European Innovation Partnership


bottom-up commercialisation using existing programmes like The Ambient Assisted Living Joint Programme,” he said. The link with AAL becomes even more explicit when


considering the EIP’s first major focus, Active and Healthy Ageing and Van Oranje Nassau was quick to establish why this theme had been chosen. “There is a compelling need,” he said. “There is a huge societal challenge as we are facing a huge demographic change. “Hand in hand with this challenge, there is significant


economic opportunity,” he continued. “We need to provide more and more services to a large and growing customer base. There is also pressure on our healthcare systems to provide solutions in this area. “As there is already a good understanding of the needs


and challenges we face as well as the existence of mature technologies and testing services in place and as government plays such a vital role in the area of healthcare, we felt we are ready to create the triple win with the EIP – developing more sustainable healthcare systems by saving on costs and making efficiencies, creating commercial opportunities and benefiting the citizen.” Van Oranje Nassau called on all in the AAL JP to support


these aims and work with EIP to engage with all stakeholders and bring Active and Healthy Ageing to the top of the agenda. There were many questions after the speech as delegates


pondered just how the AAL JP would fit into the new EIP and the real difference it would have on addressing the needs we have in society. But Van Oranje Nassau was pleased with the reception and happy that there was now a greater understanding of the support EIP can offer this area of innovation. “There were a lot of good questions which means people are


engaging and they have thought about where EIP could add value to their activities,” he said soon after the session. “But there is also a certain voice of concern from people about not being involved or not fully understanding if it’s going to be beneficial to them,” he added. “I think the message there is that this is in full development and there’s a lot we want to do, but only so much we can do. We will try to start small, a few activities, see if that works and then scale it up if it’s successful – we don’t know. “Some of our experts, especially in business, are saying


this is all going too fast, while our governments are saying its going too slow, but if you’ve seen the pace of this it’s been extremely high, especially considering it’s a new instrument and we’re working across sectors, across DGs. We are trying to look at where we have common interests, where our interests are complementary and all of that is going on as we are developing this EIP initiative, so it’s a steep learning curve.” One of the key messages


Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau believes AAL and EIP will be a perfect fit in the way they approach innovation


this market, too, where people will start to manage their own health. Money will come from other sources, the providers will be different players, so I think all that really necessitates that we have an open view to those actors who can actually join this initiative.” In terms of AAL, Van Oranje-Nassau was delighted with what


that did emerge from the session was the question about encouraging new players into the research arena that is Europe. Van Oranje-Nassau told delegates that the EIP will be addressing this but afterwards said he felt that he believed innovation in the sector would emerge from all manner of unsuspecting places! “This EIP initiative will look at ageing across the board


We felt we are ready to create the triple win – developing more sustainable healthcare systems, creating commercial opportunities and benefiting the citizen


and focus on the innovation side, but I truly believe that the innovation will come from players and areas that are not expected,” he explained. “You didn’t expect Apple to become a music software provider or at least a market for music,” he argued. “And I think things like that will start to happen in


10


he had seen at the Forum but injected a note of caution about the need to open itself up as the programme grows. “The Forum really has


grown – the audience has grown and there are more people here talking about marketable solutions so there’s a feeling of a growing maturity for this industry,” he said. “On the other hand, you


see too many familiar faces, so I do think that


AAL has to open up and be careful it doesn’t box itself in as a specific sector. We see the same thing with our healthcare friends, they are very concerned with health, but certainly technology in the home is not something they will be used to or particularly interested in. “But it is all now connected so to bring those constituencies


together is obviously important, and it’s important that AAL remains a strong brand within its own constituency, but opens itself up to new players – just as it will be for the EIP.”


AAL Forum 2011


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16