In the last few months, the world has been dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, but other diseases have not rested because of it. Fortunately, neither did the research on these. As part of the wild card innovation program of the European institution EIT Health, two health startups have now received substantial financial support. A total of three million euros were awarded. The German startup Orbit Health was able to secure 1.5 million euros for research into the treatment of Parkinson’s with artificial intelligence. The second half of the profit went to Spain. The health startup Mimark is working on a technology to improve the accuracy of uterine cancer diagnostics.
With around 1.2 million people affected, Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease after Alzheimer’s in Europe alone. The disease affects the language and movement center and is also associated with an increased incidence of psychological problems such as depression. Above all, the application of artificial intelligence should enable a better analysis of the patient’s reaction to his treatment. This new technology enables doctors to apply optimized treatment methods and thus improve the quality of life of their patients.
Patty Lee, CEO, and Co-founder of Orbit Health says, “Parkinson’s is a complex disease, and each patient reacts differently to the treatment. She further adds, “With our research, we want to make the individualization of therapies easier and thereby improve the lives of patients and their families as well as save costs for the health system.”
The second winning team of the EIT Health Wild Card program comes from Barcelona. The five-member MiMARK group focuses on improving the accuracy and efficiency of uterine cancer diagnostics. As with other cancers, early and accurate detection of uterine cancer leads to a higher survival rate in patients. Nevertheless, around a third of all endometrial cancers are currently only recognized at an advanced stage. MiMARK, therefore, hopes to improve the speed and precision in the detection and treatment of uterine cancer through technological advances.
To this, the co-founder of Mimark, Eva Colas Ortega, adds, “With our technological innovation, we want to improve the standard of treatment for uterine cancer, without patients having to undergo invasive and uncomfortable interventions, and with the current funding, a diagnosis kit is to be developed that will make the startup’s technology practical for clinical implementation.”
About EIT Health’s wild card program
In 2021, EIT Health will select winners for the fourth time as part of the wild card program. The program aims to give competent entrepreneurs the chance to realize their new, innovative ideas in the health sector. After the participants have gone through various coaching and training units, they have the opportunity to present their ideas to a selected EIT Health committee and thus secure the support of EIT Health on their way into the health market. In addition to financial support, the teams also receive support from experts, coaching, and access to the entire European EIT Health network.