Periodic Reporting for period 1 - VELES (VELES Excellence Hub - Strengthening the South-East Europe Smart Health Regional Excellence and Boosting the Innovation Potential)
Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2024-08-31
VELES Excellence Hub strengthens innovation-driven growth and accelerates innovation excellence in the smart healthcare domain within the four participating widening countries (Bulgaria, Greece, Romania, and Cyprus), having the support of three developed countries – Spain, Sweden, and Germany. VELES aims to reinforce smart health innovations as the main factor in forming an excellent innovation place-based ecosystems.
The specific objectives of VELES are:
● Development of 4 excellent and sustainable Smart Health place-based innovation ecosystems with the support and shared know-how of 2 advanced member-states and the International Data Space Association (IDSA).
● Data-driven innovations and improved Healthcare sector solutions enablement.
● Demonstrating the Regional Smart Health innovation potential.
● Long-term strategic joint R&I development in line with the regional and national RIS3 strategies based on the 3D innovation framework.
● Smart Health knowledge and good practices transfer between widening and developed EU countries to support business, science, citizens, and policymakers.
● Coordination of strategic, policy, and investment national, regional, and EU initiatives.
The specific objectives of VELES are:
● Development of 4 excellent and sustainable Smart Health place-based innovation ecosystems with the support and shared know-how of 2 advanced member-states and the International Data Space Association (IDSA).
● Data-driven innovations and improved Healthcare sector solutions enablement.
● Demonstrating the Regional Smart Health innovation potential.
● Long-term strategic joint R&I development in line with the regional and national RIS3 strategies based on the 3D innovation framework.
● Smart Health knowledge and good practices transfer between widening and developed EU countries to support business, science, citizens, and policymakers.
● Coordination of strategic, policy, and investment national, regional, and EU initiatives.
During the period VELES team has set up the project
WP2 set the ground for VELES excellence hub by analysing the state of play in the 4 ecosystems, by elaborating a guideline for transition towards Smart Health Regional ecosystem and transformational framework of change towards Smart Health data driven innovations and by validating these through a series of 3Ds framework exercises.
WP3 laid the groundwork for a standardized infrastructure, architecture, and technologies that ensure data quality, security, and interoperability. WP3 also focusds on creating strong ethical and legal frameworks to govern data use, establishing secure protocols for safe data exchange.
WP4 prepared the requirements towards the 4 pilots to be realized
WP5 commenced the innovation supporting activities
WP6 has set the ground for enabling VELES sustainability
WP7 enabled the wide visibility of the project at national, regional and EU levels
WP2 set the ground for VELES excellence hub by analysing the state of play in the 4 ecosystems, by elaborating a guideline for transition towards Smart Health Regional ecosystem and transformational framework of change towards Smart Health data driven innovations and by validating these through a series of 3Ds framework exercises.
WP3 laid the groundwork for a standardized infrastructure, architecture, and technologies that ensure data quality, security, and interoperability. WP3 also focusds on creating strong ethical and legal frameworks to govern data use, establishing secure protocols for safe data exchange.
WP4 prepared the requirements towards the 4 pilots to be realized
WP5 commenced the innovation supporting activities
WP6 has set the ground for enabling VELES sustainability
WP7 enabled the wide visibility of the project at national, regional and EU levels
During the period, VELES made substantial progress in developing regional health data spaces, largely through activities in WP2 and WP3. This progress contributed to both immediate and lasting impacts on Smart Health innovation and governance.
WP2’s focus was on identifying key enablers and barriers for establishing regional health data spaces. Through an in-depth SWOT analysis across four target ecosystems, WP2 clarified both opportunities and challenges, providing a strategic roadmap to enhance regional Smart Health capabilities. This foundational analysis directly informed the development of Regional Smart Health Data Spaces (RSHDS), which has the potential to drive forward innovative use cases, such as those outlined within the "3Ds" framework. By engaging diverse stakeholders—researchers, policymakers, industry, and the public—in a Quadruple Helix approach, WP2 fostered collaboration that supports a unified long-term R&I strategy. This strategy is not only aligned with European Smart Health objectives but also positions the target regions (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania) for sustainable, data-driven transformation.
