Project: DigiHealth - digital innovation for health and business development in Småland
The DigiHälsa feasibility study aims to strengthen SMEs in Region Kalmar and Kronoberg by clarifying regulatory pathways, connecting them with healthcare actors, understanding real healthcare needs, co creating future digital health solutions, and unlocking new opportunities for growth. The study seeks to identify barriers, needs, and market potential related to the digitalization of healthcare in the Linné region, where the potential of digital services remains underutilized. Through systematic mapping, dialogue, and co creation between SMEs and public-sector actors, DigiHälsa strives to enhance collaboration, increase awareness of business opportunities in digital health, and lay the foundation for more inclusive and user friendly digital healthcare solutions.
If you represent an SME and would like to take part in the study, please look at the details given below, check if your SME qualities, and fill out the Expression of Interest form located at the bottom of this page.
Project information
Principal project manager
Nadeem Abbas, Senior lecturer, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology
Sub-project manager
Chiara Lenza, Senior Lecturer, LNU Department of Health and Caring Sciences
Other project members
Marcelo Milrad, Professor, Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, Mariana Gómez Johannesson, Partnership Coordinator, Office of External Relations, Claes Lundin, Management Support, Nasser Al-Obaedi, Research Assistant, Erik Frisk, Research Assistant
Participating organisations
Linnaeus University
Funders
Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth, Region Kalmar County, Region Kronoberg , Linnaeus University
Timetable
1 January 2026 – 30 November 2026
Subjects
eHealth, health informatics (Department of Health and Caring Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences) computer science (Department of Computer Science and Media Technology, Faculty of Technology) and informatics (Department of Informatics, Faculty of Technology)
Knowledge Environments
Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Digital Transformations, Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Sustainable Health
More about the project
Digitalization has great potential to contribute to a more accessible, efficient and equitable health and healthcare system. Despite this, digital services are not fully utilized within healthcare in the Linné region. At the same time, there is strong digital competence among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) within the tech and IT industry in Kalmar County and Kronoberg County. Many of these companies have high digital maturity, but develop to a limited extent solutions aimed at health and healthcare and thereby miss a significant growth potential. In parallel, public healthcare actors experience difficulties in identifying relevant suppliers and in navigating the market’s offerings, while regulations and procurement processes can be perceived as obstacles to innovation.
The pre-study DigiHealth takes its starting point in this dual challenge: to strengthen the connection between the region’s digital competence and the needs of healthcare, and to contribute to the development of more inclusive and user-friendly digital solutions. Through mappings, interviews and a co-creation workshop, the project gathers companies, public actors and civil society in strategic dialogues. The purpose is to identify barriers, needs and market potential as well as to increase awareness of business opportunities within digital health.
Particular attention is directed toward how digital healthcare services can be designed to meet the needs of groups that today risk being left behind, for example older persons, foreign-born individuals and persons with limited digital competence. By combining knowledge from computer science and health sciences with AI-based analysis, the insights are transformed into a strategic roadmap. This will guide future investments and innovation initiatives and lay the foundation for long-term sustainable collaborations between business and the public sector.
In this way, DigiHealth contributes to strengthening the region’s innovation capacity, creating new business opportunities and promoting more equitable healthcare in Kalmar County and Kronoberg County.
The project is part of the research in Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Sustainable Health and Linnaeus Knowledge Environment: Digital Transformations
Expression of interest
if your company is interested in taking part in the project, please look at the details and criteria specified on this link and fill out the following Expression of Interest Form for participation.
Staff
Funders
