We talk alot about ECHAlliance being the Global Connector and our Ecosystem in Galicia led by Cluster Saude Galicia (CSG) is a shining star of an ecosystem within our network, When people ask me about the benefits of joining an network of Ecosystem – I show them Galicia. They get the concept of both collaboration and business opportunities. We are proud to take part in their yearly RIES events and also to connect them to the rest of our network as well as feature them in our events, projects and opportunities.
Like us they are celebrating 10 years this year and a better example of a connected health ecosystem I think you will struggle to find.
1. What is the approximate stakeholder breakdown of your ecosystem?
The profile of CSG’s stakeholders is diverse. Approximately 80% of CSG’s members represent industry, including entrepreneurs, SMEs, MNCs, and start-ups. The remaining 20% represents regulators, professional schools and civil society (mainly patient associations).
2. Who are the top 3 champions from your Ecosystem?
DomusVI: DomusVI is the largest network of homecare and social services for the elderly and mental health care in Spain. The company has more than 26,000 specialized professionals, including professionals in Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Nutrition, Social Work and Legal Advice, and more than 24,400 places available in 207 residential and daycare centers throughout the country.
Custom Implants: Custom Implants is a manufacturer of biomodels, surgical guides, surgical prostheses, and orthoses through the application of additive technologies and the use of CAD/CAM, offering personalized solutions that add value to the treatment of each patient. They use Titanium Ti64 and automatic and sequential 3D printing in creating their products, making them one of the two companies worldwide able to perform this.
PLEXUS Tech: Plexus Tech is among the first independent IT companies in Spain. The company – which has an experience of over 20 years in its field and has grown its size to over 2000 professionals – is a pioneer in proprietary technological products in the healthcare and social care sectors, dealing with the increased demand of solutions following the COVID crisis and the necessary deployment of field hospitals. They work with leading organisations in the private, public, and social sectors in more than 27 countries worldwide.
3. What EU funding/collaboration are you involved with, or you would like to be part of?
Collaboration is engraved in the DNA of the Galician Health Cluster, and therefore, we actively take part in the national and international networks of health clusters. Moreover, CSG acts as a leader for the Galician health and social care sectors in the international environment. We do this by participating in several European projects as a key partner for the communication and translation of research results into the industry. There are two projects CSG is currently involved with:
IN4AHA: This project focuses on existing and necessary mechanisms to enhance the cross-border scalability of EIP (European innovation partnership) projects in the AHA (active and healthy aging) ecosystem. It brings together offer and demand actors to create a sustainable model for scaling up innovation, integrating it with stakeholders and responding to systemic change needs. The role of regulators and the ecosystem as a whole is to encourage innovators to intensify user-centered strategies and transformative solutions.
neuroATLANTIC :This project aims to bring together the remarkable scientific and technological capabilities found in the Atlantic Area in the field of neurological diseases. neuroATLANTIC will act on clinical, preclinical and capitalisation aspects, accelerating the adoption of new innovations that will revolutionise the way neurological diseases are managed within the area. To this end, it will focus on the creation of a transnational platform to develop new therapeutic agents for the treatment and early diagnosis of these devastating and prevalent diseases.
4. What are the key priorities and themes for your ecosystem?
Within our ecosystem, we have our own technology testing network including multiple Living Labs. One of our key priorities is to get these living labs up and running to empower the co-creation of innovation for both products and services. It is our goal to provide all our members with the opportunity to test their technological and digital base solutions in a real-world context to accelerate development processes. All our Living Labs are person-centered and most of them are focused on the care of elderly people.
Moreover, at CSG we believe in the encouragement of public-private collaborations. Currently, we are working on two public-private regional strategies: personalised medicine and new models of care.
5. What is your primary strength as an ecosystem?
CSG works for keeping a good interaction with the regional Ministries of Health, Social Affairs & Industry, Economics and Employment. We act as the channel of communications between the users, providers and regulators and translate the needs from the first to help the latter adapt their policies to the real demand of society.
Furthermore, Forum RIES is our window to showcase to the world the local response towards the world’s challenges. RIES is the international forum of reference at the regional and national levels to address the challenges and opportunities of the health ecosystem. Led by CSG, it has been created as a meeting forum for the main players in the healthcare and social care sectors at a European level, in collaboration with the ECHAlliance network. Each year, the most innovative projects are showcased during this main event held in a reference place in Galicia.
6. Who are your clinical champions, hospitals, clinicians, specialities?
- Servizo Galego de Saúde (SERGAS): SERGAS is an autonomous administrative body directed by the Department of Health of the Xunta de Galicia and is in charge of Galicia’s public health care. It exercises its management and direction on all integrated health centers and services. Moreover, SERGAS aims to become a leading component of the health knowledge and innovation ecosystem in Galicia by incorporating the Health Knowledge Agency (ACIS – Axencia de Coñecemento en Saúde). Its goal is to efficiently distribute knowledge from the time it emerges until transferred to society.
- Ángel Carracedo: an interesting person who deserves some extra notice is Ángel Carracedo, a geneticist who always dreamt of working in a lighthouse and who has been on the list of the Nobel Prize nominees for his expertise in forensic genetics.
Discover more about the Galician Ecosystem:
The Galician Health Cluster, CSG (Cluster Saúde de Galicia), is a professional platform for public-private cooperation, which acts as a catalyst for the competitiveness of the health and social care industries, contributing decisively to the economic and social development of the region of Galicia. One of the key objectives is the internationalisation of the innovation of the health and social care sectors.
