Introduction
Personalised Medicine (PM) represents a paradigm shift from a “one size fits all” approach to an optimised strategy for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of disease for each individual, based on their unique characteristics, including biological features (e.g., phenotype, endotype, genotype), as well as lifestyle and environmental factors. Accordingly, PM puts the patient at the very centre of healthcare, aiming for optimised health promotion, treatments and management of disease or predisposition to disease. Today, the field of PM has been advancing rapidly and the range of technologies, methodologies and information utilised is much broader, supporting improved healthcare, diagnostics and tailormade treatments, including rehabilitation, and prevention strategies.
The European Partnership for Personalised Medicine, EP PerMed, is a platform for joint programming of national and European regional research and innovation (R&I) programmes putting into action hhe Strategic Research & Innovation Agenda (SRIA) for Personalised Medicine (2023) through dedicated research, development and innovation funding.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 10 December 2024 | Opening of the Call for Applications |
| 13 March 2025 | Deadline for applications submission |
| 14-18 March 2025 | Eligibility check |
| 19-31 March 2025 | Remote evaluation |
| 1-11 April 2025 | Online interviews |
| 18 April 2025 | Admission notification |
| May 2025 | Programme kick off – The Meeting place |
| June 2025 | Deep Dive |
| September-November 2025 | Business Model Validation |
| December 2025 | End of the programme |
Rationale of the call
Translating breakthrough innovations in Personalised Medicine into commercialised solutions that directly benefit patients is a critical need in the healthcare industry. While research in personalised medicine offers scientific advancements and innovative breakthroughs, often the lack of tailored business support hampers translation of the findings into marketable solutions.
The EP PerMed Venture Creation Programme will provide guidance by experienced mentors, ensuring that each project is mentored on its journey. By equipping researchers with robust business validation techniques and strategic insights, we guide them so their pioneering work can reach the market effectively, benefiting patients and driving forward the field of Personalised Medicine.
Programme overview
This ‘learning-by-doing’ programme will bridge the gap between research and commercialisation, fostering the development of impactful healthcare solutions. The programme deploys a proven format to speed up the process, ensuring that resources are concentrated where they can make the most significant impact. Knowledge building is expected on topics central to PM development including regulatory and product development, patient centric design, clinical validation, utilisation of (aggregated) data, market access, reimbursement by payers, funding options and building the equity story, IP, company formation, etc.
The programme is deployed in three modules:
- The Meeting Place –ten to twelve qualified teams or early stage start-up will get acquainted with basic business modelling concepts, and each other. A series of webinars on business, investment, clinical design in Personalised Medicine will be organised for participants, and delivered online by invited experts.
- The Deep Dive – with a mixed format of an in-person meet and greet event and an intense online mentoring programme this phase’s objective is to build cohesive and strong teams; validate projects’ value proposition with the support of mentors and select a maximum of six teams to continue to the next phase of the programme – Business Model Validation.
- Business Model Validation – a maximum of six teams and projects qualified in the Deep Dive will undertake an eight-week guided customer discovery journey, formulate hypotheses, and test them with potential customers, buyers and users. At the end of this phase teams will pitch to a panel of experts at an in-person event. The location of this event will be confirmed closer to the time of the event.
Aim of the Call
The EP PerMed Venture Creation Programme aims to accelerate the formation of business ventures in the field of Personalised Medicine.
Participants for the programme will be selected via an open call, ensuring transparency and inclusivity. This approach invites a diverse range of innovative ideas and talents, fostering a competitive and merit-based selection process. By allowing open submissions, the programme ensures that promising projects and individuals are chosen to receive the necessary support and resources to succeed.
Expected outcomes and impacts
Upon completing the EP PerMed Venture Creation Programme, new ventures will emerge with robust business models based on customer feedback, and cohesive, well-formed teams ready to bring the solutions to the market.
The structured process ensures that each project has undergone rigorous validation and refinement, significantly increasing their commercial viability and potential. As a result, these projects will be better positioned to attract investment, achieve product-market fit, and ultimately deliver impactful Personalised Medicine solutions that benefit patients and advance the healthcare industry.
