HERoS · Project

Pandemic Preparedness Tools That Protect Supply Chains and Health Systems From Collapse

healthTestedTRL 5

When COVID hit, hospitals ran out of masks, fake cures spread on social media, and nobody could predict which city would be overwhelmed next. HERoS built computer models that connect how people actually behave during a pandemic — panic buying, ignoring rules, sharing rumors — with the real-world effects on hospitals and supply chains across borders. They also tested drone deliveries to quarantine zones and created tools that sort through the flood of online posts to separate facts from misinformation. Think of it as a pandemic stress-test simulator for governments and health systems.

By the numbers

42,000

infections tracked at project start as baseline for model development

consortium partners contributing expertise

countries represented in the consortium

total deliverables produced

EUR 2,855,410

EU contribution to the research program

The business problem

What needed solving

When a pandemic hits, health systems, supply chains, and public trust break down simultaneously — and current planning tools treat these as separate problems. Hospitals run out of equipment because models don't account for panic buying and cross-border supply disruptions. Misinformation floods social media faster than authorities can respond, eroding public compliance with health measures.

The solution

What was built

The project built coupled simulation models that connect local human behavior (panic, compliance, rumor-spreading) with cross-border health system impacts and transportation networks to predict tipping points. They demonstrated drone delivery workflows for quarantine zones on a full mission UAV simulator, developed classification tools for sorting crowdsourced health misinformation, and created training materials including a MOOC for end users.

Audience

Who needs this

National public health agencies planning pandemic response strategiesMedical supply chain operators needing demand surge predictionDrone logistics companies seeking validated emergency delivery use casesSocial media monitoring firms offering crisis communication servicesHospital networks needing cross-border health system stress-testing tools

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Healthcare logistics and medical supply chains

enterprise

Target: Medical supply chain companies and hospital network operators

If you are a medical supply chain company dealing with unpredictable demand spikes during health emergencies — this project developed coupled models that simulate how local behavior cascades across countries and regions, pinpointing tipping points before your supply chain breaks down. The models integrate real behavioral data to forecast where shortages will hit, giving you lead time to reroute supplies. The project involved 11 partners across 7 countries testing these scenarios.

Drone logistics and last-mile delivery

mid-size

Target: Drone delivery operators and UAV service providers

If you are a drone delivery company looking to expand into emergency medical logistics — this project demonstrated drone delivery workflows for quarantine zones using a full mission UAV simulator. The system covers end-to-end missions: pickup, flight, delivery to restricted zones, and return. This validated use case gives you a ready-made operational blueprint for pitching emergency contracts to governments and health authorities.

Crisis communication and media monitoring

SME

Target: Social media monitoring firms and crisis communication agencies

If you are a media monitoring company struggling to help clients separate real health information from dangerous misinformation during emergencies — this project developed classification methods for crowdsourced information that cluster and categorize coronavirus-related content at scale. Instead of your analysts manually reviewing thousands of posts, these approaches automate the sorting of reliable versus misleading health information.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

What would it cost to implement these pandemic preparedness tools?

The full research program was funded with EUR 2,855,410 across 11 partners over three years. Specific licensing or implementation costs are not published in the project data. Contact the coordinator to discuss commercial terms for the simulation models or classification tools.

Can these models scale to cover my entire supply chain network?

The coupled model was designed to simulate cascading effects across countries and regions, not just single locations. It integrates local behavioral data with transportation network data and cross-border connections. Based on available project data, the model was validated across scenarios spanning 7 countries in the consortium.

What is the IP situation — can I license these tools?

The project was funded under Horizon 2020 as a Research and Innovation Action. IP typically remains with the consortium partners who developed each component. You would need to negotiate licensing directly with Svenska Handelshögskolan (Finland) as coordinator or the specific partner who built the tool you need.

Has the drone delivery system been tested in real emergencies?

The drone delivery workflows were demonstrated on a UAV full mission simulator, not in a live quarantine scenario. This means the operational procedures and flight plans are validated in simulation but would need real-world field testing before deployment. The simulator covered complete missions including deliveries to and from quarantine zones.

How does the misinformation classification tool work in practice?

The tool uses clustering and classification methods to sort crowdsourced information about health emergencies. It enhances situational awareness by automatically categorizing incoming social media and online content. Based on the deliverable description, it was specifically trained on coronavirus-related information.

Is this relevant only for COVID or for any future health crisis?

While developed during the COVID-19 response, the models and tools are designed for pandemic preparedness broadly. The behavioral models simulate general patterns — panic, supply hoarding, misinformation spread — that apply to any infectious disease outbreak. The project explicitly targets future pandemic preparedness, not just COVID-19.

What training and documentation is available?

The project produced end-user training materials, webinars, and a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for wider audiences. These cover how to use the tools and interpret the models. This means onboarding cost is lower than typical research-to-market transitions since structured training already exists.

Consortium

Who built it

The HERoS consortium brings together 11 partners from 7 countries (Finland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, UK, and US), giving it genuine international reach. The mix includes 4 universities, 3 industry partners, 1 research organization, and 3 other entities — a 27% industry ratio that shows some commercial grounding but is primarily academic. Notably, there are zero SMEs in the consortium, which means commercialization may require external business partners to bring these tools to market. The coordinator is Svenska Handelshögskolan in Finland, a business school, which is unusual for a health project and suggests strong attention to the economic and behavioral dimensions of pandemic response rather than purely medical aspects.

SVENSKA HANDELSHOGSKOLANCoordinator · FI
ASSOCIAZIONE DELLA CROCE ROSSA ITALIANAparticipant · IT
STICHTING VUparticipant · NL
NHG FINLAND OYparticipant · FI
CENTRUM BADAN KOSMICZNYCH PANparticipant · PL
PNO Innovationparticipant · FR
THE OPEN UNIVERSITYparticipant · UK
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITEIT DELFTparticipant · NL

How to reach the team

Svenska Handelshögskolan (Hanken School of Economics), Finland — reach out to the project coordinator through their university contact page or research office

Order a report on this consortium See SVENSKA HANDELSHOGSKOLAN profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore licensing the pandemic simulation models or drone delivery workflows for your organization? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the right research team and negotiate terms on your behalf.

Order a report on this topic More in Health & Biomedical