NetHub, the Croatian healthcare innovation hub and entrepreneurial accelerator, participated in the meeting of the European project EU4MEDTECH, which was held on 24 and 25 February 2026 at the Biomedicum campus in Helsinki, Finland. Participation in the EU4MEDTECH project represents another step for NetHub in its active involvement in European research and innovation initiatives in the field of healthcare.
The EU4MEDTECH project (European Framework for Advanced Medical Technology Evaluation and Follow-up) is implemented within the framework of the Horizon Europe program. It is aimed at developing new approaches for assessing the safety and effectiveness of medical technologies before their wider application in healthcare. The project brings together partners from ten European countries who are working together on the development of new methodologies, tools and digital solutions for collecting and evaluating clinical evidence necessary for the introduction of medical technologies into European healthcare systems.
Three Croatian institutions are participating in the project – the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Split, which coordinates the project, NetHub as the project communications and sustainability manager, and KBC Split, which is involved in the implementation of one of the clinical pilots in the project. The active role of Croatian partners confirms the strong potential of domestic institutions for the development of health innovations in the European research area.
“Such meetings are important for the exchange of knowledge and the joint development of solutions that stimulate innovation and strengthen the transparency of regulatory processes in Europe,” said Prof. Dr. Sc. Ana Marušić, project coordinator. “Our goal is to ensure that new medical technologies are based on high-quality evidence, while remaining accessible to patients,” added Marušić.
During the meeting, special emphasis was placed on the development of the EU4MEDTECH digital platform, which will make it easier for innovators, regulators and other stakeholders to navigate the complex regulatory framework of medical technologies.
“For innovators and startups in the healthcare sector, one of the biggest challenges is the complex regulatory framework and demanding process of evaluating medical technologies, which often hinders their path to the market. That is why it is important for us to participate in projects such as EU4MEDTECH, where together with European partners we work on developing methodologies and tools that will make it easier for innovators to navigate the regulatory environment and accelerate the path of new medical technologies to application in healthcare systems and patients,” said Marko Mimica, Director of NetHub.
In the next phases of the project, the partners will test the platform through pilot cooperation with companies that develop and manufacture medical devices, with the aim of simplifying regulatory processes and accelerating the market entry of healthcare innovations. Through EU4MEDTECH, NetHub actively contributes to the development of new solutions and strengthening the connection of the Croatian healthcare innovation community with European research and innovation initiatives.
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