​Work on real healthcare problems with international health-tech mentors and make your ideas move forward!

​​The Health Founders Estonia Startup Bootcamp is an intensive 2-day event where participants work in teams on real challenges provided by leading organisations shaping Estonia’s health system, including Tartu University Hospital, University of Tartu, Medicum, Pihlakodu, and Celvia. The focus is on making progress: exploring collaboration with real partners, testing value propositions, and shaping a realistic roadmap for development and real-world use.

​Our international mentor team brings together clinical leaders, health system innovators, founders and researchers, including Dr Katrin Kaarna, Dr Kristel Amjärv, Tõnu Esko, Jüri Kaljundi, Kerli Luks, Andres Salumets, Katrin Kangur, Philipp Koch, Dace Dimza-Jones, and many more.

​All participants will work on a partner challenge or with their own idea connected to the chosen track for the duration of the bootcamp. From each track a winning team will be selected who receives valuable awards that includes a mix of cash prizes from Medicum and Celvia, structured mentoring support from University of Tartu, possible pilot project collaborations with Tartu University Hospital and Pihlakodu, tickets to innovation events, like Latitude59 and access to the HFE accelerator programme to take the next step with your idea. 

​​​​Why should you apply?

​HFE Startup Bootcamp is built for people who are eager to make an impact in the health-tech sector.

​​By joining, you will:

• ​​Connect with like-minded researchers, innovators, and practitioners who are actively working to translate science and evidence into healthcare solutions that matter.

• ​​Tackle a real-world healthcare challenge faced daily by a healthcare organisation, clinic, or research institution.

• ​​Pressure-test your idea with experts across clinical practice, business, and research commercialisation - gaining targeted feedback that goes beyond theory and into feasibility, scalability, and impact.

• ​​Clarify your development pathway, including validation needs, research or pilot priorities, regulatory or ethical considerations, and relevant funding or partnership opportunities.

​​Who should join?

​HFE Startup Bootcamp is for people who want to actively engage and contribute in the innovative healthcare environment, including:

• ​​students and early-career professionals;

• ​​software developers and data specialists;

• ​​biomedical and life-science researchers;

• ​​clinicians and healthcare professionals.

​​Choose your innovation track!

​HFE Startup Bootcamp prepares participants to select from three innovation tracks described below.

​​Digital Health Track:
The Digital Health Track focuses on building practical prototypes that use conversational interfaces, AI, and workflow-aware design to reduce friction in care, both for patients and for healthcare professionals. Here you can choose between Tartu University Hospital, Medicum or Pihlakodu provided challenges. 

​​Biotech Track:
​Translate biological insights into credible development pathways: designed for early-stage scientific projects focused on either ageing biology or the microbiome. Here you can choose between Tartu University and Celvia provided challenges.

​​Open Innovation Track:
Develop and strengthen your own early-stage idea with expert feedback: a flexible option for participants who already have an idea or project they want to explore further, either individually or in small teams. 

​Read more about the tracks, challenges, awards and agenda HERE.

​​​The event is in English and on-site. Register now, as the seats are limited.

​​​The event is organised by Health Founders Estonia (HFE) and funded by the European Union through Enterprise Estonia. The event is sponsored by Ülemiste City, Ülemiste City Health Centre and Lovable.