Health & Business Growth Summit 2026.

This session explores how emerging system requirements in European healthcare, including sustainability, data governance (EHDS), and AI-driven processes, are reshaping the way healthtech companies build, position, and scale their solutions. Rather than approaching compliance as a constraint, the session frames it as a practical foundation for growth, influencing everything from product development to procurement readiness and market access. The focus is on the real journey of healthtech companies: - how they transition from early-stage innovation to real-world implementation - how requirements such as EHDS, AI and sustainability become increasingly relevant at different stages of growth - and how to avoid common pitfalls when entering highly regulated healthcare systems The session also sets the stage for the panel discussion by answering a key question: How can healthtech companies build solutions that are not only innovative, but already aligned with how healthcare systems evaluate, procure, and scale them today?

This panel focuses on the real business journey of healthtech companies, exploring how they develop, grow, and successfully enter regulated healthcare systems. Rather than focusing on regulation itself, the discussion examines how compliance, sustainability, and data frameworks (EHDS, AI) become practical conditions for growth at different stages of development. It addresses when compliance becomes unavoidable, how companies can navigate that transition without losing momentum, and how to distinguish between necessary requirements and premature compliance that can slow teams down. The session is designed to provide practical insights for building scalable, market-ready healthtech solutions, while also offering opportunities for networking, visibility, and collaboration through additional Summit activities.

https://www.thaumatec.com/ THAUMTEC is a technology-driven company focused on developing advanced digital solutions for the healthcare and life sciences sector. The company supports organizations in navigating complex, regulated environments by improving data management, operational efficiency, and decision-making processes. Through its solutions, THAUMTEC enables more scalable, compliant, and future-ready healthcare systems.

Do you control your communication… or does it control you? The ability to build meaningful professional relationships starts with understanding how we communicate. This interactive training explores the hidden patterns behind everyday communication and how they influence trust, perception, and impact. Whether you already communicate with confidence or feel that your message sometimes gets lost, this session will help you take your skills to the next level. You will gain practical tools to better understand others, express yourself clearly, and create stronger, trust-based connections. What You Will Gain Greater awareness of your communication style and its impact Practical techniques for building trust and rapport Improved ability to understand the needs of others More confident and intentional communication in professional settings

https://www.steadysense.at/ SteadySense is an Austrian MedTech company developing innovative wearable solutions for continuous body temperature monitoring. Its core product is a smart sensor patch that enables accurate, non-invasive tracking of temperature over extended periods, supporting clinical use as well as applications such as fertility and health monitoring. By combining medical-grade technology with user-friendly design, SteadySense aims to improve patient care, diagnostics, and data-driven decision-making in healthcare.

Zagreb CEE Hub session reveals how healthtech and CRO startups leverage EU funding programs for international scaling into foreign markets. Expect strategies for Horizon Europe grants, EIC Accelerator equity, EIT Health validation, and EU4Health priorities, positioning Zagreb as the optimal hub for CEE expansion with 2-3x capital multiplication through combined national instruments. Attendees gain insights into application blueprints, success case studies, and partnership networks accelerating global market entry while minimizing regulatory and financial risks.

Zagreb CEE Hub: Horizon/EIC/EIT/EU4Health paired with HBOR/HAMAG Expert panel reveals the proven funding stack combining EU mega-funds (Horizon Europe, EIC, EIT, EU4Health) with HAMAG/HBOR instruments to launch pharma/CROs into premium markets.

https://omics.solutions/ Omics offers comprehensive bioinformatics support across the entire data lifecycle. This includes raw data processing, quality control, genome and transcriptome analysis, multi-omics integration, custom pipeline and platform building, database design, statistical modeling, data visualization, and scalable deployment in cloud or on-premise environments. By combining expertise in biology, data science, and software engineering, Omics helps research institutions, biotech companies, and healthcare organizations transform complex genomic and biological datasets into reliable, reproducible, and decision-ready outcomes.

https://www.biocentre.hr/ The BIOCentre Zagreb is a biotechnology and innovation hub that supports research, development, and commercialization in the life sciences sector. It provides modern infrastructure, laboratories, and support services for startups, researchers, and companies, helping them develop innovative solutions and bring them to market. By connecting academia, industry, and public stakeholders, BIOCentre plays a key role in strengthening the regional biotech and health innovation ecosystem.

Discover how AI tools like ChatGPT and social media transform KOL engagement and MedTech B2B branding in digital health. Get expert advice on spotting influencers, creating viral compliant content, and mapping buyer journeys that generate leads. Leave with actionable insights to maximize your engagement and dominate as the top innovator.

