In 2017, the NOBEL project was created to mobilize the European nano-biomedical innovation ecosystem, a Coordination and Support Action financed by H2020, under the Nanotechnologies, Advanced Materials, Biotechnology and Advanced Manufacturing and Processing line (NMBP).
 

This European project, coordinated by the European Technology Platform on Nanomedicine (ETPN), in collaboration with 7 European organisations (CEA, MedTech Europe, Bioanalytik Muenster, VDI/VDE-IT, Fondazione Don Gnocchi, Tyndall Institute of Technology - University College Cork and TecMinho), identified the need to improve communication and collaboration between different players in the European health sector. Thus, a functional and sustainable ecosystem was created, capable of establishing and optimising Translation and Acceleration tools aimed at innovative projects in the area of health technologies (HealthTech).

During a period of 39 months between 2017 and 2020, the NOBEL project essentially addressed 3 fundamental aspects for the Coordination and Support of the HealthTech sector:

- The expansion and strengthening of the TAB (Translation Advisory Board) network created in 2015. In the last 3 years, the programme has reached new countries, including countries geographically distant from the location of the NOBEL project partners (e.g., Eastern Europe);

- The evolution os the programme to a more mature instrument, capable of essentially attracting industry projects (˜75% of all projects supported by the programme come from start-ups and SMEs);

- The attraction of projects from a wide range of areas of knowledge, essentially related to the development of medical devices (e.g., artificial intelligence, robotics and electronics), thus proving the success of the expasion of TAB from nanomedicine to the area of HealthTech.

Therefore, we can consider that HealthTech TAB has had a measurable impact on the HealthTech community in Europe. Its pipeline consists of 139 promising projects in the healthcare sector, among which are potential solutions for the eradication of global health problems, such as neurological diseases, cancer or infectious diseases. The support provided by TAB also contributed to securing more than 15 million Euros in different financing rounds and to the creation of 9 start-ups. It is also worth noting the impact of TAB in redirecting different projects to more prolific paths, thus increasing its chances of success.

The value created by TAB in 2015 is, therefore, extremely relevant, necessary and unique. In order to ensure the future of the programme after the end of the NOBEL project, different possibilities for collaboration are being considered that would allow extending the value and impact generated in recent years in favour of entrepreneurs who wish to transform their medical inventions into successful businesses, created and developed in Europe.