DIH-HERO · Project

Pan-European Network Helping Companies Bring Robotics Into Hospitals and Elderly Care

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Imagine you've built a great robot that could help surgeons or care for elderly people at home, but you have no idea how to get it into a hospital. DIH-HERO set up a Europe-wide network of 18 specialized hubs across 11 countries that act as a one-stop shop — connecting robotics companies with hospitals, offering testing facilities, business advice, and even travel vouchers to visit partner labs. Think of it as a matchmaking and acceleration service specifically for healthcare robotics, covering everything from surgical tools to home-care assistants.

By the numbers

partner organizations in the hub network

European countries covered

project deliverables produced

research organizations in the consortium

university partners providing technical and medical expertise

The business problem

What needed solving

Healthcare robotics companies — especially SMEs — face a painful gap between developing a working robot and getting it adopted in hospitals or care homes. They lack clinical testing access, regulatory know-how, and connections to healthcare buyers. Meanwhile, hospitals interested in robotics don't know which solutions are reliable or how to integrate them into clinical workflows.

The solution

What was built

DIH-HERO built and operated a pan-European network of Digital Innovation Hubs specialized in healthcare robotics, including an online portal with a travel voucher module (FSTP) to fund cross-border access to hub services. Across 31 deliverables, the project created service channels connecting robotics companies with hospitals and care facilities across 11 countries.

Audience

Who needs this

Robotics SMEs developing surgical, rehabilitation, or assistive robots for healthcareHospital innovation managers looking to pilot robotic solutionsElderly care providers exploring automation for home care and assisted livingMedical device companies expanding into robotics-enabled productsRegional development agencies wanting to set up healthcare robotics innovation ecosystems

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Medical device manufacturing

SME

Target: SME or startup developing surgical or assistive robots

If you are a robotics startup struggling to get your product tested in a real clinical setting — DIH-HERO built a network of 18 partner hubs across 11 countries that connect technology developers directly with hospitals and care facilities. Their travel voucher programme funded cross-border visits so companies could access testing infrastructure and medical expertise they lacked locally. The network covered the full healthcare pathway from prevention and diagnosis through treatment and home care.

Elderly care and home health services

any

Target: Care home operator or home-care technology provider

If you run care facilities and want to adopt robotics for elderly assistance but don't know where to start — DIH-HERO created dedicated channels between technology providers and healthcare professionals to reduce adoption barriers. Their hubs offered both technical assessment and business development support, helping care providers understand which robotic solutions actually fit their workflows. The network specifically focused on home and care-based robotics for healthy aging.

Hospital logistics and clinical operations

enterprise

Target: Hospital group or health system looking to automate logistics

If you manage hospital operations and face staffing pressure in logistics, pharmacy delivery, or clinical support — DIH-HERO's network connects you with robotics innovators who have solutions for hospital logistics and clinical services. Their 18 hubs across Europe each maintain operational relationships with hospitals and healthcare facilities, so they can match your specific operational needs with tested technology providers. The hubs combine medical expertise with business development and access to finance.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What does it cost to access the DIH-HERO network and its services?

The project offered travel vouchers through an online FSTP portal to fund cross-border visits to partner hubs. The project itself has ended (closed December 2023), but the network was designed with concrete sustainability plans beyond the project lifespan. Contact the coordinator at Universiteit Twente for current access terms.

Can this network support industrial-scale rollout of healthcare robotics?

DIH-HERO was built as an Innovation Action specifically to accelerate market adoption, not just research. With 18 partners across 11 countries and operational relationships with hospitals and healthcare facilities, it was designed to support companies scaling from prototype to deployment across European markets.

What about intellectual property — do I keep my IP if I use these hubs?

Based on available project data, the network focused on connecting companies with testing facilities and business support, not on co-developing proprietary technology. IP arrangements would depend on the specific hub and service used. Contact the coordinator for details on current IP policies.

Which countries and regions does the network cover?

The consortium spans 11 countries: Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, and the UK. Each hub partner connects to their own regional networks, giving broader reach than just the 18 direct partners.

Is the network still operational after the project ended?

The project closed in December 2023 but was explicitly built on concrete plans to sustain the network beyond the project period. The infrastructure, including the online portal, was designed for long-term operation. Check dih-hero.eu for current status.

How does this differ from a generic business incubator?

DIH-HERO hubs are specialized in healthcare robotics only, and each one combines both technical and medical expertise through pre-existing relationships with hospitals. This dual expertise — robotics engineering plus clinical knowledge — is what generic incubators cannot offer.

Consortium

Who built it

The DIH-HERO consortium of 18 partners across 11 countries is heavily research-oriented, with 10 research organizations and 7 universities but only 1 industrial partner (6% industry ratio) and 1 SME. This composition reflects its role as a network builder rather than a product developer — the hubs themselves serve as the bridge to industry. The geographic spread from Western Europe (Netherlands, Germany, France) through Southern (Spain, Italy) to Eastern Europe (Poland, Serbia) gives genuine pan-European coverage. The coordinator, Universiteit Twente in the Netherlands, is well-known for robotics research and has strong ties to the medical technology sector.

UNIVERSITEIT TWENTECoordinator · NL
UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM AACHENparticipant · DE
IMPERIAL COLLEGE OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINEparticipant · UK
FUNDACION TECNALIA RESEARCH & INNOVATIONparticipant · ES
COMMISSARIAT A L ENERGIE ATOMIQUE ET AUX ENERGIES ALTERNATIVESparticipant · FR
INTERUNIVERSITAIR MICRO-ELECTRONICA CENTRUMparticipant · BE
TEKNOLOGISK INSTITUTparticipant · DK
SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO S ANNAparticipant · IT
DEUTSCHES ZENTRUM FUR LUFT - UND RAUMFAHRT EVparticipant · DE
FONDAZIONE ISTITUTO ITALIANO DI TECNOLOGIAparticipant · IT
EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICHparticipant · CH
ELEKTROTEHNICKI FAKULTET UNIVERZITET U BEOGRADUparticipant · RS
POLITECNICO DI MILANOparticipant · IT
ITECHNIC GMBHparticipant · DE
FUNDACIO EURECATparticipant · ES
FONDAZIONE POLITECNICO DI MILANOthirdparty · IT

How to reach the team

Universiteit Twente (Netherlands) — search for DIH-HERO project lead at University of Twente robotics department

Order a report on this consortium See UNIVERSITEIT TWENTE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want an introduction to the DIH-HERO network coordinators? SciTransfer can connect you with the right hub for your healthcare robotics needs.

Order a report on this topic More in Health & Biomedical