Health Innovation Hub Ireland launched its third annual open and focused call last December, which ran until the end of January. As with every year, the next stage for successful applicants is pitching to a panel of clinical experts and stakeholders. The panel assess each product prior to final applicants progressing to pilot and validation stage.
Due to the current health situation all companies progressing to the second stage have been informed that pitching has been postponed. HIHI looks forward to sharing revised dates, when in a position to do so.
In the meantime, the HIHI Covid-19 Solutions Portal is open – here. Healthcare businesses should submit ‘ready to implement’ solutions, both urgent and longer term, to the portal. HIHI will endeavor to make it available to those who need it.
For further information or any questions: info@hih.ie
HIHI has had a request from the front line for non-contact thermometers. Non-contact thermometers allow use from a distance, without having to make physical contact.
Please email: info@hih.ie, if you can help.
CSF call.63 – all sectors, is open from March 24th – April 14th. The purpose of the fund is to accelerate the growth of start-up companies that have the capacity to succeed in global markets. The fund is designed to enable those companies to reach key technical and commercial milestones.
Assessments are undertaken on the applications submitted, it is important to note that the greater the progress the applicant has undertaken towards generating sustainable revenues the stronger the application. Applications from projects that are at idea, concept or design stage may be considered to require further development before applying for the competitive start fund.
To see if you’re eligible to apply for the fund please review here.
Dublin BIC – online workshop on CSF requirements:
Dublin BIC are hosting a half day workshop via zoom on April 7th from 10am until 2pm. If you want to gain a deeper understanding of Enterprise Ireland’s requirements to the CSF process and increase your chances for a success application, make sure you secure your place today via this link here.
HIHI working with EI to support our healthcare system against COVID-19
HIHI COVID-19 Solutions Portal – submit your ready to implement solutions to our database and working with Enterprise Ireland, we’ll endeavour to make it available to those who need it.
We are in unprecedented times, the normal process and order that has informed our days up to now has completely changed.
At HIHI, our function is to connect innovative businesses with healthcare, providing them with access to our healthcare experts, end-users and sometimes patients to test and pilot their products. We always do this while considering the needs of the healthcare system. Now more than ever our healthcare system has NEEDS. Now more than ever we need to act fast to address those needs. Over the past few weeks we at HIHI have been overwhelmed with calls and emails from innovators, companies and experts offering their support.
Our HSE staff and wider healthcare teams are focussing on patients and public health and they don’t have the time to review every offer. To assist with this we are creating a resource for them and for other entities in Ireland in their fight against this pandemic. We are working with Enterprise Ireland to help our healthcare system meet the demands of the pandemic. We want to capture all your products, services and expertise in one location so that it can be reviewed by those who are looking for solutions, both urgent and longer term.
The HIHI COVID-19 Solutions Portal is live on our website, here we will capture all these solutions in one location and make it available to our government agencies.
What do you need to do?
If you have a solution, product or expertise that is directly related or may have an impact on COVID-19 abatement, please go to www.hih.ie and follow the Covid-19 link. Simply complete the easy to fill form and submit it.
What will we do with this information?
HIHI working with Enterprise Ireland and partners will try to direct your information to wherever it is needed. We will make the information available to the relevant government entities. We may be back in touch with you for further information. We cannot guarantee that your information will match a need or be used, but this database will capture as many solutions as possible, some may be needed now, some at a later stage.
Ní neart go cur le chéile
From the Department of Business Innovation and Enterprise (DBEI) here are some practical steps you can take:
- Talk to your bank
All the banks have announced that they will offer flexibility to their customers, and they may be able to provide payment holidays or emergency working capital facilities.
- Take immediate steps to manage your cashflows
Look for scope to:
- Lower variable costs
- Delay discretionary spend
- Extend your payables
- Expedite your receivables
- Explore supply chain financing options
- Use available government supports for working capital
- The Credit Guarantee Scheme supports loans up to €1 million for periods of up to 7 years. Applications can be made to AIB, Bank of Ireland and Ulster Bank. Eligibility criteria apply.
