Smart Health / Personalised Medicine
About the Pilot
The Smart Health Pilot is a learning and co-creation community, composed of the 13 Vanguard Initiative Member regions, led by East Netherlands, Flanders and South Netherlands. The initiative, launched in 2021, recognises that personalised medicine, which with a citizen- centric approach, tailors medical treatment to individual characteristics, presents vast potential to revolutionise healthcare not only at European level but also globally; by improving patient outcomes, optimising treatments, extending healthy life years, and contributing to the sustainability of healthcare systems.
Accelerating Progress through the Quadruple Helix together with Academia, Industry, Government, and Society.
We drive advancements in personalised medicine and smart health through collaboration among experts in biomedicine, technology, and data-driven approaches. Engaging stakeholders from diverse sectors and actively involving less developed regions, we bridge innovative gaps across the entire value chain, promoting inclusivity and collaboration. To broaden participation, we actively showcase the remarkable outcomes and benefits of the pilot at tailor-made workshops, events, and digital seminars.
SMEs and industry: Catalysts of transversal innovation.
Transversal innovation is at the heart of our initiative, embracing diverse companies and technologies, even beyond the health sector. We actively engage with other European initiatives, such as the VI 3D Printing Pilot, to enhance synergies, expand the innovation ecosystem, and drive advancements in smart health.
Activities & Long Term Goals
Nurturing Projects from Conception to Commercialisation.
The Smart Health Pilot supports the development of joint demonstration cases addressing the development gaps and needs of smart health in Europe. We provide comprehensive support, including scouting EU funding opportunities, assisting in consortium creation and offering guidance during the project’s proposal preparation. Our commitment extends until the successful commercialisation of the project, ensuring its long-term impact.
Navigating regulatory barriers for Health and Personalised Medicine.
Healthcare is profoundly impacted by legislation and regulatory barriers, which often vary across Member States and even within regions. By leveraging the expertise and collaborative efforts of our partner regions, we aim to identify and address these regulatory challenges.
Co-Leading Regions
East-NL
Flanders
South-Netherlands
Pilot Contact:
Melissa Campagno
G.A.C. Group
Arnauld Menial
G.A.C. Group
Participating Regions
Autonomous Province of Trento / Trentino
East Netherlands/Gelderland
Emilia-Romagna
Flanders
Lombardia
North East Romania
Saxony-Anhalt
Slovenia
South Holland/Randstad
Southern Netherlands
Wallonia
Demo Cases
Smart Health / Personalised Medicine
Smart Health / Personalised Medicine
Smart Health / Personalised Medicine
Smart Health / Personalised Medicine
Smart Health / Personalised Medicine
Latest Updates
Małopolska hosts conference on the I3 Instrument: Building the Financial Bridge to Innovation Partnerships
On 17 June 2026, Kraków hosted the conference "I3 Instrument: The Financial Bridge to Innovation Partnerships", organised by the Małopolska Region in cooperation with the European Commission. The event brought together regional authorities, innovation intermediaries,...
The Smart Health Pilot gathered in Brussels to reflect on strategic priorities and upcoming opportunities for Personalised Medicine
On 25 June 2026, members of the Vanguard Initiative Smart Health Pilot gathered in Brussels for a productive Pilot Meeting hosted by the co-leading regions Flanders, South Netherlands and East Netherlands at the House of the Dutch Provinces. The meeting brought the...
Advanced Manufacturing Pilot contributes to the Ravenna Conference on Sustainable Blue Economy
On 17–18 June 2026, Ravenna hosted the international conference “Advancing the Sustainable Blue Economy in the Mediterranean: Forging a Sustainable Blue Economy in the Mediterranean through Transformative Innovation”, organised in the framework of Ravenna Sea Capital...
Advanced Manufacturing Business Innovators Meeting — 15 September 2026
The Vanguard Initiative 3D-Printing Pilot is pleased to announce that registrations are now open for the Advanced Manufacturing Business Innovators Meeting 2026, taking place in person on 15 September 2026 in Genk, Flanders, Belgium. Co-organised with Sirris and...
Regions at the Vanguard: Lombardy Region
Lombardy plays a leading role in European interregional cooperation for innovation through the Vanguard Initiative. Since its inception, the region has been a key driver in promoting a place-based approach to industrial transformation, rooted in smart specialisation...
Webinar on Internationalisation Opportunities for Advanced Manufacturing Stakeholders – 30 June 2026
This webinar, jointly organised by the Vanguard Initiative 3D-Printing Pilot and NMWP.NRW, will focus on presenting opportunities for North Rhine-Westphalia stakeholders (SMEs, research and technology centres, clusters, universities) to initiate new European Advanced...
Demo Cases
Trace-Med – New radiotracers synthesis and characterization for Personalised Medicine: The demo case focuses on the development of an inter-regional research platform for the synthesis and characterisation of new radiotracers, supported by interdisciplinary research, in order to advance the development of a personalised theragnostics approach in cancer treatment.
Contact: ADR Nordest, Alina Capitanu, acapitanu@adrnordest.ro
Leading regions
Demo Cases
TopFit / Interdisciplinary Consortium for clinical Movement Sciences & technology : The demo case used to focus on diabetes prevention at three different levels but now aims to focus on improving the quality of life and maintaining independence and social participation of people suffering from movement disorders. This goal will be achieved through joint and interdisciplinary scientific research focused on innovation whereby a close cooperation exists between scientists, private health funding organizations and innovative companies.
Contact : ICMS, Rianne Huis in ‘t Veld, (m.h.a.huisintveld@utwente.nl)
Leading regions
Pilot
Demo Cases
We Are – The Personal Digital Safe: The demo case proposes a personal data management platform project that brings together three regions and their health ecosystem to provide a personal digital safe and control over it to each individual citizen. The collection of this data organised in a citizen-centric governance model and applications thereon for health management provides currently non-existing possibilities for innovation and an ethically correct marketplace for personalised products and services.
Contact: VITO, Nathalie Lambrecht, nathalie.lambrechts@vito.be
Leading regions
Pilot
Demo Cases
Mobile Health (R)evolution – Mobile health evolution chronic diseases control: The demo case aims to generate value to users and society by offering chronic disease patients continuous and personalised health professionals’ support through mobile health applications for a better self-management of chronic diseases. The project addresses social challenges (communication, inclusion of patients in the healthcare process, patient motivation) and biomedical aspects (pharmaceutical care). The empowerment of patients will be achieved with knowledge and motivation as well as ICT tools to take over disease management and ultimately improve quality of life.
Contact: SIS EGIZ, Alenka Rozaj, direktor@sis-egiz.eu
Leading regions
Demo Cases
RegMed XB – Regenerative Medicine Crossing Borders: The demo case has the objective to bring regenerative medicine solutions to patients and to create a new industrial sector in the Smart Health Pilot’s participating regions. It focuses on the development of four patient-defined “moonshots”: Kidney, Heart, Osteoarthritis and Diabetes.
Contact: RegMex XB, Frank Luyten, f.luyten@regmedxb.com
Leading regions
Pilot Contacts
Melissa Campagno
Innovation consultant, G.A.C group, primary contact person mcampagno@group-gac.com
Pilot Contacts
Kathleen D’Hondt
Flanders region, secondary contact person Kathleen.dhondt@vlaanderen.be