The HELFI solution
HELFI is intended to strengthen and make collaboration more efficient and effective between doctors and their patients. HELFI is an aid for patients to use, where patients can gather and record their symptoms and better prepare for consultation with a doctor.
"This hackathon was quite challenging, but it is unbelievable how much you can achieve in such a short time. It is great to have experienced mentors available who can challenge your idea and put it into new perspectives. Last week we had nothing. Now we have a solution for a problem which affects people's lives every day," says the team behind Helfi: Csenge, Sebastian and Joey.
The Grand Nordic Health Hackathon called for innovative digital solutions that will improve the health and quality of life for Nordic citizens. There was a special emphasis on developing solutions that focus on preventive health rather than treatment and care solutions. The aim of the project is to create a holistic approach to the sustainable future of the Nordic healthcare sector.
"Nordic Innovation is impressed by the enthusiasm this hackathon has been met by and the competence the participants have displayed. I see this both as an indication of the understanding of need for finding new solutions within the health sector and at the same time the business potential this sector represents", says Svein Berg, Managing Director at Nordic Innovation.
Impressed judges
Four judges, with extensive experience in health tech, AI and international development, have assessed the contributions. Lisa Mallner, AI Investment Manager at Copenhagen Capacity, was impressed with HELFI's solution and looks forward to following the business idea in the future.
"I am very pleased on behalf of the Nordic Health Hackathon jury to award HELFI the top prize at the Nordic Health Hackathon. This team tackled a very difficult problem: doctor-patient communication, especially when it comes to longer disease progressions that can be difficult to diagnose right away. Their solution aims to empower citizens in their conversations with doctors through an intuitive app. We hope to see this implemented in the Nordics and beyond and I look forward to supporting Helfi in their journey," said Mallner after the winners were announced.
Quick facts: Grand Nordic Health Hackathon
- 251 registered participants.
- 180 Nordic permanent residence participants.
- 45 female participants (25%).
- 133 male participants (74%).
- 2 other gender participants (1%).
- 19 projects were finalized and handed in for judging.
Importance of Nordic cooperation
Nordic cooperation is a key element in maintaining our international position and ensuring a competitive future for the healthcare sector. The aim of the project is to take further steps towards the future vision of making the Nordic countries the most sustainable and integrated health area in the world by 2030 and providing the best possible personal health care for all its citizens.
The hackathon took place at a pan-Nordic forum and participants came from Iceland, Denmark, Norway, Sweden and Finland. A total of 180 people registered, which resulted in 19 complete solutions. The hacking started on Tuesday 27 October and lasted until Friday 30 October. Participants worked hard on their solutions with the help of first-class mentors who provided them with advice. The jury selected the winners announced today at the Zoom Digital Awards.
Nordic health facts
At present, about 10% of the Nordic countries' GDP is spent on treatment and 0.3% on prevention.
The Nordic countries want more emphasis on preventive health solutions and that the ratio moves towards 5/5. Technological development, transparency and data sharing are key elements of this transformation.
The Nordic Health Hackathons are part of Nordic Innovation's Health, Demography and Quality of Life program and a step towards our vision of making the Nordic region the most sustainable and integrated health region in the world by 2030.
By using already available Nordic health data sets, we hope to help develop innovative solutions and business ideas – and showcase the possibilities for innovation that comes with access to more and better Nordic health data.
Read more about the Health, Demography and Quality of Life program