- Microenterprises can access COVID-19 loans of up to €50,000 from MicroFinance Ireland. The terms include a six months interest free and repayment free moratorium, with the loan to then be repaid over the remaining 30 months of the 36-month loan period. Loans are available at an interest rate of between 6.8% and 7.8%. Businesses can apply through their Local Enterprise Office or directly at microfinanceireland.ie. Eligibility criteria apply.
- The €200m SBCI COVID-19 Working Capital Scheme for eligible businesses will be available within the next week. Maximum loan size will be €1.5 million (first €500,000 unsecured) and the maximum interest rate will be 4%. Applications can be made through the SBCI website at sbci.gov.ie. Eligibility criteria apply.
- A €200m Package for Enterprise Supports including a Rescue and Restructuring Scheme is available through Enterprise Ireland for vulnerable but viable firms that need to restructure or transform their business.
- Get advice
Get advice from your accountant or use the advisory support available from your local LEO.
- Check your insurance cover
Check if your insurance policy covers you for an interruption in your business, or a temporary business closure, caused by COVID-19.
- Engage with Revenue
If you have concerns about your ability to pay your tax liabilities speak to the Revenue Commissioners, who have advised:
“On an on-going basis, Revenue engages with viable businesses experiencing temporary cash flow or trading difficulties that affect the timely payment of tax. Revenue works very successfully with businesses that engage early to resolve their tax payment difficulties. Revenue will engage with any viable business that experiences temporary cashflow difficulties, including difficulties arising from exceptional circumstances such as the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) outbreak.” See www.revenue.ie.
Revenue has also posted advice for businesses experiencing trading difficulties as a result of COVID-19. This includes information on tax returns, the application of late payment interest, debt enforcement, tax clearance and customs.
- Be aware of government supports
- Employees of businesses that need to reduce hours or days worked can avail of the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection Short-time Work Support.
- The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has introduced a refund scheme for employers. Under an arrangement developed with Revenue, employers who have to temporarily lay-off staff and who are not in a position to make any wage payment to them, are asked to keep their employees on the payroll and pay them an amount of €203 – the equivalent of the COVID-19 Support Payment. When they submit payroll returns to Revenue via their payroll provider, Revenue will refund the employer the €203. Please see COVID-19 Employer Refund Scheme for full details.
- For those workers who have been laid off without pay, there is no need to visit an Intreo Centre. The DEASP has introduced a new support payment for the self-employed who have lost business and to those who have lost employment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment. This support pays a flat rate of €203 per week for a six-week period.
- The full range of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Local Enterprise Office and Údarás na Gaeltachta grant supports will be available to firms to help with strategies to innovate, diversify markets and supply chains and to improve competitiveness.
- The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation will provide a joint First Responder support service through the Intreo Offices and development agencies, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland in each region to provide tailored supports for impacted firms, with objective of avoiding mass lay-offs and buying time for firms to work through the short-term disruptions.
- A Finance in Focus grant of €7,200 will be available to Enterprise Ireland and Údarás na Gaeltachta clients that want to access consultancy support to undertake immediate finance reviews.
- In addition to their current range of business supports to microenterprises, LEOs can also provide business continuity vouchers from €2,500 to assist in preparing any business continuity issues that arise in the current challenging environment. Visit LEOs COVID-19 Business Response for further details.
- Enterprise Ireland has a number of supports available to help businesses mitigate the impact of Covid-19. Their COVID-19 Business Response Plan outlines the COVID-19 supports available.
- The Department of Health has prepared COVID-19 guidance for supply chain workers.
Health Innovation Hub Ireland (HIHI), partners with Trinity College Dublin to deliver a NFQ Level 9 Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare innovation.Course delivery is blended: online and face to face.
Current students come from the frontline, health policy, pharma and health industries. Entering its second year, the Postgraduate is now open for applications for the 2020/21 cohort. There are a limited number of scholarships available to HSE staff. Applications for scholarship close May 28. General applications close June 30.
This programme is for you if:
- You are at mid- senior level seeking to maximise your personal impact and influence.
