Testbeds offer excellent opportunities for developers to test their solutions in authentic environments. Successful cooperation with testbeds results also in invaluable feedback from end-users, which adds a meaningful impact on product or service development. These are the main reasons why such environments attract continuous attention. To provide more information about testing facilities in the Nordic countries, Nordic Proof representatives arrived in Oulu to present their services, learn from each other’s experiences, and engage in a discussion with local health and life science companies.
OuluHealth has been active Nordic Proof’s partner since January 2019 providing innovation testing and development environment, OuluHealth Labs. The knowledge and best practices that were shared contributed to development of processes and methodology so much needed to match the needs in the healthcare sector with innovations offered by the industry.
Turn your solution into a superstar product with the help of testbeds
Nordic Proof managed by Norway Health Tech grants access to testing facilities in Finland, Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. It is the facilitator, which connects developers with carefully selected test platforms.
‘Nordic Proof’s network provides “one door in” access to services for testing and verification of new solutions developed by the healthtech industry to ensure that the product or solution meets the clinical needs in the healthcare sector. It covers most clinical wards in hospitals as well as primary care. Nordic Proof is the best partner to contact when a developer is interested in testing medical devices as well as software,’
said Siri Stabel Olsen, Advisor at Norway Health Tech.
According to Jaana Kokko, Technology Specialist at the Oulu WelfareLab, testbeds enable companies to perform testing in real social and health care processes. This means reaching real end-users: social and health care professionals as well as citizens in patients’ or customers’ roles. Nordic Proof’s network first gathered partners representing hospitals, but then gradually expanded to social care and customers’ homes. Currently, it covers the whole chain of the social and health care sector.
View the Nordic Proof partners: https://www.nordicproof.org/partner/
Health and life science companies can apply for funding from Business Finland to support their RDI activities.
‘When a company receives such funding, outside services can be included. The company procure the services from the best possible supplier, for example, a testbed. Additionally, Business Finland offers many other services to boost companies’ internationalization and business growth,’
explained Eija-Riitta Hämäläinen, Senior Advisor, Growth Companies and Funding at Business Finland.
To find out more, view Business Finland’s website.
Breakfast meeting with Nordic Proof partners in Oulu
Many Nordic testbeds are actively involved in cooperation. One of the means to stay in touch is through organized meetings like the one held in Oulu on 18 and 19 October 2021. The program started with a bi-annual Partner Meeting and visits at partners’ premises to learn about their specific services, ecosystem, infrastructure, and test set-up. It was also an excellent opportunity to share insights on best practices and test methodology. In addition, a strategy workshop was held to shape the development of the Nordic Proof consortium. On the second day, Nordic Proof’s partners attended a breakfast meeting organized especially for health and life science companies at Oulu’s Business Station. The event generated interesting discussion about the ways to gain access to test platforms and choose the right partners for cooperation.
‘I very much liked the meeting itself. However, there were no hospitals with dental care services participating so we didn’t gain any straightforward access to Nordic piloting opportunities,’
commented one of the participants, Mika Malinen, CEO at DentView.
Another participating company, Smart PD Solutions, described the meeting and speed dating discussions as a great opportunity to get a holistic view of Nordic Partners and their activities.‘Our journey on medical device development pathway is still at the early stage but we are actively looking for national and international clinical partners in the fields of nephrology, chronic kidney diseases, dialysis and peritoneal dialysis. Testbed experts are great connectors between industry and hospitals. They offer valuable knowledge about the clinical testing procedure. We are, for sure, interested in collaborating with Nordic Proof network in near future,’
said Henna Karvonen, Research and Development Specialist at Smart PD Solutions.
‘All testbed experts were approachable and eager to hear and help more. I feel we’ve got fantastic discussion openings,’
concluded Karvonen.
Are you interested in testing your solution in Nordic countries? Contact one of Nordic Proof’s coordinators (mail@nordicproof.org) or fill in an inquiry form.
