Europe’s digital health sector has produced world‑class research and life‑saving innovations, but saving lives alone is not enough to build sustainable companies. Many European digital health startups struggle to commercialise ideas that emerge from hospitals and academia, and they often remain stuck in pilot projects.
Fragmented reimbursement systems, strict privacy rules and cultural resistance to change make it difficult to scale solutions beyond local markets. As a result, many products deliver incremental improvements rather than transformative value. To thrive, digital health entrepreneurs must design services that not only deliver clinical benefits but also improve efficiency and patient experience across borders.
Building global champions will require investment in business models that deliver measurable cost savings, better chronic disease management and empowered patients. Investors and policymakers need to support ventures that can operate across Europe rather than being constrained to one national insurer or health system.
For more on the cultural and policy changes required, read our discussion on the mindset shift needed for Europe to become a champion of health innovation. And to understand why Europe has yet to produce a digital health unicorn, see our analysis in “Is Europe Ready for a Digital Health Unicorn?”
He has invested in startups including American Well, Neuronation, Mimi, and most notably mySugr – which was recently acquired by Roche. Min-Sung is also a contributing writer for mediums including TechCrunch and Tech.EU and studied Business Economics at Witten/Herdecke, Harvard, St.Gallen, and in Seoul.