After two months of deliberations, the jury of the NEXT French Healthcare program organized by Business France and Bpifrance, selected 13 French digital health startups. The winning start-ups will benefit from a digital bootcamp, followed by a face-to-face roadshow in the United States and Canada to meet potential partners and investors.

Despite the health crisis and the halt to international travel, Business France and Bpifrance have decided to maintain the 2020 edition of the NEXT French Healthcare program, with applications from more than 20 French digital health startups.

NEXT French Healthcare: the importance of digital health in times of health crisis

Innovation in digital health makes sense in this time of pandemic. The growth and development of medical solutions and devices, such as telemedicine solutions, tools for remote diagnosis or patient monitoring, are among the spearheads in the fight against Covid-19.

Through this program, Business France aims to be the driving force behind the HealthTech revolution. Even if the new healthcare markets are estimated to be worth several billion euros, French start-ups in the sector are still struggling to materialize their offers and products due to a lack of available funds and support.
It is in this context that the NEXT French Healthcare program is being developed. Its objective is to give visibility to projects, which are real relays for growth, employment and international expansion.

Note: This program, which has already accompanied more than 80 companies in previous editions, has enabled more than 50% of the winners to initiate North American collaborations.

The excellence of French digital health expertise is investing North America

Business France wishes to bring the excellence of French digital health expertise to the international scene, with the program enabling start-ups to develop in the US and Canadian markets.

Thus, the 13 winning startups of the 2020 edition will participate in two complementary events:

A digital bootcamp, from June 22nd to July 10th. On the programme: three weeks of collective sessions and in-depth sessions aimed at increasing the start-up’s skills on all subjects related to entrepreneurship (regulatory, marketing, communication, fundraising, HR, operations, etc.), enabling it to create a network and benefit from feedback from experts…

And a roadshow, organised from 15 to 23 October in the United States and Canada. At the end of the event, more than a hundred business meetings, organized by Business France, aimed at establishing partnerships and introducing the 13 winning startups to potential clients.

With its network of sector experts close to local decision-makers and opportunities, Business France is a catalyst for innovation that knows how to connect French companies seeking international expansion and investors seeking excellence.

Elsa Rive, Director of the Health Division Business France North America and head of the NEXT French Healthcare program, explains :

“The major North American groups are very appreciative of the vitality of French companies in the healthcare sector and are committed with them – particularly through the NEXT French Healthcare program – to innovate. French HealthTech confirms its place among the world leaders, with emblematic startups such as Voluntis, Cardiologs distinguished by the MIT Review, or very promising emerging companies such as Tilak Healthcare and Owkin.

As France becomes “startup paradise”, a transatlantic programme seems more necessary than ever. French startups are too often too late in thinking internationally. It is necessary to think global from the outset. And for that, there is only one solution when you are a HealthTech company: having a presence in North America”.

For Bpifrance, supporting innovative French companies internationally is a strategic challenge, with the main objective of enabling them to succeed in establishing themselves on foreign markets in the long term.

Paul-François Fournier, Executive Director in charge of Innovation at Bpifrance, points out :

“The US market represents the major and unavoidable market for start-ups in the field of medtech and digital health. The NEXT French Healthcare programme has attracted a large number of very high quality applications for this 2020 edition. It is reassuring to note that the health crisis that we have been experiencing for several weeks has not impacted the interest and enthusiasm of startups for export.

The American jury was thus able to select 13 tricolour nuggets. One of the winners, Pixium Vision, is a participation of Bpifrance, which is particularly pleasing to us”.

Winners at the cutting edge of innovation to represent France across the Atlantic

In the fall of 2020, the winning startups, named below, will go to represent France in North America to defend the excellence of French digital health:

Aqemia

Aqemia is a deeptech startup in the field of drug discovery. It relies on revolutionary physical theory and unique software to find promising drug candidates among millions of molecules. Its software thus predicts the affinity between drug candidates and the therapeutic targets responsible for diseases.

BaseCamp Vascular

BaseCamp Vascular has developed a robotic vascular navigation system to facilitate the treatment of Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA) by thrombectomy. It thus offers a robotic catheterization solution for endovascular navigation.

Domalys

Domalys’ mission is to embellish the daily life of dependent people and their entourage in order to meet the expectations and desires of residents (elderly and handicapped people) as well as those of the staff of nursing homes and retirement homes. Their products are adapted and co-designed with the care staff.

Ekinnox

Ekinnox is a startup whose mission is to democratize the analysis of human movement by developing simple, reliable and accessible solutions. KinTracK, Ekinnox’s first product, is a medical device for the visual and quantified analysis of gait for use by healthcare personnel in rehabilitation institutions.

Ellcie-Healthy

Ellcie-Healthy is a startup that develops intelligent and connected glasses for sleep and fall detection. This technological innovation brings valuable information to each individual to better manage their health, well-being and safety.

Imageens

Imageens creates medical image processing applications that help physicians and researchers detect and diagnose cardiovascular disease early by providing rapid treatment and accurate, reliable reporting.

Medexprim

Medexprim provides IT and consulting services to healthcare institutions and radiology practices for the efficient and secure use and exploitation of their imaging exams and contextual clinical data for research projects and big data (imaging data storage).

OphtAI

OphtAI, a joint venture between two leading manufacturers, aims to revolutionize the screening and diagnosis of eye diseases thanks to its cutting-edge solution based on artificial intelligence. Its ambition is to democratize expertise to promote prevention, facilitate screening and diagnosis of eye diseases.

Pixium Vision

Pixium Vision has developed bionic vision systems based on its skills in Brain-Machine Interface and Artificial Intelligence. These systems aim to compensate for the loss of deep vision and to improve independence, mobility and quality of life for patients suffering from retinal degeneration in particular.

PKvitality

PKvitality is a leading bio-wear company bringing to market its patented SKinTaste® technology, a revolutionary biosensor array that uses micro-needles (<1mm long) to collect and analyze the chemical compositions of the interstitial fluid just below the skin surface.

TheraPanacea

TheraPanacea is a French company that has developed ART-Plan, the first fully AI-based solution that allows radiotherapy to be administered on the fly. It currently consists of a first CE marked product for automatic contouring of the tumour and surrounding organs through deep and preserved multi-atlasic learning of the anatomy.

VitaDX

VitaDX develops a new diagnostic tool that is non-invasive; more efficient than urinary cytology for the detection of low grades; reproducible and reliable, and simple to use. VisioCyt’s software analysis is based on statistical learning algorithms or machine learning and more specifically deep learning.

Wefight

Wefight is a company specialized in the development of virtual assistants for sick patients and their relatives. Its goal is to create companions who answer questions by simplifying information and who are accessible anywhere and at any time during the care journey. They do not in any way replace doctors, but act as mediators.

Translated from NEXT French Healthcare : Business France et Bpifrance présentent les 13 startups françaises lauréates