A cornerstone of DigitalWell Arena’s work is the realisation that major societal challenges in health cannot be solved by individual actors. This calls for greater collaboration between the public sector and innovative companies. Above all, there is a need for greater understanding of the specific requirements of digital services developed with the public sector as the intended end customer.
Public procurement has an untapped potential to stimulate innovation. By focusing resources on developing solutions that address real needs – rather than simply increasing the supply of services – we can create better conditions to meet the health challenges of the future.
To strengthen cooperation between the public sector and innovative companies, there are several initiatives and opportunities within the DigitalWell Arena ecosystem:
DigitalWell Innovation Support
A gateway for startups to the DigitalWell Arena ecosystem. All expressions of interest are reviewed by DigitalWell’s Innovation Council, which consists of representatives from the public sector, incubators and investors, and provides early validation of how startup ideas can be supported.
DigitalWell Innovation Watch
A digital business intelligence forum where the public sector and innovative companies meet regularly to share innovative solutions that have the potential to improve health and care. It provides companies with the opportunity to gain insights into public sector conditions and discuss solutions that can be implemented.
DigitalWell Incubator and Accelerator
Through our partner DigitalWell Ventures, we offer programmes for both incubation and acceleration of startups in digital health. DigitalWell Ventures also provides knowledge to companies and incubation environments about the specific conditions that characterise the public sector.
Health Data Sweden (HDS)
As one of 18 partners in this EU-funded innovation hub, DigitalWell Arena works to improve the availability and use of health data. The HDS service catalogue offers both SMEs and the public sector a wide range of opportunities for further support.
Related focus areas
Two other focus areas of DigitalWell Arenas are also central to supporting public business:
Procurement-friendly innovation
Through the Demand Acceleration framework, DigitalWell Arena offers the public sector a tool for demanding customised solutions, where companies can be procured to actively participate in the innovation process and shape the end product. This not only creates new business opportunities, but also fosters collaboration where the public sector and companies can benefit from each other’s expertise.
Quality assurance of health applications
DigitalWell Arena is a driving force in the work to establish a national framework for quality assurance of health applications. Such a framework makes it easier for the public sector to procure safe and efficient services, while giving companies a clear picture of requirements.
