At the Slimmer Leven (smarter life) Challenge 2017, 200 students gathered to design new innovations specific for heart patients. Six of the student teams were chosen to present their solutions at the Dutch Technology Week in May 2017.
Slimmer Leven Challenge 2017, held on February 17, was put together by the Slimmer Leven2020 Cooperation, Fontys University, Summa College and Eindhoven University of Technology. This was the fourth challenge and this time the focus was on “the heart” in collaboration with de Dutch heart foundation (Hartstichting).
In the Netherlands, a recorded 100 people die from cardiovascular disease daily, and more than 1,000 are hospitalised. The urgency to reduce these numbers is high.
The Hartstichting, presented three topics: To raise awareness of the risk of cardiovascular disease; To promote a healthy lifestyle among heart patients; and, To improve in acute care in the case of heart failure. The teams deliberated to come up with the best concepts. They were supported by 30 experts from the field.
The jury, which consisted of government representatives, healthcare, and educational institutions, selected six teams with ‘best care innovations’. The students will be trained for three months under the guidance of experts in the field to further develop the concepts. The teams are expected to present a business plan, an execution plan to market their solutions and to be able to pitch their idea.
The winning team of the Slimmer Leven Challenge 2017 will be made known during the Dutch Technology Week on May 16.
Hilde Meijs, Director of Summa Care and chairperson of the organizing team of the Slimmer Leven Challenge, explains: “Slimmer Leven Challenge proves how important and powerful it is for innovation to work in multidisciplinary teams. Students from Summa, Fontys and TU/e have been working in close cooperation throughout the event together with experts in the field. The students have learned a lot by bringing all the theory and practice together from their own perspective and experience.”
Source: www.brainport.nl/