- You want to master an innovative approach to healthcare specifically, solving challenges with new technologies and methodologies that can transform current practice.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation delivers:
- The skills to identify and implement evidence-based innovative leadership practices.
- A practical understanding of applying new technologies in healthcare.
- A framework of innovation practices, to shape the direction of your organisation.
- The role of health economics, quality improvement and the principles of governance in leading effective innovative health services.
The Postgraduate culminates with Modules 7 and 8 focus sing on a practical project comprising two phases. The Course Director will support students to identify and plan, an innovative solution applicable to each participants workplace that will have positive impact in Irish healthcare.
Apply here
Email: galvinei@tcd.ie
Legislators, Regulators and Innovators-The EU Medical Device Regulatory Matrix
This is for anyone developing or thinking about developing a medical device or diagnostic device who would like to learn more about the regulatory landscape.
Guest: David Scott, Senior Associate with BHSM Solicitors
When: Friday 20th March 2020
Time: 2:00- 5:00 pm
Where: ILAS Building NUI Galway
Webinar link HERE
Contact: Eimer O’Connell, HIHI, (eimer.oconnell@nuigalway.ie)
https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/legislators-regulators-and-innovators-the-eu-mdr-matrix-tickets-94180906627
Module 5 for our Postgraduate Diploma students – Patient centric economics – was ably led by Prof Charles Normand, Edward Kennedy Professor of Health Policy and Management at the University of Dublin, Trinity College. For over a decade Charles held the position ‘Professor of Health Economics’ at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and remains a visiting professor there. Both his BA and DPhil are in economics. Much of his work is on the evaluation of treatments and services, with a particular interest on neonatal technologies, heart disease and the major cancers.
Module 5, of the HIHI/TCD Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation, develops the students ability to apply economic principles to health systems analysis. In particular to understand the roles of incentives, how markets work and fail in health systems. Setting priorities based on economic evaluation and the impact of ageing and demographic change on costs of care, are also examined.
Dr James O’Mahony supported delivery of Module 5, over two days. James is a health economist at the Centre for Health Policy and Management at Trinity College Dublin. He holds the position of Assistant Research Professor within the School of Medicine and is employed under a Health Research Board (HRB) Emerging Investigator Award.
The Postgraduate Diploma in Healthcare Innovation is a level 9 full-time one year course. It comprises of eight taught modules: six foundation modules and two project modules including methodology workshops and a practical field project. The programme offers a fundamental grounding in key subjects such as design thinking and embedding a culture of innovation, process innovation, lean thinking and social innovation, innovation & health economics, healthcare, innovation and leadership.
The course culminates next summer in a practical project, rather than the traditional thesis, comprising two phases. The Course Director will help the participants to identify and plan, with a view to implementation, an innovative solution applicable to each participants workplace.
Applications now open for 2020/2021 intake More here.
Contact:
Eimear Galvin, HIHI TCD Manager: galvinei@tcd.ie.
Last week Health Innovation Hub Ireland welcomed back our excellent ‘Innovation Workshops’ cohort from across the country for HIHI Workshop 4 – ‘Product Innovation in Healthcare’, in the TCD Institute of Population Health, Tallaght.
Strategic Lead for BioInnovate Ireland – a national programme that uses engineering and clinical skill to create future health solutions – Dr Paul Anglim delivered Workshop 4. This key workshop focused on exploring the creation and development of new healthcare products, encouraging participants in developing their ideas to a level of viable prototype.
The critical learning outcome from this workshop was an understanding of:
• Needs led Innovation
• Barriers to Product Adoption
• Preparing to Pitch
This HIHI workshop series is purpose-designed for those working in the Irish healthcare settings. HIHI workshops are free to attend, with the only stipulation being you must currently be a HSE employee, or working in Irish primary care or voluntary hospital setting. The five workshops guide and encourage participants to explore the potential for innovative approaches within their own healthcare environment. The programme is delivered as a continuum and attendees must have completed Workshop 1 to progress with the remaining four.
If you are interested in hearing more and keeping up to date with opportunities for 2020 please email – Eimear Galvin, Manager HIHI TCD – galvinei@tcd.ie.
