Innovation mission United States (Boston): Women's health+

Research and development in women’s health has been historically underfunded. As a result, there is still an outdated and narrow view of the health and specific conditions of women and trans- and non-binary individuals with the same biological characteristics (women+).

Women's (+)health should therefore be accounted for in every step of the innovation pipeline, from research and development to clinical trial, funding and beyond. From general health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, migraines, osteoporosis, and gender bias in care delivery related to pain and mental health. To largely women-specific conditions, such as contraception, fertility, maternal health, menopause, gynaecology and women’s oncology). The recognition of sex and gender differences in health is long overdue.

Women's Health Innovation Summit and design challenge

This innovation mission is linked to the Women's Health Innovation Summit 2024. 
In addition, we will organise a design challenge, where you can work together with your US partners. This challenge will allow you to network intensively, develop innovative ideas and start international collaborations with your counterparts in a short timeframe.

For whom?

This innovation mission and design challenge are aimed at professionals in the Life Sciences and Health sector. Think doctors, clinicians and other medical professionals, scientists, engineers, designers, entrepreneurs and representation from patient organisations.

For the design challenge element specifically, we invite professionals involved in improving women’s health outcomes through research and development to participate.

What’s in it for you?

The field of women’s(+) health is a rapidly advancing field in both the Netherlands and the United States (US). In the US, women’s health research and outcomes are integrated. This research is also prioritised in research portfolios and budgets of federal and state institutions.

During this mission, we will bring together experts from both ecosystems to: 

• make connections; 
• explore research and development opportunities dedicated to improving women’s health; and
• collaborate on challenges in creating equitable health outcomes in the Netherlands and Boston.

This innovation mission gives you the opportunity to be right in the center of the USA developments in women’s(+) health. The focus will be on the vibrant Boston ecosystem. In the first part of the week, the Women's Health Innovation Summit offers plenty of networking opportunities in which important stakeholders from other regions of the US, such as New York and Washington, DC will be present. In the second part of the week, the design challenge offers you the chance to work closely with your US counterparts. In collaborative sessions, we put professionals to work on predefined challenges. With this: 

• we bring together different disciplines, expertise and methods to overcome transatlantic barriers and encourage multidisciplinary thinking across sectors, resources, goals and methodologies;
• we allow participating experts to demonstrate their value as potential, future partners to each other; and
• we create the space for developing solutions that can lead to longer term R&D collaboration.

Programme

The mission programme is still under development. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency and the Netherlands Innovation Network in Boston are working together with key players in the Boston area to create a beneficial and fruitful programme for participants.

In the mission programme, we identify key R&D needs and technical challenges in improving women’s health outcomes. We want to link these needs and challenges to Dutch expertise. When determining the final programme, we will take into account the specific wishes of you as a participant as much as possible. 

The concept programme in a nutshell:

Costs

The costs for participating in this innovation mission are €250 per person, excluding VAT. This includes:

• participation in the design challenge and programme components outside the conference; 
• local transfers to and from programme components; and 
• lunch and dinners (if mentioned in the programme).

Participation does not include: 

• the costs for the Women’s Health Innovation Summit (for early bird tickets: register before 24 May); 
• travel and accommodation expenses (hotels and intercontinental flights); and 
• other individual costs.

Participation

Would you like to participate in this innovation mission? Then please register before 28 June 2024 via the online registration form.

Would you like to participate only in the design challenge? That is also possible. Please indicate your preference via the registration form. Please note the number of places for participation is limited.

For a successful design challenge, it is important that the experts who participate fall within the specified setup and substantive focus of the programme. Multidisciplinary knowledge and experience exchange between academics and industry is key. Therefore, your registration does not automatically imply participation in the programme.

We select the participants based on diversity and alignment with the objectives of this mission. Therefore, we confirm participation in the mission after the registration period has closed.

Questions?

Do you have any questions about this mission? Then please contact:

Niels van Leeuwen, Senior Advisor International R&D cooperation Life Sciences & Health 

• E: niels.vanleeuwen@rvo.nl
• M: +31 (0) 6 5256 3310

Or send an email to innovatiemissies@rvo.nl.