Cathrine Heuch, founder of the Norwegian start-up Nordic Brain Tech, received EU funding from DIGI-B-CUBE to develop a prototype that will help migraine patients.

2,4 million euros for digital health innovations

Oslo Cancer Cluster has awarded EU funding of 2,4 million euro to companies that want to digitalise the medical sector.

What if the medical and technological sectors could join forces so that patients could receive more precise diagnosis and treatment? Imagine the products that could be created, the costs that could be saved and the lives that could be improved. This was the idea behind the EU-funded project DIGI-B-CUBE, which was coordinated by Oslo Cancer Cluster for the last three years.

“We need to create collaborations between people working in medicine and people working in tech, so they can develop innovative solutions to handle health data or analyse medical images. This can lead to faster, more precise diagnosis, and ultimately advance precision medicine in cancer,” said Ketil Widerberg, general manager of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

 

Better diagnostics with tech

Simply explained, DIGI is short for digitalisation and B-CUBE is short for bio-imaging, bio-sensing and bio-banking. All three Bs are important tools in medical research and diagnosis, especially in personalised medicine.

The goal of DIGI-B-CUBE was to raise the level of digitalisation in these B-industries. The project’s approach was to match companies in health with relevant tech companies and provide funding so innovations could be developed.

“We see the medical sector, one of the most innovative sectors, is lingering behind in digitalisation.”

“We see the medical sector, one of the most innovative sectors, is lingering behind in digitalisation. When applying artificial intelligence to analysis of x-ray images, you can do much better diagnostics, statistical evaluations, and forecasts about who is disposed to get, for example, breast cancer. This is not just about making the processes more effective, but about the impact, which is better health, longer lives and saving lives,” said Tamara Högler, DIGI-B-CUBE coordinator on behalf of Oslo Cancer Cluster.

 

Made idea into prototype

In total, DIGI-B-CUBE provided 2,4 million euros in funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation programme to 32 projects from 75 companies across Europe.

Cathrine Ro Heuch, CEO of Nordic Brain Tech, was one of the recipients. Heuch has suffered from headaches her entire life but received limited help from the healthcare system. When she met a group of neuroscientists with a novel solution while working for NTNU technology transfer, she decided to do something about it.

“The doctors from St Olav’s Hospital had invented a digital treatment for migraines in children. Using biofeedback, you can train the nervous system to be more relaxed. The principal of biofeedback is very old and recommended in the national guidelines for migraine treatments, but it is not available in the public healthcare system in Norway,” said Heuch.

Heuch founded the company Nordic Brain Tech with the goal to transform the solution into a product that is cost-effective and easy-to-use for patients at home. However, it is not easy to find private capital, because investors see a high risk in early-stage projects. Heuch needed public funding to make her idea into a prototype.

Högler also knows how difficult it is for early-stage companies to access public funding on an international level.

“Funding applications for European projects is not something you complete in one or two hours. It is a long process. The chance of receiving funding is low and the administrative process is complicated. In comparison, the application for DIGI-B-CUBE was quite lean and the project duration was short,” Högler explained.

Nordic Brain Tech applied for DIGI-B-CUBE funding, together with their partner i3tex in Sweden and their partner Thorgate in Estonia, and they were granted 150 000 euros.

“It was important to have partners in other countries because these skill sets are not widely available in Norway.”

“It was important to have partners in other countries because these skill sets are not widely available in Norway. There are many great medtech development companies in Sweden, so we found a partner there that could create the device. Estonia has many great software developers, so it was natural to ask someone there to help us create the app,” Heuch explained.

Using funding from DIGI-B-CUBE, they created a prototype that monitors body temperature, heart rate, and muscle tension, while connected to an app on your phone.

“The point of the treatment is to train the body to have better blood flow, increase the body temperature and relax the muscles in the neck. The idea is to follow a 12-week programme, using the product 10 minutes every day, to increase the patient’s awareness of how these body functions are connected to migraines,” Heuch explained.

Nordic Brain Tech are now on the way to launch a clinical study in Trondheim. If successful, this product may help the one in seven Norwegians who suffer from migraines today.

6 people in front of a green wall looking into the camera smiling

The DIGI-B-CUBE consortium met at Oslo Cancer Cluster in November 2021. From the left: Nikolaos Matskanis (Infopole), Panagiotis Markovits (Motivian), Gerry Renders (EISMEA), Miltiadis Anastasiadis (Motivan), Gawel Walczak (Secpho), Astrid Green (OCC), Milena Stoyanova (EISMEA), Ketil Widerberg (OCC) and Bente Prestegård (OCC).