Scaling Healthcare Brands panel features top experts discussing strategies to build trust and achieve market dominance for pharma, CROs, and MedTech across Europe.

https://www.meds.at/ MEDS (Medical Education Services) is an Austrian organization specialized in clinical research support and medical education within the healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. The company focuses on managing clinical trials, regulatory processes, and project coordination, helping sponsors and partners execute studies efficiently and in compliance with international standards. Through its expertise, MEDS supports faster, more reliable delivery of clinical research projects.

https://www.hqsolutions.hu/ HQ Solutions is a Hungary-based company specializing in digital transformation and IT solutions for highly regulated industries, including healthcare and life sciences. The company focuses on developing and implementing software systems that support data management, regulatory compliance, and operational efficiency. Through its expertise, HQ Solutions helps organizations modernize their processes and build scalable, reliable digital infrastructures.

https://www.vertifymed.com/ Vertify is developing medical class IIa software for the exact differentiation of the causes of dizziness. Eye movement tests are automatically interpreted using video recording and the latest machine learning algorithms via a smart device. Due to multifactorial causes, the clarification of dizziness is extremely complex, which is why those affected often visit several departments without getting a diagnosis. This not only puts a strain on patients, but also causes enormous costs in the healthcare system. By accurately classifying the cause of dizziness, Vertify enables accurate assignment to the appropriate specialty even in primary care.

This lecture explores how rare diseases can shift from a societal challenge to a strategic growth and export opportunity for healthtech. It focuses on the role of patient registries, structured data, and global frameworks such as IRDiRC in enabling research, clinical development, and new business models. The session highlights how data can be transformed into real value, supporting innovation, partnerships with industry, and scalable solutions while positioning CEE countries as relevant contributors to the global healthcare ecosystem.

IRDiRC Data as EU Revenue reveals how CEE rare disease startups transform patient registries into multi-million export revenue streams. Learn profit playbooks for monetizing data through clinical trials, pharma licensing deals, and global partnerships – positioning your healthtech as EU rare disease leader. Walk away with actionable revenue models and funding strategies that turn national data infrastructure into international competitive advantage.

https://robotdreams.co/ RobotDreams® GmbH develops a unique and international patent pending AI-based software for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases based on blood tests. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in the EU with around two million deaths and cause costs of around 196 billion euros per year. RobotDreams® GmbH offers a very simple and inexpensive solution with artificial intelligence. A software integrated into the laboratory will analyze the blood in a few seconds during a routine examination and diagnose the heart disease very precisely. This saves valuable time and allows patients to receive the right treatment.

https://www.skinscreener.com/ SkinScreener is a digital health solution that uses artificial intelligence to support early detection of skin cancer and other skin conditions. The platform enables users to analyze moles and skin changes through a mobile application, providing a fast risk assessment based on advanced image analysis. Its goal is to support early diagnosis and prevention by guiding users toward timely medical consultation, while making dermatological screening more accessible, efficient, and data-driven.

This session explores a critical but often overlooked dynamic in European healthcare: while CE marking enables market entry, it is clinical trials that determine whether a solution will actually be adopted by hospitals and healthcare systems. The lecture reframes clinical trials not as purely scientific exercises, but as a real-world trust-building phase, where institutions assess not only the product, but also the reliability, processes, and behavior of the partner behind it. In practice, this phase functions as a form of “pre‑procurement”, where key decisions about future adoption are often shaped well before formal tender processes begin. The session provides a strategic perspective on how healthcare institutions evaluate risk, build confidence, and decide which solutions are worth integrating into their systems, offering valuable insight for anyone aiming to navigate market access and adoption in the EU healthcare environment.

From Idea to EU Profit is a panel discussion revealing how hospitals, clinics, and insurance companies decide what to procure from CE-marked and digitally compliant medTech devices. Experts will discuss key EU regulations like EUDAMED for device tracking, CTIS for clinical trials, EHDS for health data, HTA for cost-benefit analysis, and the AI Act, through real procurement case studies. Clinics will learn the exact technical specifications suppliers must meet for automatic approval, procurement teams will exchange ready-made checklists and tender templates that save months of revisions, and all attendees will gain a practical procurement playbook through Q&A that turns regulations into faster and cheaper purchases of top-tier technology.

EU Clinical Trial Regulation keynote explores whether the new CTR (via CTIS platform) represents a regulatory burden or strategic advantage for sponsors and CROs. Expect analysis of centralized submissions speeding up multi-country approvals (from 18+ months to 60 days) versus challenges like tighter deadlines, redaction requirements, and cross-functional coordination. The session provides a comprehensive overview of how these changes impact clinical trial operations across Europe.

Croatia as the CEE Gateway panel discussion examines Croatia's emerging role as a strategic entry point for global sponsors into Central and Eastern European clinical trial markets. Expect analysis of CEE patient recruitment advantages, cost efficiencies (30-50% lower vs. Western Europe), and streamlined regulatory pathways through Croatian CRO hubs versus challenges like infrastructure scaling and regional harmonization. The session provides a comprehensive overview of how global sponsors can leverage Croatia for faster, more cost-effective trial execution across CEE markets.

Pitch Arena: Minutes that change business is a high-stakes session where healthcare startups pitch their ideas to investors, mentors, and peers. Participants showcase problems, solutions, market potential, and funding needs, followed by expert Q&A and live feedback. Top pitches win investment opportunities, connections, and visibility. Perfect for testing ideas fast and securing capital on the spot.

Targeted expert roundtables & meetings Join us for the VIP Networking on May 21, 2026 (11:00-15:00). Venue: Restaurant Gastro Globus at Zagreb Fair. From 11:00-14:00, reserve targeted 1-on-1 sessions with domain experts in rare diseases, CRO operations, EU regulatory compliance, pharma outsourcing, and Balkans/UK/international market entry. Lunch follows at 15:00. Limited seats available – secure your spot today! We warmly invite you to join us!