Summary
- Profile Type
- Research & Development Request
- POD Reference
- RDRNL20260713025
- Term of Validity
- 16 July 2026 - 16 July 2027
- Company's Country
- Netherlands
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
- Targeted Countries
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- France
- Denmark
- Canada
- Spain
- Switzerland
General information
- Short Summary
- A Netherlands SME specialising in women's health biotechnology is seeking consortium partners for Eurostars Call 11 and other EU R&D programmes. As a coordinator, the company is looking for collaborators that complement their existing capabilities to predict and prevent peripartum depression and other women's health conditions through personalized hormone profiling and machine learning.
- Full Description
-
Peripartum depression is a common and serious complication during and after pregnancy. The consequences not only affect the mother, but can also affect the child's emotional, cognitive, and social development. A significant number of cases are never recognized in regular care. Current detection mostly relies on questionnaires and what a woman dares to disclose herself. Shame, stigma, and fear of being seen as a bad or inadequate mother can lead women to not fully express their complaints, even when asked. A biological approach can help lower this barrier by making risks objectively visible. Previous research shows that hormonal, immune, and other biological processes can play a role for some women.
The company has developed a novel AI-based algorithm that combines various biological and clinical signals from a simple blood test in combination with a user-friendly app into a personal risk assessment for peripartum depression. By analysing biological signals during pregnancy, the risk of peripartum depression can become visible earlier. In addition, participants receive explanations through the app about hormones and mental health during pregnancy, as well as information on when it is wise to contact their own healthcare provider. In this way, women can receive appropriate support in a timely manner and a healthy start for mother and child can be promoted. The ultimate vision is a completely innovative type of mental health diagnostic paired with precision medicine.
The algorithm has been validated in retrospective studies and is currently being evaluated in a prospective Dutch cohort. The company is now seeking international collaborators with complementary expertise, technologies, or resources to advance women's health. Areas of collaboration may include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Validation and/or implementation in markets beyond the Netherlands
• Novel approaches for collecting blood biomarker data
• Provision of resources and support following diagnosis
• Integration into established digital health platforms and mobile applications
• Expansion beyond peripartum depression to other conditions affecting women's health
A Eurostars Call 11proposal is currently under development, with a deadline for expression of interest set for July 10, 2026. - Advantages and Innovations
-
• Aims to predict peripartum depression risk before clinical symptoms occur
• Uses existing blood tests and validated questionnaires, requiring no new laboratory reagents or assays
• Establishes the world's first longitudinal pregnancy hormone and biomarker database, driving research in reproductive and mental health
• Machine learning iteratively refines the risk score and creates a “learning healthcare platform” - as the database of biomarkers grows, the algorithms refine - Technical Specification or Expertise Sought
- See below.
- Stage of Development
- Lab tested
- Sustainable Development Goals
- Goal 3: Good Health and Well-being
- IPR status
- Secret know-how
Partner Sought
- Expected Role of a Partner
-
The Dutch SME is seeking partners from Eurostars-eligible countries with complementary technological expertise, market knowledge, or application-domain capabilities that can enhance the impact and commercial potential of the proposed project.
Potential partners may include SMEs, technology providers, or industry stakeholders with relevant expertise in adjacent or enabling technologies as long as they are Eurostars-eligible. Areas of interest may include advanced software development, continuous hormone monitoring, systems integration, user validation, regulatory expertise, manufacturing, commercialization, or sector-specific domain knowledge, depending on the partner's strengths and the final project scope.
We are open to exploring different collaboration models and welcome discussions with organizations that see a strategic fit with our solution and can contribute complementary know-how, resources, or market access. - Type and Size of Partner
- SME <=10
- SME 11-49
- SME 50 - 249
- Type of partnership
- Research and development cooperation agreement
Call details
- Framework program
- Horizon Europe
- Call title and identifier
-
Eurostars Call 11 (September 2026)
https://www.eurekanetwork.org/programmes-and-calls/eurostars/eurostars-call-for-projects-september-2026/ - Submission and evaluation scheme
-
Continue submission scheme. Full proposal due Sept 10 2026.
- Anticipated project budget
-
500000 (max from NL)
- Coordinator required
-
No
- Deadline for EoI
- Deadline of the call
- Project duration in weeks
-
104
- Web link to the call
- https://www.eurekanetwork.org/programmes-and-calls/eurostars/eurostars-call-for-projects-september-2026/
- Horizon Europe
https://www.eurekanetwork.org/programmes-and-calls/eurostars/eurostars-call-for-projects-september-2026/
Dissemination
- Technology keywords
- 06001005 - Diagnostics, Diagnosis
- 06002007 - In vitro Testing, Trials
- 06005004 - Remote diagnostics
- 01003003 - Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Market keywords
- 05001002 - In-vitro diagnostics
- 05001006 - Prenatal diagnostic
- Sector Groups Involved
- Health
- Targeted countries
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
- France
- Denmark
- Canada
- Spain
- Switzerland
