STICHTING HEALTH CLUSTERNET

Their core work

Health ClusterNet is an Amsterdam-based foundation that facilitates cross-sector collaboration between health, ICT, biotechnology, and medical device industries. They specialize in building bridges between traditionally separate sectors — connecting healthcare with digital technology, aerospace with biotech — to unlock innovation that no single sector could achieve alone. Their most recent work focuses on digital health solutions for ageing populations, particularly smart living environments that help older adults maintain independence and social participation.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

Health ClusterNet began in 2017 with broad cross-sector innovation facilitation — connecting ICT, health, biotech, aerospace, and energy sectors through capacity-building initiatives (INNOLABS, Cross4Health). By 2021, their focus sharpened significantly toward applied digital health for ageing populations, with specific attention to smart living environments, chronic disease management, and social participation. This shift from generic sector-bridging to a concrete health-tech application area suggests a maturing organization that found its niche.

Health ClusterNet is moving from broad cluster facilitation toward applied digital health solutions for elderly care — expect future work in age-tech, remote monitoring, and preventive health platforms.

How they like to work

Health ClusterNet always participates as a partner, never as coordinator, which is consistent with their role as a networking foundation rather than a research performer. With 23 unique partners across 12 countries in just 3 projects, they bring unusually wide networks to each consortium — averaging nearly 8 partners per project. This makes them valuable as a connector who can pull in diverse expertise from across Europe, though they rely on others to lead the technical agenda.

Despite only 3 projects, Health ClusterNet has built a network spanning 23 partners across 12 countries — a remarkably broad reach for a small foundation. Their geographic footprint covers a wide European spread, consistent with their role as a cross-sector networking hub based in Amsterdam.

What sets them apart

Health ClusterNet's value lies not in technical research but in their ability to connect sectors that don't normally talk to each other — aerospace with biotech, ICT with medical devices. For consortium builders, they offer ready-made access to a diverse pan-European network of 23+ organizations. Their recent pivot into digital health for ageing gives them domain-specific credibility in a market with strong EU policy support and growing demand.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SMILE
  Their largest project (EUR 208,750) and a clear strategic pivot — from generic cross-sector brokerage into applied digital health for ageing populations with smart living environments.
• Cross4Health
  An unusually ambitious cross-sector scope connecting aerospace, biotech, ICT, energy, and medical devices — illustrating Health ClusterNet's core identity as a sector-bridging organization.