Accelerate Estonia

Driving innovation in healthcare: Estonia’s vision for self-service pharmacies 👩⚕️💊 Regulating to open a new market might seem counterintuitive, doesn't it? Yet, in healthcare and pharmaceuticals, stringent regulations are essential to maintain safety standards. Driving innovation is particularly challenging under such conditions. 💊 Yesterday, the Accelerate Estonia team, in collaboration with PwC, presented the impact analysis of self-service pharmacies at the Sotsiaalministeerium / The Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia. Stakeholders gathered to review the key findings. The analysis evaluated the potential impact of self-service pharmacies on healthcare services, medicine access, and pharmacy flexibility in Estonia. Key points include: - 24/7 availability: With 24/7 pharmacies only in Tallinn and Tartu, self-service options can reduce the strain on emergency services in other regions by providing constant access to medication. - Improved regional access: Self-service pharmacies can enhance access to medicines in underserved rural areas by operating 24/7 at lower costs. - Reducing pharmacists’ workload: By handling administrative tasks, self-service pharmacies reduce the burden on pharmacists, particularly in rural areas facing staff shortages. Estonia’s aging pharmacist workforce and reluctance among younger specialists to work in rural areas can be mitigated by remote advisory systems in self-service pharmacies. - Reducing emergency visits: The analysis suggests that introducing self-service pharmacies could save between €1.03 million and €2.99 million in ambulance costs and between €1.19 million and €3.43 million in emergency room visits over five years.  - Crisis preparedness: Self-service pharmacies offer crucial access to medicines during crises when traditional pharmacies may be unavailable as they are mobile and can easily be transported to any location needed. In a highly regulated and complex sector like pharmaceuticals, it's essential to engage stakeholders from all sides, including pharmacies, pharmacists, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and technology providers such as Grab2GO. Thank you to everyone who contributed their insights - only by working together, we can create a solution that meets the needs of both the industry and the public, making sure we do innovation the right way. Data-driven decision making in the government is a key factor that Accelerate Estonia strives for. By offering this data to the government, we hope to make impactful businesses like the self-service automated pharmacies a reality.

🚀 This is how Estonia is opening doors for UK innovators! 🌎 On Tuesday, we co-hosted an exciting pitching event with Oxentia at the Estonian Embassy in London. We heard from UK-based companies breaking through regulatory barriers and pitching innovative solutions with the potential to unlock new markets and spark fresh economic opportunities. 🇬🇧 Why is Accelerate Estonia in the UK? We’re on a mission — to discover bold ideas that can be tested and scaled in Estonia, with access to the entire EU market. Also a big thank you to the Viljar Lubi and Ülane Vilumets (e-Residency) for shedding light on the ease of doing business in Estonia. We now continue our search for UK innovators, whose bright ideas we can test and help bring to life in Estonia! As always, if you know any businesses facing regulatory hurdles in the UK send them on our way. ✉️

🧬 20% of Estonia’s population's genetic data is stored in a biobank—while it may seem like Estonia holds the key to personalized medicine, with genetic data opening the door for tailored treatments and preventive care, this potential remains untapped. 🗞️ In his recent article, oncologist Peeter Padrik unravels the tangled threads of personalized medicine in Estonia. Despite the rich genetic collection of data, expertise, and infrastructure, different knots, including legislative, are tying up progress. ⚖️ For instance, the Estonian Human Genes Research Act prevents doctors from directly accessing genetic data, even with the individual's consent. A person can request their data and send it to their doctor - however, this adds an unnecessary hurdle to the process. While it is certain that individuals must retain control over their genetic data, sharing it with healthcare providers shouldn't require navigating excessive red tape. In partnership with Antegenes, we are currently exploring these legal and procedural barriers as well as how overcoming them could unlock the future of healthcare. Peeter Padrik’s recent article can be read in full (EST): https://lnkd.in/d2-GgMSB

⌛ How can we improve regional access to medications for communities across the country? 💊 Accelerate Estonia, in collaboration with Grab2GO, is exploring the benefits innovative self-service pharmacies bring to healthcare systems, patients, pharmacists, and governments. Together, we seek to enhance access to medications, reduce strain on healthcare providers, and build a more flexible, efficient healthcare infrastructure across the country. 🎞️ What benefits could self-service pharmacies bring to state healthcare systems? How can we integrate new technology while ensuring that the solution remains human-centered? Find out in the video below ⤵️

