Human Health by Design – call for early‑stage health innovators

• To foster the creation of startups in the Canton of Vaud developing solutions with an impact on the medical sector and society.
• To accelerate the development of platforms and medical devices centered on users and stakeholders within the care environment.
• To support teams in experimenting with and implementing their solutions in medical settings.
• To provide access to key resources to accelerate product development iterations, testing, and real-world learning.
• To connect with other stakeholders in the field to accelerate the development and impact of solutions.
• To support fundraising efforts.

• Real access to care environments: immersions, observations, interviews, and in situ testing
• Integrated design: UX/UI, industrial design, information design, rapid prototyping, and highlighting of user value
• Regulatory & quality alignment: initial framing (risks, classification, essential requirements, design history)
• Market analysis: segmentation, stakeholders, integration into care pathways, impact indicators
• Networking opportunities: healthcare professionals, institutions, academic partners, and technical and financial partners

• Creation of an innovative product or service in healthcare, such as a medical device or digital platform.
• Connection with the Canton of Vaud: willingness to incorporate in the canton, and/or potential long-term economic benefits for the Canton of Vaud (business model, practice optimization, company creation, job creation, etc.).
• Different levels of maturity may be accepted: from a validated problem to proof of usage/market fit (mock-up, functional prototype, MVP, pilot).
• Project ready to deploy support within 6 months: the team has the technical and operational skills needed to advance the project over the next 6 months (research, prototyping, testing).
• Project not yet incorporated.

• Clinical and societal relevance (problem, beneficiaries, context of use).
• Expected impact and adoption potential (integration into care pathways).
• Degree of innovation and technical feasibility.
• Clarity of the 6-month work plan (objectives, deliverables, risks).
• Team capacity (skills, openness to coaching).

• Observational/immersive studies, simulations, field POCs.
• Qualitative studies: focus groups, co-creation workshops, interviews.
• Prototyping: mock-ups, functional prototypes, MVPs (hardware/software).
• Product regulatory awareness (initial framing by specialists).
• Market/economic activities: segmentation, purchasing journey, initial testing.

 Expenses not covered (examples): major legal fees, regulatory clinical trials, industrialization expenses, large-scale paid marketing.

• Application deadline: May 31, 2026 (11:59 PM CET).
• Jury pitch and selection: June 16, 2026.
• Announcement of the 8 selected projects: no later than June 22, 2026.

 Submission requirements: online form (link to come) + PDF application package (12-slide pitch deck, 6-month plan, budget, key CVs).

• Active participation in workshops, design sprints, and observation sessions.
• Compliance with ethical requirements, data protection, and consent procedures.
• Communication about the benefits and impact of the program.

Sensitive, clinical, and personal data collected during immersions will be handled in accordance with applicable ethical and legal frameworks. Intellectual property rights remain with the project owners. Partners may be acknowledged as co-authors of methods or deliverables where relevant (subject to specific agreements).

Step 1 : Application

• Complete the online form.
• Attach your project roadmap with key product validation milestones and planned support needs (objectives, deliverables, risks, assumptions).
• Attach your pitch deck (maximum 10 slides).
• CVs of the applicants.

Step 2 : Pitch to Jury

• Prepare for the pitch (10 minutes + 15 minutes Q&A).