Ibec’s Irish Medtech Association, BioPharmaChem Ireland and Connected Health Skillnet together, with dConnect and Angles Consulting have launched a Digital Health Innovation Programme.
The programme provides tailored, needs-led innovation training for employees and intrapreneurs in Ireland’s health technology sector.
The participants will work in multidisciplinary teams on company projects and strategic focus areas throughout the programme. The course is designed specifically for R&D, commercial, clinical, regulatory, legal, finance, and operations staff from the medtech, pharma, biopharma, technology, and other aligned sectors.
On completion of the course, the participants will be aware of the tools and approaches necessary for innovating healthcare and digital health solutions. They will also learn how to develop and refine a business proposition, and how best to position it for a funding pitch.
Jennifer McCormack, Network Manager, Connected Health Skillnet, said: “The Connected Health Skillnet aims to enhance Ireland’s worldclass capability by delivering niche training to the sectors developing and deploying digital health solutions. Our recently published skills needs report, ‘Where Digital Health Thrives: Future Skills Needs’, showed that health technology companies in Ireland clearly see the potential for growth through digital health, with 87% of companies surveyed as part of that research planning to increase their digital health activity and investment over the next four years.
“This programme, developed by Connected Health Skillnet in partnership with dConnect, Angles Consulting and Ibec, will support this growth by embedding the mindset and methodology of needs-led innovation across organisations, in particular around digital health and connected devices, to support increased innovation capability and new product development in the sector. The programme has been tailored to industry needs to ensure participants can apply the skills and knowledge learned in real- world company projects.”
Ibec Head of Sectors Dr Sinead Keogh said: “The digitalisation of healthcare has the potential to fundamentally alter how we diagnose, treat and care for people. Ireland is well placed to establish itself as a leader in the digital health sector which is projected to be worth in excess of $1.5 trillion by 2030.
“The medtech, digital health, and biopharma sectors in Ireland stand out already as major investors with
more than 700 companies operating here, employing 100,000 people directly, and making a global impact with exports in excess of €120bn. Our dedication to improving lives has seen the sector here motivated to place a particular emphasis on R&D, which is identified as a key area of upskilling for the Irish digital health sector. That new Digital Health Innovation Programme marks an important milestone in delivering the skills required by this exciting new industry sector.”
Carl Power, Director Programmes & Business Development, dConnect, said: “We are delighted to partner with colleagues in Connected Health Skillnet, Angles Consulting, Skillnet Ireland and Ibec to deliver this much needed programme in needs-led innovation. Participants will learn and apply the process of investigating and identifying unmet needs, prioritising those needs, identifying potential solutions, assessing commercial potential and developing business cases for stakeholder and funding approval. It is an example of how dConnect works with industry providing exposure to leading-edge innovation and collaboration that ensures our partners grow and remain competitive.”
Aoife O’Sullivan, Skillnet Ireland Head of Network Development & Innovation, said: “Ireland has a well- established reputation as a world leader in the health innovation and IT sectors. In partnership with industry, Skillnet Ireland offers demand- led upskilling programmes that are innovative and flexible, to enhance the productivity, competitiveness and sustainability of the Irish economy. The launch of this new needs-led Digital Health Innovation Programme from Connected Health Skillnet, in partnership with dConnect and Angles Consulting, is significant for the health technology sectors in Ireland. It demonstrates the power of industry and academia collaborations in meeting the fast-moving technological trends of companies in this dynamic space. This programme will support the growth of the sector and further enhance Ireland’s potential as a global leader in digital health.”
