The Greek company MyHabeats has begun its accelerator period at SmiLe Incubator as part of Bridgehead, a program in the EU organization EIT Health. MyHabeat will receive support from SmiLe coaches over a period of almost one year during which it will test its product in the Swedish market. Two more European companies will soon come to SmiLe.
“At SmiLe we help European companies within the Bridgehead project, which allows other organizations to support our startup companies with testing of their products in new markets. We are constantly working to expand our international contact network in order to provide our incubator companies with the best opportunities,” says Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO of SmiLe Incubator.
MyHabeats has an app designed for people who have undergone weight-loss surgery. It is a behavioral tool to maximize adherence to guidelines after surgery.
The business idea was challenged during the first visit to SmiLe. Katie Milionis, CEO of MyHabeats, says:
“I was honored to be invited to SmiLe's business forum, where four senior coaches reviewed various aspects of my company. The meeting gave me many new ideas and brought some important things to my attention that I need to further explore,” she says.
Why did you choose Sweden?
“Digitally, the country is well developed, almost everyone has a mobile phone and understands English. Sweden is also considered to be among the most innovative countries in the world. So if we can't succeed here – where else could we?” she says.
Katie Milioni appreciates SmiLe’s “community”:
“The environment here at SmiLe feels friendly and educational. There are people here who have already done the same thing that I’m doing and who will help me. It feels like everyone takes care of each other during development of the companies,” she says.
European Companies ready to receive coaching at SmiLe:
MyHabeats (Greece) – behavioral tool to maximize adherence to guidelines after weight-loss surgery.
Sleepiz (Switzerland) – medtech monitor to wirelessly record data such as respiration, pulse, movements during sleep.
Bedal (Belgium) – technical aid to stabilize catheters.
Read more here.
This year the EU organization EIT Health launched the Bridgehead program, which will help the most promising European startup companies in health with their introduction to the market in Europe. EIT Health has selected incubators and other support organizations that will offer expert services to companies. SmiLe Incubator was one of the first from Scandinavia. Startup companies get to apply to the Bridgehead program at SmiLe and after acceptance they come to SmiLe a number of times for on-site coaching.
This is EIT Health: EIT Health is a high-quality European network with more than 140 partners from industry, academia, and payers/providers of health care in Europe. Region Skåne is a Core Partner since 2018, which gives companies with a relation to Region Skåne or to an actor in the Skåne innovation system an opportunity to seek funding for international growth. Innovation Skåne is responsible for the program's coordination in Skåne and validates the companies' applications. For more information: see eithealth.eu or contact bengt.stavenow@innovationskane.com )
For information about SmiLe Incubator, contact: Ebba Fåhraeus, CEO at SmiLe Incubator
+46 (0)734000433, ebba@smileincubator.life ; Or visit our mediaroom
SmiLe is a life science business incubator based in Medicon Village in Lund. SmiLe Incubator helps entrepreneurs to commercialize their ideas. There are currently more than 20 companies in SmiLe, which together with alumni companies, have attracted almost EUR 290 million in venture capital to date since 2014. SmiLe offers business coaching, a large network of contacts and a dynamic community, as well as many well-equipped laboratories, which is unique of its kind in Sweden. SmiLe is a non-profit organization and receives basic funding from Region Skåne, Lund Municipality, Lund University and Medicon Village. SmiLe´s sponsors are Sparbanken Skåne, Awa, Høiberg, Prevas, Setterwalls, Zacco, Aqilion. SmiLe’s listed alumni companies have a market capitalization of almost EUR 690 million (Q2 2019). www.smileincubator.life