👩🔬 Big news from the biotech sector! Estonian startup and Accelerate Estonia alumni, ÄIO, has successfully secured €6.1 million in funding from top venture capital firms like Voima Ventures, 2C Ventures, SmartCap, and Nordic Foodtech VC. This investment will support the construction of a demo plant to produce sustainable oils and fats from wood and agricultural residues. What’s truly inspiring is how breakthrough solutions like ÄIO’s can thrive, even in tightly regulated sectors such as novel foods. By offering clear value in sustainability, efficiency, and scalability, innovative companies can navigate complex regulatory landscapes and attract substantial investment. 🌎 This success also highlights that novel foods is a sector to be taken seriously—it's an area ripe for innovation and investment, with the potential to shape the future of food production. We’re proud to have worked with such a game-changing solution in our programme. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/d3zVWNyf

👩⚕️ Healthcare is one of the most regulated fields globally, and rightly so—it impacts both our health and lives. However, to keep modern healthcare services up-to-date and accessible, it’s imperative to introduce regulatory flexibility, driven by science and data Accelerate Estonia’s Head of Public Policy and Innovation, Greta Elva-Jõemaa, recently shared her insights on how the public sector can support emerging technologies at Tervisekogukonna Kärajad 2024. 📊 In her presentation, Greta highlighted the essential role of data in crafting effective health policies, while also advocating for adaptability in a sector bound by rigid regulations. She addressed the challenges posed by limited funding and pointed out that leveraging existing state support mechanisms is crucial for unlocking innovation. 💊To illustrate her points, Greta introduced the collaborative project, between Accelerate Estonia and Grab2GO, which aims to enable self-service pharmacies in Estonia to improve regional access to medication and ease the burden on emergency services. Altogether, Greta’s presentation stressed the importance of fostering innovation through strong public-private collaboration, focusing on overcoming barriers and advancing progress in the health sector. 🌐 What is Tervisekogukonna Kärajad? Tehnopol’s HealthTech Community creates a unified network that supports the growth of health tech companies in Estonia and globally. It fosters local and international health initiatives through collaborative projects and diverse events, while enhancing communication within the ecosystem. A huge thanks to the other organisers! Tehnopol HealthTech Sotsiaalministeerium / The Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia Tervisekassa (Estonian Health Insurance Fund) EASi ja KredExi ühendasutus Tervise ja Heaolu Infosüsteemide Keskus // Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (TEHIK)

🌱 How can sawdust be turned into a delicious muffin? Take a look! We’re proud to have supported an innovative company like ÄIO on their journey to revolutionize the food industry. ÄIO continues to transform sawdust into healthy, sustainable oils, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional fats like palm and coconut oil. Accelerate Estonia, in collaboration with ÄIO, has been focused on fast-tracking the approval of next-generation foods. Along the way, a strong community in food innovation has emerged, including Estonia’s first novel food tasting at Latitude59, exploration of strategic directions for the sector, and efforts to chart the course for navigating the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) process.

🌟 One of the last days of summer was filled with sunshine, engaging discussions and valuable insights from Peeter Koppel about the current and future economic challenges of Estonia and beyond, sparking thought-provoking conversations among attendees. Like always, it was fantastic to see so many industry peers and stakeholders come together to network, share ideas, and reconnect. A big thank you to everyone who attended and contributed to the lively discussions! Here are a few moments 📸

❕Kuidas avaliku ja erasektori vahel sünergia leida, et turutõkked ei maksaks ettevõtlusele ja riigi majandusele kätte? 🩺 Tervisevaldkonnas on see eriti terav küsimus, sest kaalul on rohkemat kui majandusnäitajad ja eksport - kaalul on elud. Ilma innovatsioonita siin aga kaugele ei purjeta. Sellest kõigest räägin järgmine nädal Tervisekogukonna Kärajatel. Kohtume seal! 👋 #healthtech #medtech #innovation Tehnopol HealthTech EASi ja KredExi ühendasutus Tervise ja Heaolu Infosüsteemide Keskus // Health and Welfare Information Systems Centre (TEHIK) Accelerate Estonia Tervisekassa (Estonian Health Insurance Fund) Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia / Sotsiaalministeerium

🇬🇧 UK Innovators: Pitch Your Vision and Overcome Legal Barriers! Are legal barriers holding back your innovative solution? If yes, you are in the right place. 🚀 Accelerate Estonia, in collaboration with Oxentia, is seeking UK startups ready to overcome legal obstacles that hinder their growth and invites businesses to 🔓 unlock new markets. We’re looking for:  🔹 UK-based companies (B2B or B2C)  🔹 Strong, well-established teams  🔹 Solutions addressing significant global challenges  🔹 Products or services at least at the pilot stage  🔹 Companies ready to run a pilot in Estonia Apply to our pitching event on October 1st, where ten forward-thinking startups will be chosen to pitch to an expert panel. 🗓 Apply by September 16th here: https://lnkd.in/gm5TgQEx PS! If you’re still not sure about applying, join our webinar on September 10th from 13:00 to 13:45 (UK timezone) for more details. You can find more info on webinar in the application form. Instead of changing innovative products to fit the regulations, let’s change the regulations so that innovative solutions can reach the market.