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Metropolia, the City of Helsinki, and HUS enable Finnish health technology companies to access European testing environments

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The health research, development, and innovation ecosystem Health Proof Helsinki (HPH) has joined the European TEF-Health network. The network focusing on health technology, artificial intelligence, and robotics, enables Finnish health tech companies to access some of Europe’s most significant testing environments for medical devices.

TEF-Health provides both physical and virtual spaces for large-scale reference testing and experimentation. This allows companies to receive support for testing, validating, and demonstrating the latest AI and robotics solutions in both simulated and real-world environments.

Within Health Proof Helsinki, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, the City of Helsinki, and HUS Helsinki University Hospital collaborate with partners to develop new solutions and test health and well-being technologies. HPH supports Finnish companies and stakeholders in healthcare and health tech, for example in starting development work, navigating regulations, and going international.

“Membership in TEF strengthens Metropolia’s role as a higher education institution promoting health education and applied research. It allows us to better support companies in user-centered product development and testing, and to develop up-to-date, research-based solutions that contribute to innovation in the health sector”, says Eija Raussi-Lehto, Research and Testing Manager at Metropolia.

“We’ve taken important steps toward establishing permanent and international health innovation activities. TEF-Health offers innovative health companies an excellent opportunity to become part of key international testing environments and to develop their solutions in authentic, real-world settings”, says Sanna Hartman, Senior Advisor at the City of Helsinki.

“Healthcare is undergoing a transformation, as the use of data becomes more efficient and AI-driven innovations play an increasingly important role. In the TEF-Health network, Europe’s top experts in health technology work together to ensure new innovations are functional, reliable, and fair. The result is a comprehensive service catalog to support companies in their product development”, says Jaakko Salmenkylä, Data Analyst at HUS.

TEF-Health is seeking health innovations utilizing artificial intelligence and robotics for testing

The international call for SME companies by TEF-Health is now open. The call will remain open until the number of providers is filled, but no later than 31 December 2027, when the TEF-Health project funding ends.

Opportunities include, for example:

  • Access to high-quality data, clinical testing environments and healthcare infrastructure
  • Expert consultation
  • Physical and virtual pilot environments
  • Support for companies and hospitals in developing the solution

You can apply if:

  • Your small or medium-sized company is established and based in the EU or EEA
  • You are developing an AI or robotics solution with a technology readiness level (TRL) of 6 or higher

STAI project seeks faster paths to internationalization for companies

Health Proof Helsinki participates in the TEF-Health network through the STAI project (Simulation, TestBed, and AI services for companies in Uusimaa), funded by the Akke program of the Regional Council of Uusimaa.

The aim of the STAI project is to create the foundation for a broad innovation network in Uusimaa’s health tech sector, to productize services around the Health Proof Helsinki framework, and to integrate the TEF network as part of the services offered to growth companies. This offers companies a faster path to internationalization.

“Our goal is to create a flexible operating model for companies so they can easily tap into the power of a broad network and receive support, for example, in developing exports”, says Kari Heikkilä, Project Manager of the STAI project at Metropolia.

The first international call for companies opened in April 2025. The call will remain open until all service provider spots are filled, but no later than December 31, 2027, when the TEF-Health project funding ends.

More information:

Eija Raussi-Lehto
Research and Testing Manager, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Eija.Raussi-Lehto [at] metropolia.fi (Eija[dot]Raussi-Lehto[at]metropolia[dot]fi)

Kari Heikkilä
Project Manager, STAI Project, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences
Kari.Heikkila [at] metropolia.fi (Kari[dot]Heikkila[at]metropolia[dot]fi)