Bridging Innovation Ecosystems: Italy–Estonia Healthtech Startup Showcase

This event is part of the MIND Innovation Week 2026, the annual festival dedicated to innovation and to the major challenges shaping our time. Set within this broader framework, the initiative aims to connect the Italian and Estonian innovation ecosystems and to foster dialogue among startups, innovation enablers, investors, corporates, and public stakeholders.

With a focus on healthtech, medtech, digital health and green tech the event will showcase a selection of promising startups from both countries while creating space for exchange, visibility, and new opportunities for cross-border collaboration. More than a pitching session, it is conceived as a platform to strengthen relationships between complementary ecosystems, share approaches to innovation support and venture growth, and encourage new pathways for validation, piloting, investment, and strategic partnerships at the European level.

In the context of MIND – Milano Innovation District and in line with the theme of the 2026 edition of MIND Week, “The origin of ideas”, the event reflects a shared commitment to putting innovation in motion by connecting people, competencies, and entrepreneurial initiatives across borders.

In this perspective, the Italy–Estonia dialogue is not only about presenting startups, but about creating the conditions for ideas to move faster across ecosystems and generate concrete impact.

AGENDA

11:00 AM (EEST) | Introduction and presentation of the Bio4Dreams @MIND ecosystem

🎙️ Francesco Senatore, Business Development Director, Bio4Dreams

11:15 AM (EEST) | Presentation of the Tehnopol ecosystem

🎙️ Helen Staak, Head of HealthTech at Tehnopol

11:30 AM (EEST) | Startup showcase

Moderators: Francesco Senatore (Bio4Dreams) and Helen Staak (Tehnopol)

Presentation of 8 selected startups, with a focus on the solutions developed, their fields of application, and collaboration opportunities in the healthtech, medtech, and digital health sectors.

Evotion (Italy)

Focus: E-Health, Medical Devices

Founding date & development stage: 2017, TRL 6 – prototype validated, pre-industrial production

At a glance: Evotion develops wearable devices capable of monitoring key biometric parameters.

Simplifica (Italy)

Focus: E-Health

Founding date & development stage: 2025, TRL 5–6 – model validated in pilot projects; proprietary software platform under development

At a glance: Simplifica develops machine learning solutions to optimize predictive analysis on healthcare data.

WonderGene (Italy)

Focus: Diagnostics, Green Tech

Founding date & development stage: 2018, TRL 4 – prototype phase; design freeze ongoing with an international industrial partner

At a glance: WonderGene develops a portable genetic analysis laboratory tailored to the agri-food sector.

Nantoo (Italy)

Focus: GreenTech

Founding date & development stage: 2022, TRL 7 – finalization of the latest generation of prototypes, first pilots starting; design freeze expected after these activities.

At a glance: Nantoo develops solutions for the valorization of plant biomass and green waste within a circular bioeconomy framework.

Muun Health (Estonia)

Focus: HealthTech, Wearables

Founding date & development stage: 2023, TRL 3, PoC lab prototype

At a glance: developing a microneedle-based wearable sensor for real-time female hormone monitoring

ExcelTech (Estonia)

Focus: MedTech

Founding date & development stage: 2022, TRL 7 - Finalized product development and early clinical trials, first pilot runs are being conducted in small scale

At a glance: ExcelTech has Developed DiabSense, a diabetic foot ulcer early detection and prevention platform including a thermal + visual scanner and AI based risk analysis system for continuous home care

Asvel (Estonia)

Focus: Medical Devices, AI & Robotics, Smart Surgery

Founding date & development stage: 2023, TRL 5 - prototype validated in relevant environment; pre-clinical pilot testing ongoing at Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ)

At a glance: Asvel develops AI-powered robotic endoscopy systems that automate surgical visualization in minimally invasive procedures. The solution is designed for multi-sector applications, including human healthcare, veterinary surgery, surgical training, and military healthcare, improving precision, efficiency, and accessibility.

Evie Health (Estonia)

Focus: Femtech and HealthTech

Founding date & development stage: 2022, TRL 7, Finalized product and validated in a real-world environment with early users, scaling structured clinical pilots.

At a glance: Transforming pregnancy & postpartum care with an AI-powered app for personalized pelvic floor care, with tailored workouts and expert support.

12:15 PM (EEST) | Final Q&A

12:30 PM (EEST) | Closing remarks

This event is organized by Bio4Dreams, Italy’s certified life sciences incubator, accelerator, and company builder, together with Tehnopol, Estonia’s leading science and business park.