The kick-off meeting of the IN-4-AHA project was held on 9 February. External stakeholders were invited to join the morning programme to discuss the project’s mission, the current policy framework, and existing barriers to scale-up active and healthy ageing. IN-4-AHA proved how it can unlock the potential and deliver the promise of digital innovation. The consortium furthermore showcased how stakeholders such as the EIP on AHA community, policy-makers, healthcare providers, SME’s, and investors can be engaged in the project. 

Irina Kalderon Libal (DG CONNECT, European Commission) presented the current EU policy framework around ageing and focused on the Green Paper on Ageing that was published on 27 January 2021. Gisela Garcia- Alvarez (Galician Health Cluster), a partner in the IN-4-AHA consortium, discussed the importance of clusters and digital innovation hubs to engage with several layers of the society and together work towards innovative solutions. During a lively panel discussion, members of the IN-4-AHA consortium and external stakeholders discussed the legacy of EIP on AHA, and, furthermore, identified what kind of changes are required for the future. The speakers agreed that new solutions should be sustainable and must be built upon strong dialogues with all sorts of stakeholders. The new plans should be in line with procurers’ needs and the expectations of the end-users.

Link to recording: https://www.tehnopol.ee/en/innovation-networks-for-scaling-active-and-healthy-ageing/