The VELES project partners met in Athens, Greece, for a two-day meeting hosted by HDHC, following the Clusters Meet Regions event in the Attica Region. The meeting provided an opportunity to strengthen connections among partners, exchange knowledge and explore new opportunities for collaboration in the field of health data spaces.
As part of the programme, VELES partners participated in the Clusters Meet Regions event, which brought together clusters and stakeholders from across the innovation ecosystem to discuss how collaboration can support regional development and help translate innovation potential into market impact. During the event, the clusters Health Life Sciences Bulgaria, Imago-Mol and HDHC presented their services and activities, highlighting the role of clusters in connecting businesses, research organisations and other ecosystem actors. VELES partners also took part in an interactive lab on digital health and innovation in Europe. The discussions focused on the challenges facing innovators and the opportunities for stronger cooperation among clusters, European Digital Innovation Hubs (EDIHs), research institutions, companies and public authorities.The meeting also included a visit to Athens Life Tech Park, Greece's first biotechnology park, providing partners with an opportunity to learn more about the country's developing life sciences ecosystem and its potential to support research, innovation and entrepreneurship. In addition, the project coordinator presented GATE and the VELES project. Participation in these activities offered VELES partners the opportunity to engage with the wider innovation ecosystem and exchange perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping digital health across Europe.
On the second day, the meeting focused on the project's next steps, with particular attention to strengthening cross-border collaboration between the VELES pilot use cases in Cyprus, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania. The discussions provided an opportunity for partners to review upcoming activities, exchange perspectives and explore how closer cooperation across the participating countries can contribute to the project's objectives in health data spaces. HDHC warmly thanks René Descartes College for hosting the meeting at its premises at the Institut français de Grèce, and all VELES partners for their active participation and valuable contributions.
The Athens meeting reinforced networking, knowledge exchange and collaboration in advancing digital health innovation. By combining participation in a wider European cluster event with dedicated project discussions and a study visit, the meeting helped connect the work of VELES with the broader health and life sciences innovation ecosystem.
About VELES
VELES Excellence Hub is a European project focused on strengthening excellence and cross-border collaboration in health data spaces through cooperation between innovation ecosystems in Cyprus, Bulgaria, Greece and Romania.