Clusters connected companies

DIGI-B-CUBE was implemented by a consortium of eight partners in different European countries and co-ordinated by Oslo Cancer Cluster. The point of involving clusters was to ease the identification of the needs of the companies in each region and to simplify matchmaking between them.

“Small companies need incentives in order to work together across countries and sectors.”

“Small companies need incentives in order to work together across countries and sectors. It is great the European Union gives out these funds and that Oslo Cancer Cluster can take a role in connecting companies across Europe,” said Widerberg.

Carina Schachinger, Project Manager at Business Upper Austria, stresses that the success of the project went beyond the funding.

“This was a great success because we were able to connect these companies with research and business partners across borders. Companies could extend their network on an international level, which is normally quite difficult,” said Schachinger.

Although the corona pandemic made it challenging for the consortium and companies to meet, the interest in medical diagnostics suddenly increased. The fact that DIGI-B-CUBE went virtual enabled more companies from different countries to participate in the digital sessions. Ultimately, 980 SMEs applied for in total 426 innovation projects.

“What makes DIGI-B-CUBE great is that if you support these companies in their innovation, then it has an immediate benefit in the companies, but it is also about medical diagnostics and health in general. It has this big benefit for society. When we look at the 32 projects that received funding, it is great to have this precise approach to medicine and this can improve the lives for you and me,” said Schachinger.

 

Stay connected to our website and social media channels to learn more about our initiatives and funding calls on a European level.

Consortium meeting at Oslo Cancer Cluster. From the left: Nikolaos Matskanis (Infopole), Panagiotis Markovits (Motivian), Gerry Renders (EISMEA), Miltiadis Anastasiadis (Motivan), Gawel Walczak (Secpho), Astrid Green (OCC), Milena Stoyanova (EISMEA), Ketil Widerberg (OCC) and Bente Prestegård (OCC).

DIGI-B-CUBE consortium meets in Oslo

6 people in front of a green wall looking into the camera smiling

DIGI-B-CUBE aims to unlock the cross-sectoral collaborative potential of small and medium-sized companies.

As a project funded under the European Union´s Horizon 2020 Programme, it aims to unlock this potential by combining novel digital technologies with bioimaging, biosensing, and biobanking.

DIGI-B-CUBE was established with Oslo Cancer Cluster as the project coordinator in 2019. The project supports the development and delivery of new market-sensitive disruptive technologies and key digital innovations to reconfigure patient-centered diagnostics towards a Health Economy 4.0.

Read more on the DIGI-B-CUBE webpage.

Meeting in Oslo

Last week, a consortium consisting of eight partners met at the Oslo Cancer Cluster Innovation Park, both in person and virtually. Milena Stoyanova and Gerry Renders were present from the Executive Agency (EISMEA) established by the European Commission. They highlighted the importance of supporting and empowering small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) in their innovation activities.

DIGI-B-CUBE has funded a total of 55 projects, resulting in 2,5 MEUR provided directly to companies to boost the development of disruptive tech solutions and health tech innovations across Europe. One of these projects is CEREBRI.

Treating migraines

“We develop easy-to-use and scientifically proven technology to help people predict and prevent brain disorders,” said Cathrine Heuch, CEO of Nordic Brain Tech.

She explained that 14.7% of the population is affected by migraine, the most common neurological disorder costing the European economy €50 billion annually. Migraine results in reduced quality of life and limited daily performance in work and social life.

According to Heuch, there is a pressing need for treatments without side effects, that are affordable and more accessible than today’s alternatives, which mainly consist of medications associated with limited efficacy and negative side effects.

CEREBRI digital treatment

Nordic Brain Tech has in joint cooperation with i3tex and Thorgate developed a project called CEREBRI to optimize treatment software and a finger biosensor. CEREBRI is a digital treatment for preventing migraine, solving the demand for treatment without negative side effects.

With two wireless sensors and a smartphone app, patients can perform regular biofeedback training that has the potential to reduce migraine frequency by 50%. This enables treatment from the comfort of your own home, and virtual care from a physician, with potential cost savings of ~60% compared to biofeedback given in clinics.

CEREBRI can significantly increase a migraine patient’s quality of life and reduce costs to sick leave for businesses and health care providers, according to the project.

The companies in DIGI-B-CUBE receive funding and mentoring/coaching in the project. This week, Cathrine Heuch met Milena Stoyanova from EISMEA and her mentor in DIGI-B-CUBE, Astrid Green, at Oslo Cancer Clusters offices.

