Future medicine you can touch: Innovative technological solutions from the region were the focus of the first innovation conference of the Care for Sustainable Innovation project at Tivoli Aachen. Under the title "AI in the healthcare industry", 250 innovation enthusiasts experienced state-of-the-art technologies that use artificial intelligence to make diagnoses more precise, relieve the burden on medical staff with documentation and assistance systems, make digital therapies available around the clock, increase treatment quality and plan operations automatically.

"We want to use the innovative strength of the Aachen region to further expand NRW as an AI location. AI is a key driver of innovation in the healthcare industry," emphasized Mona Neubaur, Minister for Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, in her welcome address to guests from the fields of medicine, technology, science, business and politics.

AI innovation ecosystem in the healthcare industry

The hosts of the innovation conference also made it clear that the Aachen region, with its high density of research institutes, clinics, companies and start-ups in the field of digital medicine and strong alliances such as the AI Alliance Aachen, is ideally placed to build a powerful AI ecosystem. "Our region brings together excellent research, innovative companies and strong AI alliances. Together, we are creating an innovation ecosystem that can make a decisive contribution to the revolution in medicine," emphasized Dieter M. Begaß, Head of the City of Aachen's Department of Economy, Science, Digital City and Europe.

"Artificial intelligence is one of the central keys to the future of our society. The commissioning of Jupiter - Europe's most powerful supercomputer at Forschungszentrum Jülich offers a unique opportunity that we should take advantage of for healthcare: Our region can develop into a leading location for AI applications," emphasized Ulla Thönnissen, Managing Director of the Region Aachen Zweckverband.

Not a vision of the future: saving lives with data

Dr. Sandra Dohmen, Head of the Digital Medicine Innovation Centre at RWTH Aachen University Hospital, highlighted the medical dimension of artificial intelligence: "We are currently experiencing a turning point. Through the intelligent use of medical data, we can identify risks earlier and personalize therapies. AI and big data are no longer abstract buzzwords, but concrete tools that save lives - today and tomorrow."

Her colleague Prof. Dr. Martin Mücke, Director of the Institute for Digital General Medicine at RWTH Aachen University Hospital, led a workshop on diagnostics with AI: "Artificial intelligence and digital technologies give us the opportunity to detect diseases earlier and make diagnoses more precisely. This is not about visions of the future, but about applications that improve care in the long term."

Other workshops focused on the benefits of AI for therapy, medical practices and care facilities. The "AI in the hospital of the future" workshop developed a roadmap for a digitally supported care network in the region; the "AI for a strong healthcare location" workshop developed ideas for joint projects to raise the profile of the business and science location.

Start-ups: AI solutions from the Aachen region

Six young companies from the region impressively demonstrated the many ways in which artificial intelligence can support healthcare. The FH Aachen spin-off laizee.ai GmbH works with AI-supported language models, while Medisync GmbH is developing a platform for medical documentation. Vivam GmbH focuses on digital psychotherapy with AI support, and helpwave GmbH has presented an operating system for hospitals. The RWTH spin-off Inzipio GmbH presented its solution for automated surgery planning for implants and transplants. With its AI platform, Pancha Health GmbH is pursuing the goal of integrating complementary and alternative medicine more closely into the healthcare system. Together, the start-ups make it clear that the young companies are ready to actively shape the digital transformation in healthcare with the key technology of artificial intelligence.

Innovation partnerships

In the Care for Sustainable Innovation project, numerous other innovations for the healthcare sector are planned until 2028. For example, digital and telemedical services are to be bundled in a platform that is available to doctors' surgeries, hospitals and care facilities.

Anyone with an innovative idea to make the healthcare sector digital, sustainable and therefore future-proof can apply for an innovation partnership until November 5. All further information can be found on the project website: www.care4innovation.de

Über das Projekt Care for Sustainable Innovation:

The Care for Sustainable Innovation project is driving forward the digital and sustainable transformation of the healthcare industry in the Aachen region. Care for Sustainable Innovation is a project of the partners: Region Aachen Zweckverband (RAZV), City of Aachen, StädteRegion Aachen, WFG für den Kreis Heinsberg mbH, Uniklinik RWTH Aachen, RWTH Aachen University, digitalHUB Aachen e.V., MA&T Sell & Partner GmbH, MedLife e.V. and AGIT MBH. The innovation project is funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF/JTF) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and builds on the results of the ERDF project Care and Mobility Innovation.

www.care4innovation.de

Contact at the City of Aachen
Dr. Vera Schleiden
Head of the Science Office of the City of Aachen
Tel.: Tel.: +49 241 432 7655
Mail: vera.schleiden@mail.aachen.de

Contact at Region Aachen Zweckverband (RAZV):
Elke Breidenbach
Head of Healthcare Industry
Tel.: +49 241 9278 721-70
Mail: breidenbach@regionaachen.de