourced infrastructure. Although certified and proven digital health solutions exist, they are not widely adopted in these regions due to implementation bottlenecks, including regulatory complexity, insufficient coordination, lack of training, and low awareness.

The project proposal will identify, pilot, and scale ready-to-use digital health tools targeting prevention and chronic disease management. It will also support mutual learning among Alpine regions, promote inclusive design, and address regulatory and practical barriers to implementation. Special focus will be given to elderly and vulnerable population groups.

The current consortium includes leading regional clusters and health innovation networks from Germany, France, and Italy, with experience in cross-border cooperation, digital health deployment, and stakeholder engagement. The consortium is led by a German regional cluster and includes other well-established actors active in the European life sciences ecosystem.

To complete the consortium, further technical expertise in specific chronic disease (e.g. diabetes, chronic wounds, neurodegenerative diseases), and in engineering and human-centered design, as well as legal expertise in regulatory affairs and medical device compliance are needed.

Target countries are: Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria.

CALL FOR PROPOSAL INFORMATION:

• Programme: Interreg Alpine Space 2021–2027 –
• Call: Classic Projects Call | Priority 3 (SO 3.2): Reaping the benefits of digitalisation for citizens, companies, research organisations and public authorities
• Funding source: ERDF (European Regional Development Fund)
• Co-funding rate: Up to 80%
• Call deadlines: STEP 1 - July 10th 2025; STEP 2: January 29th 2026
• Project start: June 2026
• Total budget: €1m to €3m
• Duration: 24 to 36 months
• Partnership: 7 to 12 partners
• Transnationality: at least 4 different countries
• List of eligible countries/regions: https://www.alpine-space.eu/about-us/cooperation-area/

Deadline for expressions of Interest: June 30th 2025
Advantages and Innovations
The project aims to boost digitalization in the health sector by deploying proven and ready-to-use technologies directly to citizens in the Alpine region.

a) Demonstration of how innovations can be translated, scaled and integrated into real-world settings
b) Closing the gap between development and application, reducing the underuse of certified digital solutions for prevention and chronic diseases
c) Reducing the pressure on healthcare systems
d) Supporting a sustainable and inclusive digital transformation that improves access in rural and vulnerable communities
Stage of Development
  • Under development
Sustainable Development Goals
  • Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being

Partner Sought

Expected Role of a Partner
• Clinical institutions or umbrella organizations working on specific chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, chronic wounds, neurodegenerative diseases), able to provide clinical validation and access to patient groups;
• Companies or research centers specializing in usability engineering and human-centered design, to ensure that digital tools are tailored to the real needs of vulnerable users and elderly citizens;
• Companies or legal experts specializing in regulatory affairs and medical device compliance, who can help navigate EU regulatory frameworks (e.g. medical device certification, GDPR, and digital health compliance) and support market uptake.

Target countries: Switzerland, Slovenia, Austria
Type and Size of Partner
  • SME 50 - 249
  • R&D Institution
  • SME 11-49
  • SME <=10
  • Big company
Type of partnership
  • Research and development cooperation agreement

Call details

Framework program
  • Interreg
Call title and identifier
Third call for classic project proposals
Submission and evaluation scheme
Two-stage submission scheme: STEP 1 - July 10th 2025; STEP 2: January 29th 2026
Anticipated project budget
€1m to €3m
Coordinator required
No
Deadline for EoI
Deadline of the call
Web link to the call
https://www.alpine-space.eu/how-to-apply/#calls

Dissemination

Technology keywords
  • 01003018 - User Interfaces, Usability
  • 06005003 - Health information management
  • 06001013 - Medical Technology / Biomedical Engineering
  • 06001012 - Medical Research
Market keywords
  • 05007007 - Other medical/health related (not elsewhere classified)
  • 05001001 - Diagnostic services
  • 02007012 - Medical/health software
  • 05004004 - Medical instruments
  • 05004001 - Electromedical and medical equipment
Sector Groups Involved
  • Health
Targeted countries
  • Slovenia
  • Switzerland
  • Austria