The annual flagship gathering of the EIT Health community in Brussels, bringing together healthtech entrepreneurs, investors, hospital executives and EU policy makers for two days of digital health programming, startup showcases and an innovation awards programme.
The EIT Health Summit is the annual community event of EIT Health, the European Institute of Innovation and Technology's Knowledge and Innovation Community for health. The summit functions as the gathering point for EIT Health's network of hospitals, universities, corporate partners, startups and investors across Europe, with a programme covering digital health, AI in healthcare and biotech commercialisation. Brussels is the recurring host city due to its proximity to EU health and innovation institutions.
The two-day programme covers digital health, AI applications in healthcare, biotech commercialisation and European health policy. Sessions include startup showcases from EIT Health-supported ventures, matchmaking with investors and corporate partners, thematic panels on specific health domains, and the EIT Health innovation awards recognising outstanding projects from across the community. The programme reflects EIT Health's dual mandate of education and market creation.
EIT Health is a Knowledge and Innovation Community designated by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), with headquarters in Munich. It operates across more than 20 European countries through a network of hospitals, universities and industry partners, providing education programmes, startup acceleration and networking events to drive health innovation commercialisation.
The event is open beyond the EIT Health membership base, but the programme is designed primarily for the EIT Health community. Non-member healthtech companies, investors and healthcare professionals can attend, though the event's full value is accessible to those with prior EIT Health connections.
The awards recognise outstanding achievements by EIT Health-supported projects, startups and education programmes across the network. Categories cover areas such as best entrepreneurship project, best education initiative and best startup performance.
Selected startups from EIT Health's accelerator and education programmes present their work to investors and corporate partners. The showcase is not a general pitch competition: participants are drawn from within the EIT Health ecosystem.
Not suitable for: (1) companies with no European healthtech focus; (2) investors without a healthcare mandate; (3) founders seeking a general startup conference rather than a community event within a specific EU-backed network; (4) healthcare professionals without interest in digital health or innovation; (5) non-European companies without engagement with EU health innovation frameworks.
The EIT Health Summit sits at an unusual intersection: it is simultaneously a community event for a publicly funded innovation network and a functional deal-flow moment for European health investors, because the EIT Health portfolio is real and the EU institutional context gives the event access to hospital decision-makers that pure commercial events cannot match.
Tickets are paid; various tiers exist for EIT Health community members and non-members. Details at eithealth.eu.
The summit operates a formal matchmaking and advance meeting scheduling system. The startup showcase provides structured investor access beyond general networking.
The EIT Health Innovation Awards are presented at the summit, recognising excellence across education, entrepreneurship and startup performance within the EIT Health community.
The 2026 edition takes place in May 2026 in Brussels. Confirm current dates at eithealth.eu.
English is the working language.
Startup showcase participation is through EIT Health's internal programme channels. Investors and general attendees register directly via the event website.
| Official website | https://eithealth.eu/ |
| Events page | https://eithealth.eu/get-involved/events-and-opportunities/ |
| https://www.linkedin.com/company/eit-health/ |