UNITE programme launches in Brussels with €20 million investment to bridge Europe’s digital health divide

UNITE will activate open calls for proposals to cascade funding to highly innovative European companies in the digital health domain. These calls will support startups, scale-ups, and SMEs in delivering deep tech solutions that can bridge regional innovation gaps, enhance Europe’s global competitiveness, and secure equal access to healthcare for all.

A key objective of the project is to streamline public procurement processes and sharing of health data across partner regions, ensuring that innovative solutions can be integrated into regional healthcare systems more efficiently. Furthermore, UNITE will activate online training programmes tailored to key stakeholders in the digital health ecosystem, establishing a baseline of knowledge across regions and fostering a deeper understanding of the innovations that are shaping the future of healthcare.

The importance of the UNITE programme is underpinned by significant financial support from the European Commission. The budget for the consortium’s activities is close to €20 million (half of which will come from the Commission). At least half of the programme’s budget will be allocated to supporting 3-5 interregional innovation projects focused on the development and deployment of next-generation digital health solutions.

By 2028, the consortium will also provide policy recommendations to decision-makers at both regional and European levels, ensuring that the lessons learned from the UNITE programme can be integrated into future initiatives.