The methodology participants will learn in the EP PerMed Venture Creation Programme will provide them with essential skills in business validation and commercialisation that are invaluable and applicable across all future projects. These skills will equip them with the expertise to successfully navigate future entrepreneurial endeavours. By mastering these methodologies, participants will be better prepared to turn innovative ideas into successful ventures, thereby making lasting contributions to the field of Personalised Medicine and beyond.
Application
The EP PerMed Venture Creation Programme is open to teams and early stage start-ups who seek support in spinning out their Personalised Medicine venture.
For the teams’ structure, the programme welcomes applications from small teams of up to five members with proposed solutions (typically in the proof-of-concept stage (scientifically and technically)). The team shall consist of individuals with diverse backgrounds, including technical/scientific, clinical, product design/development, and business. Each team member should demonstrate relevant experience and a strong commitment to advancing personalised medicine.
Applicants must submit their applications via EIT Health Application Platform: https://apply.eithealth.eu/s_Login.jsp. In case the applicant is new to the system, please follow the instructions to complete the registration of account properly. In case of questions, please look at the “Guide for applicants” or contact smartsimple@eithealth.eu.
Eligibility criteria
For an application to proceed to evaluation, it must meet all the below eligibility criteria. Each application will be reviewed for this eligibility criteria by EP PerMed Partners.
- Applicants must submit their applications via the EIT Health Smart Simple application platform before the deadline on 13 March 2025 at 16:00 CET.
- Applicants must be citizens or residents of the EU Member States countries or Horizon Europe associated countries.
- Applications must be formulated in English
If you are unsure about your eligibility, please do not hesitate to contact us using the information provided below.
Evaluation process and criteria
The evaluation criteria for admission onto the EP PerMed Venture Creation Programme are focused on (I) team quality and completeness and (II) solution excellence. These criteria will be also applied in further phases of the programme, i.e., the selection of six teams into the Business Model Validation phase.
Team
Founder Fitness: Applicants will be assessed based on their skills, knowledge, and experience relevant to founding a start-up. This includes technical/scientific, clinical, product design/development, and business expertise.
Commitment: The programme seeks individuals and teams who demonstrate strong resilience, drive, and a commitment to advancing Personalised Medicine.
Coachability: Applicants should show an openness to learning from mentors, advisors, and feedback, and the ability to incorporate these insights into their projects.
Teamwork: Effective communication and collaboration skills are essential. Teams should complement each other’s strengths and work well together.
Solution Excellence
Innovativeness: The proposed solution should offer a novel and significantly improved approach to addressing a need in Personalised Medicine.
Feasibility and Sustainability: The solution must be practical, implementable, and have a clear pathway to reach patient care.
Potential Impact: The solution should have the potential for a significant positive impact on patient care, such as improving outcomes, reducing costs, or optimising healthcare pathways.
The evaluation process will include a formal eligibility check by EP PerMed Partners, remote evaluation by independent experts, and may involve an online interview with EP PerMed Partners to further assess the suitability of applicants for the programme.
Only proposals passing the eligibility check will enter into evaluation by external experts.
Programme admission
The final admission decisions will be made by combining the scores from the remote evaluation and, if applicable, the online interview. Applicants will be notified of their admission status via email. Successful candidates will receive detailed information about the next steps and programme participation.
Commitment anticipated from participants
Phase 1 of the programme includes the Meeting Place and the Deep Dive, engaging all selected teams. Between May and June 2025, participants will undergo an online training, followed by a brief one-week mentoring session in June. This phase is concluded at the end of June with a Meet & Greet face-to-face event.
Phase 2 focuses on business model validation, with 50% of the teams advancing to this stage. Running from September to November 2025, Phase 2 features an eight-week, part-time acceleration programme, consisting of weekly two-hour online sessions, with each team assigned a dedicated mentor. The programme will conclude in December 2025 with a final Face-to-Face Pitching Event.
Participation in the ‘learning-by-doing’ programme is free of charge, attendees just need to cover their travel costs to the events.
Call contact information and on-line webinar
Join the on-line webinar for interested applicants of the Venture Creation Call on 28 January 2025, 11am – 12pm CET.
You can also register for our Q&A, before the Call closing date on 6 March 2025, 11am – 12pm CET.
For further information you can contact Mohammed Ilyass Rahmouni at calls_eppermed@eithealth.eu