THree women in front of a green wall looking into the camera smiling

From the left: Astrid Green, Milena Stoyanova, Cathrine Heuch.

Read more about the CEREBRI project on the DIGI-B-CUBE webpage

 

 

Funding opportunities for health and IT SMEs

Digi-b-cube logo

DIGI-B-CUBE, funded under the European Union´s Horizon 2020 Programme, aims to unlock the cross-sectoral collaborative potential of SMEs by combining e.g. Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cognitive Computing Digital Technologies (CCDT) with the Bioimaging-Biosensing-Biobanking (B-CUBE) and related value chains to deliver market sensitive disruptive technologies and generating innovative solutions that enhance patient-centred diagnostic work-flows.

The project provides support to SMEs through matchmaking, coaching, digital transformation services and equity-free funds up to €60,000 per SME. The support helps SMEs design solutions and develop new products and services to accelerate innovations in personalised medicine. SMEs can access these services and apply for funding under the DIGI-B-CUBE Voucher Scheme by registering on the DIGI-B-CUBE Collaborative Platform at platform.digibcube.eu.

Use the DIGI-B-CUBE Collaborative Platform at platform.digibcube.eu to:

  • Get to know other organisations and identify collaboration partners online or during matchmaking events;
  • Register for DIGI-B-CUBE events;
  • Access services (digital maturity assessment tool, knowledge repository, training, competence network and board programme) to facilitate your digital transformation;
  • Apply for funding through the DIGI-B-CUBE Voucher Scheme;
  • Get follow-up coaching by the cluster organisations regarding further existing support measures and additional funding schemes.

Participate in the DIGI-B-CUBE Events to:

  • Identify value chains and associated challenges for SMEs for their digital innovation and collect data on existing processes and management systems;
  • Evaluate identified value chains and associated challenges for SMEs and develop customised solutions;
  • Take part in matchmaking events and face-to-face meetings to find collaboration partners from the IT and/or Health sector to apply for funding for joint digital innovation projects that address value chain issues;
  • Take part in digital transformation activities and follow-up coaching in order to successfully develop and scale-up digital innovation products and services.

Receive funding through the DIGI-B-CUBE Voucher Scheme

Benefit from four types of vouchers to tackle digitalisation challenges and:

  • Build cross-sectoral and cross-border partnerships composed of businesses that are challenge-owners and solution-providers;
  • Contribute to new Health industries, new digital Health services, effective Medical Diagnostics that will lead to Precision Medicine, Preventive Medicine and Healthcare Transformation.

Travel Voucher

Up to €2,000 per voucher
Up to €6,000 per SME

Get reimbursed for your travel costs (transportation, accommodation and event fees) incurred for attending DIGI-B-CUBE events. Applications must be submitted prior to the event.

Available from 20th September 2019 to 28th February 2022


Prototyping Voucher

Up to €20,000 per SME
Up to €60,000 per project

Receive funding to prototype or conceptualise a solution for a digitalisation challenge in the Medical Diagnostics and related value chains. Consortia consisting of minimum two SMEs and maximum three organisations from at least two different sectors will be funded.

1st Deadline: 29th July 2020
2nd Deadline: 3rd February 2021


Customised Solution Innovation Voucher

Up to €50,000 per SME
Up to €150,000 per project

Receive funding to jointly develop a novel product/service based on an existing proven concept that addresses a digitalisation challenge in the Medical Diagnostics and related value chains. Consortia consisting of minimum two SMEs from at least two different sectors will be funded.

1st Deadline: 29th July 2020
2nd Deadline: 3rd February 2021


Co-working Disruption Lab Voucher

Up to €10,000 per SME/project

Receive additional funding to further advance a successfully completed Customised Solution Innovation Voucher project in an incubator / accelerator / co-working space of the DIGI-B-CUBE clusters’ network (or) in labs, technical and innovation facilities of other relevant SMEs. Consortia can include one SME from a completed project consortium and a host organisation.

Available from 28th October 2020 to 27th October 2021

Note: An SME can apply for multiple vouchers but the overall maximum funding per SME is €60,000.


Who can apply?

SMEs that are interested in cross-sectoral collaborations, aiming to integrate innovations from IT into the B-CUBE industries and related value chains, to accelerate the goals of personalised medicine. SMEs should be established in one of the EU member states or H2020 associated countries.

Register on the DIGI-B-CUBE Collaborative Platform at: platform.digibcube.eu

 

 

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