TouchPoints: Find your healthtech research partner at UGent on 18-19 April

MEDVIA’s TouchPoints series introduces healthtech companies to the wealth of research opportunities at Flemish universities – which are right on your doorstep.

26 February 2024
Updated: 11 April 2024

Are you looking for a research partner for your healthtech project but don’t know where to start? Could the next innovation that skyrockets your company to success already be in development?

Universities are typically hotspots for innovation. While some of these projects never go beyond the pilot phase, they could be a goldmine for companies looking for new products or services. Collaboration between knowledge centres and industry on the basis of tech transfer is mutually beneficial.

MEDVIA’s TouchPoints series brings together university Tech Transfer offices with companies so the former can showcase what they have available, and the latter can be inspired to create new value in their product or service portfolio. Virtual meetings can also be arranged for 19 April via the registration form.


TouchPoints: Finding your healthtech research partner at UGent
18 April 2024, 15.00-19.00
iGent Tower, 1st floor
Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 126, 9052 Ghent

19 April 2024
Virtual meetings

This free event is open to anyone who wants to meet UGent industrial research managers and become familiar with its associated institutes, Core Facilities, and the ENLIGHT research expertise. ENLIGHT is the European University alliance coordinated by Ghent University, consisting of nine other universities. Besides the program, participants can take part in one-on-one meetings.

April 18 Program

Moderator: Roel Smolders – MEDVIA, Membership Development &  Services Director

15.00-15.30  Registration

15.30-16.30  Get to know UGent

      • UGent Technology Transfer – Kristof Delanghe (UGent, TechTransfer Operations Manager)
      • UGent landscape:
        • Business Development Centres – UGent business developers
        • UGent Core Facilities – Frédéric Clement (UGent, Manager Core Facilities, Faculty of Medicine)


16.30-16.50  Coffee break, networking, booths

16.50-17.30  Partner with UGent

      • Small and large companies share their collaboration experience: Johnson & Johnson (Peter Roevens, External Innovation Lead) and Ziphius (Olivier Tytgat, Business Development Analyst)
      • MEDVIA – Ann Van Gysel (Chief Executive Officer)
      • Province East Flanders – Celine Van den Abeele (Policy Officer, Entrepreneurship & Innovation)
      • Closing remarks – Roel Smolders (MEDVIA Membership Development & Services Director)


17.30-18.30  Networking, booths, soup & sandwiches

16.30-19.00 One-on-one meetings  (10-min each)

We look forward to welcoming you at this first-of-its-kind event at one of the top-ranked research universities in the world!

TouchPoints is free: please register here.

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.