In addition, WP2 established a foundation for cross-border policy adoption and innovation by coordinating socio-economic impact objectives and identifying necessary support mechanisms. These efforts also laid the groundwork for the wider adoption of Smart Health initiatives, with actionable recommendations to inform national policies and investments.
WP3 aimed at establishing and fostering sustainable health data ecosystems to support Smart Health. Task 3.1 played a key role by mobilizing both supply and demand sides of data exchange, including stakeholders such as data providers, infrastructure suppliers, regulatory bodies, and standards development organizations. By aligning diverse actors and encouraging cross-sector collaboration, WP3 contributed to a self-sustaining, resilient ecosystem that could drive innovation beyond the project's scope. This approach enhances regional data-sharing capacities and amplifies the reach of data-driven healthcare solutions, ultimately bringing long-term improvements to healthcare and well-being.
Task 3.2 focused on specifying the architecture and infrastructure for RSHDS. By addressing data availability, integrity, and sovereignty, WP3 established essential technical conditions for effective, cross-border data sharing, fostering more integrated and interoperable healthcare systems. Task 3.3 supported this by exploring critical legal and ethical requirements, thus ensuring RSHDS complies with data quality, security, and interoperability standards. These efforts align the project with stringent EU regulations, including GDPR, thereby building trust in the health data-sharing ecosystem.
VELES also laid the groundwork for national infrastructure alignment with upcoming EU regulations, notably the European Health Data Space (EHDS). WP3’s focus on legal and ethical compliance set a robust framework to ensure that data exchange practices respect privacy rights, secure data use, and establish a culture of accountability.
WP2’s focus was on identifying key enablers and barriers for establishing regional health data spaces. Through an in-depth SWOT analysis across four target ecosystems, WP2 clarified both opportunities and challenges, providing a strategic roadmap to enhance regional Smart Health capabilities. This foundational analysis directly informed the development of Regional Smart Health Data Spaces (RSHDS), which has the potential to drive forward innovative use cases, such as those outlined within the "3Ds" framework. By engaging diverse stakeholders—researchers, policymakers, industry, and the public—in a Quadruple Helix approach, WP2 fostered collaboration that supports a unified long-term R&I strategy. This strategy is not only aligned with European Smart Health objectives but also positions the target regions (Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, and Romania) for sustainable, data-driven transformation.
In addition, WP2 established a foundation for cross-border policy adoption and innovation by coordinating socio-economic impact objectives and identifying necessary support mechanisms. These efforts also laid the groundwork for the wider adoption of Smart Health initiatives, with actionable recommendations to inform national policies and investments.
WP3 aimed at establishing and fostering sustainable health data ecosystems to support Smart Health. Task 3.1 played a key role by mobilizing both supply and demand sides of data exchange, including stakeholders such as data providers, infrastructure suppliers, regulatory bodies, and standards development organizations. By aligning diverse actors and encouraging cross-sector collaboration, WP3 contributed to a self-sustaining, resilient ecosystem that could drive innovation beyond the project's scope. This approach enhances regional data-sharing capacities and amplifies the reach of data-driven healthcare solutions, ultimately bringing long-term improvements to healthcare and well-being.
Task 3.2 focused on specifying the architecture and infrastructure for RSHDS. By addressing data availability, integrity, and sovereignty, WP3 established essential technical conditions for effective, cross-border data sharing, fostering more integrated and interoperable healthcare systems. Task 3.3 supported this by exploring critical legal and ethical requirements, thus ensuring RSHDS complies with data quality, security, and interoperability standards. These efforts align the project with stringent EU regulations, including GDPR, thereby building trust in the health data-sharing ecosystem.
VELES also laid the groundwork for national infrastructure alignment with upcoming EU regulations, notably the European Health Data Space (EHDS). WP3’s focus on legal and ethical compliance set a robust framework to ensure that data exchange practices respect privacy rights, secure data use, and establish a culture of accountability.