Convergence raises 54 million investment for future-proof care

Ten Flagship projects of the Convergence, the strategic collaboration of TU Delft, Erasmus MC and Erasmus University Rotterdam will conduct research aimed at making healthcare future-proof. The Flagships together receive 20 million euros from the Convergence Health & Tech program. Collaboration with public and private parties adds another 34 million.

Stefan Sleijfer, President of Erasmus MC launched the Flagships on Wednesday, July 6 at the Convergence Square, the specially created innovation hub, in Rotterdam. The investment in joint research is a solid step forward in the collaboration between the three institutions. Hundreds of scientists and dozens of societal stakeholders are joining forces to find innovative solutions to problems facing healthcare.

With this boost, the Convergence Health & Tech program is off to a flying start. With the Flagships, we contribute to better outcomes and care for patients, a healthier population, the sustainability of our healthcare and global innovation. This is much needed, given the major challenges we face in healthcare such as an increasing demand for care in a tight labor market and limited resources.

Tim van der Hagen, Rector Magnificus and Chairman of the Board of Governors of TU Delft, underlines the importance of the Flagships: ‘With more than 250 scientists involved and 37 partners, we are opening a frontal solution attack on the problems in healthcare.’

Ed Brinksma, chairman of the Executive Board of Erasmus University Rotterdam, points to the positive effects of the collaboration for the region. ‘This is a great example of how we want to improve the future of healthcare through intensive cooperation between technical, social and medical sciences. This is the only way we can solve these kinds of major issues together. We are giving an important impulse to public health and the economy of Rotterdam and Delft’.

Durability

The health care system faces complex problems. An increasing demand for care and an extremely tight labor market are putting the sustainability of our health care system to the test. To make healthcare future-proof, scaling up is needed. That’s what Convergence is doing,’ says Floris Italianer, director of Convergence. ‘With ten Flagship programs, Delft and Rotterdam are jointly developing solutions, for example in the field of prevention, innovation programs in the organization of care and as rapid reintegration of patients.’

The Flagship projects were chosen from 36 proposals submitted by mixed teams of researchers from the three institutions. The submissions were reviewed by an international panel of scientists. Projects that were not selected in the first round will be considered for the next round and other ways to support these initiatives will be explored.