On September 30, at the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park in Gdynia, another edition of the Morning Health Talks took place, organized by the Technology Transfer Center of the Medical University of Gdańsk (CTT GUMed) in cooperation with EIT Health. The main theme of the meeting was “Bottlenecks in the Commercialization Process – Challenges for Medical Startups Entering the EU Market.”
The event brought together representatives of academia, business, as well as innovators from the medtech sector. The discussions were held in a hybrid format – the first part was conducted in English and streamed online, while the second, in Polish, took place live in Gdynia.
The meeting was opened by Dr. Katarzyna Waligóra-Borek, Acting Director of CTT GUMed, who presented the role and activities of the Center in supporting innovation and building bridges between science and business.
Next, Joanna Broy, Regional Manager at EIT Health InnoStars, spoke about the opportunities that EIT Health creates for startups from Central and Eastern Europe, particularly in terms of internationalization and acceleration support.
The keynote speech by Natalie Walsh, Director of Entrepreneurship Development at the University of Galway, was warmly received. In her talk “From Idea to Impact,” she shared her experience of moving from the idea stage to real market change, emphasizing the importance of ecosystems and mentors.
From the investor’s perspective, the topic was addressed by Sara Melicharova, Fund Manager at LIFE BioCEEd. Her presentation “Through the VC Lens: Why Early Healthcare Start-ups Get It Wrong (and How to Get It Right)” highlighted the common mistakes made by young startups and practical ways to avoid them.
The presentation block concluded with Mateusz Dworak from the Medical University of Łódź, who introduced the DIGIVITALITY project, showcasing how specific tools can support healthcare ecosystems in the innovation process.
The second part of the event (in person) began with the panel discussion “Bottlenecks in Commercialization – Challenges for Medical Startups Entering the European Union Market.” Business and healthcare practitioners shared their experiences. The panel included:
- Aneta Zwolińska (WiseGroup)
- Izabela Kafka (Viridian Poland)
- Paulina Wypych-Kapczyńska (Totalizator Sportowy)
- Marcin Lenkiewicz (Blix Group)
The discussion was moderated by Marcin Stolarek from CTT GUMed. The panelists addressed issues related to regulatory differences between EU countries, building relationships with investors, and the role of marketing communication in the implementation of medical innovations.
At the close of the Morning Health Talks in Gdynia, Mateusz Dworak from the Innovation and Technology Transfer Center of the Medical University of Łódź conducted a workshop on the DIGIVITALITY project: “From the European Union to Central and Eastern Europe: Translating Best Practices in eHealth into Action.”
The event was hosted by Joanna Przybytek-Kobierna, EIT Health Project Coordinator at the Technology Transfer Center of GUMed.
The Morning Health Talks confirmed that there is still a great need to discuss the challenges related to the commercialization of medical innovations. Participants emphasized that the greatest obstacle for young companies is not a lack of ideas, but rather the difficulty of navigating regulatory complexities, reaching the right partners, and building a sustainable business model.
Bringing together scientists, entrepreneurs, and investors created a space for knowledge exchange, as well as relationship-building that may lead to concrete projects and regional or international collaboration in the future.
The organizers – CTT GUMed, EIT Health, and the Pomeranian Science and Technology Park – sincerely thank all speakers, panelists, and participants. It was thanks to your presence and engagement that the event carried such significant value and inspiring atmosphere.
