Programme
Kraków, 15-16.05.2025
Auditorium Maximum - Jagiellonian University Conferences
Day 1
Thursday, 15.05.2025
09:00 – 10:00
Registration & Good Morning Coffee
10:00 – 10:30
The conference opening and welcome addresses
10:30 – 11:00
Keynote:
11:00 – 13:30
Part 1: The Vision
The first session will focus on the future of the European health and pharmaceutical sector, aiming for a more resilient and competitive landscape. Discussions will highlight key priorities for EU leaders, including innovation, green and digital transitions, competitiveness, biotechnology, R&D investment, health resilience, and sustainability. The session will also explore the role of exponential technologies in driving progress while addressing potential risks, aiming to develop a unified vision for the sector’s future.
This panel discussion will concentrate on shared objectives and anticipated results for the future of health and well-being in Europe, emphasising collaboration across the life sciences and healthcare sectors. The discussion will build on new EU regulations that balance innovation, patient safety, and economic growth. At the same time, their ultimate effect on competitiveness will rely on implementation and the adaptability of businesses, particularly SMEs.
Speakers:
This conversation will feature a high-level policymaker and visionary CEO discussing the steps being taken today to prepare for the future health landscape. They will be asked to provide a respective personal view on long-term healthcare goals, leadership challenges, and the bold steps necessary to align innovation with societal health outcomes. The discussion will also focus on what specific strategic decisions have been made recently that will shape European health by 2030.
The conversation will focus on the mechanisms and partnerships required to transform research into real-world health benefits. Panelists will explore case studies on how collaboration has led to breakthroughs and envision how future synergies could enhance the well-being of European citizens.
Speakers:
13:30-14:30
Networking Lunch
14:30- 17:00
Part 2: Key Success Factors
A key highlight of the Conference is the three parallel, highly interactive sessions encouraging audience participation, making for a genuinely engaging experience focusing on a critical aspect of life science and healthcare innovation.
In the Healthcare session, experts discuss strategies to enhance patient care, improve health system resilience, and refine HTA and regulatory frameworks.
The Bio-Pharma session focus on advances in biotechnology, next-generation pharmaceuticals, tackling the challenges of introducing innovative therapies to the market.
The Med-Tech & Digital Health session explores the transformative effects of AI, medical devices, and digital healthcare solutions on diagnostics and treatment.
The keynote will shed light on potential key success factors and metrics necessary to track progress in health innovation. This presentation will highlight the need for exemplary performance indicators to assess research outputs, patient outcomes, and system efficiency improvements.
Speaker:
In this three parallel sessions, experts will examine barriers preventing the EU from achieving its health and well-being objectives and discuss how we can jointly address them. Topics may include questions specific to each key life science area:
- What are the most significant regulatory, financial, and operational barriers?
- How can the EU improve its data-sharing frameworks and interoperability standards?
- What role can technology, such as AI and digital health tools, play in overcoming these barriers?
- How can KPIs be refined and implemented to reflect the diverse needs of different stakeholders?
Med-Tech & Digital Health
- Montse Daban, BioCAT and CEBR
- Jan Beger, GE HealthCare
- Thierry Marshal, Avicenna Alliance
- Liesbeth Geris, VPH Institute
- Klaudia Szklarczyk-Smolana, Intelliseq
A conversation with a healthcare entrepreneur or policymaker about the major challenges hindering innovation in healthcare. The session will explore the personal strategies they’ve employed to navigate regulatory landscapes and overcome systemic barriers.
The panel will discuss what indicators best define the development of life science and healthcare innovation and how to measure the progress towards objectives defined by different visions. Each life science area may come with other measures, yet all must steer in the same direction.
Med-Tech & Digital Health
- Montse Daban, BioCAT and CEBR
- Klaudia Szklarczyk-Smolana, Intelliseq
- Maciej Malawski, Sano Centre for Computational Medicine
- Jaanus Pikani, Scanbalt
This chat will feature a conversation with a prominent health economist or data scientist on defining and tracking meaningful health outcomes in a complex environment. The session will cover the critical metrics, from clinical trial success rates to public health and their role in shaping the future of health innovation.
A summary of the key topics addressed during the first day of the conference.
17:00-19:00
The Networking Event
Day 2
Friday, 16.05.2025
09:00
Welcome to day 2 & Good Morning Coffee
The third part of the conference will focus on strategies to bridge the gap between the current status and the desired future, outlining specific actions for research and innovation. Day 2 promises to be energetic, featuring a similar to “The World Café style” session, engaging all conference Participants and leveraging their insights and creativity via virtual settings. The objectives are:
- To discuss strategies for effective collaboration, developing and scaling innovation, shaping policies, and securing sustainable funding.
- To harvest and share insights to provoke and further inspire questions.
- To collect feedback and questions aligned with conference goals, guiding the conversation’s focus.
Speakers:
09:00 – 09:20
Keynote:
The focus on practical strategies for translating the future vision of health innovation into reality. This talk will cover the critical input needed from research institutions, industry players, and regulators to advance key innovations from concept to patient care.
Speakers:
09:20 – 10:00
Implementing the Future: what actions can we take today?
10:00 – 13:45
Part 3: The Action
The third part of the conference will focus on strategies to bridge the gap between the current status and the desired future, outlining specific actions for research and innovation. Day 2 promises to be energetic, featuring a similar to “The World Café style” session, engaging all conference Participants and leveraging their insights and creativity via virtual settings.
The objectives are:
- To discuss strategies for effective collaboration, developing and scaling innovation, shaping policies, and securing sustainable funding.
- To harvest and share insights to provoke and further inspire questions.
- To collect feedback and questions aligned with conference goals, guiding the conversation’s focus.
Implementing the future: what actions can we take today? – the World Café type of session:
The World Café Style session will feature three consecutive panel discussions, each inviting the audience to interact with other participants and panellists by sharing opinions, voting, and gathering input. Each panel will engage experts with first-hand experience in managing life science projects, creating and scaling innovations. ” – the World Café type of session: The World Café Style session will feature three consecutive panel discussions, each inviting the audience to interact with other participants and panellists by sharing opinions, voting, and gathering input. Each panel will engage experts with first-hand experience in managing life science projects, creating and scaling innovations.
This round will focus on identifying the key areas of research and innovation that have the highest potential to impact European healthcare – how to prioritize investment and scale successful initiatives across different regions and health systems?
Speakers:
This round will Focus on practical strategies and actionable steps that stakeholders can take immediately to drive progress and close the gap, addressing the role of policy, funding, and regulation in supporting these actions.
Speakers:
This round will focus on exploring opportunities for new partnerships and collaborations to foster synergies and exploit opportunities for ensuring that innovation benefits patients, healthcare providers, and the broader healthcare ecosystem.
Speakers:
13:00 – 13:45
Final panel discussion:
The final discussion panel will serve as a concluding session, aimed at synthesizing the key insights, takeaways, and recommendations that emerged during the conference. It will focus on translating the collective knowledge gained into actionable strategies for the future. The panel will bring together leading voices from research, industry, regulatory bodies, and patient advocacy to discuss concrete steps that can be taken post-conference to drive Europe towards its envisioned future of health and well-being.
Speakers:
