Greek start-up takes first place for catheter at InnoStars Awards

In a showcase of healthcare innovations in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe, over 30 early-stage start-ups took to the stage for the EIT Health InnoStars Awards Grand Final. The jury selected Shuttle Catheters, a team from Greece to take 1st prize for their catheter innovation.

DP Innovation from Hungary with a pocket-sized smart nebuliser for inhaled drug delivery came second, while Medicud from Italy took 3rd place with a medical device for treating wounds with a negative pressure dressing.

For the 6th edition of the Grand Final, EIT Health InnoStars presented a broader portfolio of start-ups, from RIS Innovation Call teams that are at the beginning of their journey, as well as from Attract to Invest teams that are fully operational with a portfolio of clients. The 32 teams that took the stage all had the chance to compete for a special Public Award, and Media Award.  

Shuttle Catheters is developing a catheter technology to enable minimally invasive procedures for crossing through severe artery stenosis, plugging arterial ruptures, and preventing gastric reflux complications. According to founders, this could mean savings of €7.5bn for the European healthcare system and reduced morbidity rates.  

Shuttle Catheters was one of 108 companies that applied for the 6th edition of the EIT Health InnoStars Awards.  

In June, the 20 best teams received €25,000 of smart money investment, personalised acceleration and mentoring, as well as access to two bootcamps, where they had the chance to develop their business plans further. EIT Health also organised validation interviews for participants with potential customers, investors and partners.  

After presenting their advanced business plans, the jury selected 10 finalists and invited them to pitch their projects at the InnoStars Awards Grand Final. The finalists represented various fields in biotechnology, medical technology and life sciences, ranging from a real-time monitoring device aiming at the traceability of transfusion blood bags and digital iron deficiency screener, to an advanced antibacterial wound dressing and ultra-personalised nutritional advice platform. 

At the Grand Final, the top three teams received prizes worth €25,000, €15,000 and €10,000, respectively. In addition to the prize money, EIT Health also provides winners with networking opportunities with EIT Health InnoStars Partners, healthcare providers and investors. Among the top 10 start-ups, Italy was represented by four teams, Greece by two, while one each came from Estonia, Hungary, Romania and Czechia.  

“InnoStars Awards is one of EIT Health’s programmes for early-stage start-ups. During the past six years, almost 70% of accelerated solutions in the programme have already been launched on the market. This underlines how valuble it is to invest in innovative biotech, medtech and digital health spin-offs and start-up teams discovered in the Central, Eastern and Southern European region. We provide teams with mentoring, validation and networking opportunities to help turn their ideas into viable products and services that contribute to better healthcare and enable European citizens to live longer, healthier and happier lives”, said Tamás Békási, responsible for the InnoStars Awards programme at the EIT Health InnoStars.