Diak strengthens Finland’s position in European health innovation development efforts

Diaconia University of Applied Sciences (Diak) is participating in the new European THRIVE project, which aims to develop a new type of validation model for assessing the effectiveness and market viability of health innovations.

The digitisation of healthcare is advancing rapidly, but many promising solutions remain unused. The problem often lies not with the technology itself, but with the fact that its clinical efficacy, economic viability, regulatory requirements, and implementation criteria are assessed too late.

This challenge is being addressed by the new European THRIVE project (Transforming Healthcare Research into Validated Solutions through Alliance-KIC Cooperation), which has received two million euros in funding from the European Union’s EIT Higher Education Initiative for the years 2026–2028. Diak is the only Finnish higher education institution participating in the project.

The project will establish a permanent validation system that will enable new health innovations to be tested and evaluated before they are introduced into practical healthcare. The evaluations will examine, among other things, clinical effectiveness, economic sustainability, regulatory requirements, and readiness for implementation. The goal is to reduce the number of failed pilot projects, accelerate the adoption of innovations, and improve their chances of success on the international stage.

– With THRIVE, we are strengthening the connection between research, education, and innovation in healthcare. The project enables us to develop new approaches together with our European partners to bring scientific findings into healthcare practice more quickly and sustainably, says Anna-Maija Ohlsson, Director of RDI and Impact at Diak.

New opportunities for Finland in the internationalisation of health innovations

Diak’s participation in the project strengthens Finland’s ties to European research, innovation, and business networks.

Through the project, Finnish companies and developers also gain access to European knowledge networks and new avenues for international expansion. THRIVE offers connections to European accelerators, expert networks, and funding opportunities.

– Diak brings to the project the Finnish social and health care context as well as its strong expertise in measuring people’s life situations and social well-being. This ensures that when evaluating digital health solutions, we look not only at the technology but also at people’s real-life situations and how professionals implement the solution, says Jukka Auraneva, an expert at Diak.

Another key focus of the project is strengthening entrepreneurial skills. In the coming years, students, researchers, and staff at partner universities will receive training in health sector entrepreneurship through new and innovative educational formats. Planned activities include micro-competency modules, international boot camps, and a Europe-wide fellowship program.

European cooperation to shape the future of healthcare

THRIVE brings together 14 organisations from nine European countries. Diak is participating in this collaboration as part of the European EduCare 5.0 higher education alliance, which develops solutions to challenges in healthcare, digitalization, sustainable development, and social inclusion.

– THRIVE clearly demonstrates the potential of cooperation among European universities. Together with our partners in the European University Alliance EduCare 5.0, we are developing innovative solutions to challenges that no country can address alone. The project strengthens not only knowledge and innovation transfer but also the European Higher Education Area and the international capabilities of our students, researchers, and staff, says Suvi Äärilä, Head of International Affairs at Diak.