SPOT Nordic Brings Together Portugal and the Nordics at Exclusive After HIMSS Networking Event in Copenhagen
- SPOT Nordic
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
On 19 May 2026, SPOT Nordic hosted the After HIMSS Networking Event in Copenhagen, an exclusive side event of the HIMSS Europe Health Conference & Exhibition 2026, bringing together a curated group of stakeholders from Portugal and the Nordic countries across healthcare, digital health, innovation, research, investment, and public institutions.
Held at La Oficina, the event welcomed around 60 guests and created a high-level yet informal environment designed to encourage strategic networking, meaningful conversations, and new collaboration opportunities between the Portuguese and Nordic ecosystems.
The evening brought together representatives from healthcare organizations, hospitals, universities, innovation hubs, startups, research centres, public institutions, investors, and international companies, reinforcing the growing interest in stronger cross-border collaboration within digital health and innovation.
Building Connections Beyond the Conference
Designed as a space that went beyond the traditional conference environment, the event enabled direct interaction between decision-makers, researchers, entrepreneurs, innovation leaders, and institutional representatives operating across the Nordic and Portuguese ecosystems.
Participants represented organizations and ecosystems connected to healthcare innovation, life sciences, technology transfer, startups, investment, and research collaboration, creating a diverse and multidisciplinary networking environment.
The initiative reflected SPOT Nordic’s role as a platform connecting academia, industry, innovation ecosystems, and public institutions through science diplomacy, innovation, and economic diplomacy.
Presenting SPOT Nordic’s Vision
During the event, SPOT Nordic President David Pereira de Castro presented the organization’s strategic vision and highlighted SPOT Nordic’s role as a platform connecting academia, industry, startups, investors, and institutions through science diplomacy, innovation, and economic diplomacy.
The presentation focused on the importance of creating structured collaboration mechanisms capable of strengthening the connection between Portugal and the Nordic region across research, innovation, healthcare, and international partnerships.
SPOT Nordic’s operational model was also presented, highlighting the organization’s work in ecosystem building, partnership development, innovation scouting, strategic networking, and international collaboration initiatives.
From Research to Real-World Impact — Science to Industry
A central moment of the evening was the presentation of SPOT Nordic’s Science-to-Industry (STI) initiative, a structured model designed to accelerate the pathway from research and innovation to industrial deployment and market impact.
The STI model focuses on connecting universities, research centres, startups, companies, and investors through strategic matchmaking, pilot projects, validation processes, and international collaboration. The initiative aims to help transform scientific knowledge into scalable innovation opportunities and strengthen collaboration between Portugal and the Nordic region.
The presentation also highlighted SPOT Nordic’s broader vision of supporting innovation ecosystems capable of connecting research excellence with real-world applications and industry needs.
Introducing UIAAS — University and Innovation as a Service
Another key moment of the evening was the presentation of UIAAS (University and Innovation as a Service), a collaborative digital infrastructure designed to connect innovation actors, research institutions, companies, startups, and public organizations through a shared platform.
UIAAS aims to support ecosystem mapping, visibility, strategic networking, knowledge exchange, and cross-border partnerships, creating a more structured and connected innovation environment between Portugal and the Nordic countries.
The platform reflects SPOT Nordic’s ambition to combine physical ecosystem building with digital collaboration infrastructure capable of supporting long-term international partnerships and innovation initiatives.
A Networking Environment Designed for Collaboration
Throughout the evening, discussions focused on digital health, innovation ecosystems, international collaboration, research commercialization, and emerging opportunities for partnerships between Portugal and the Nordic countries.
The event atmosphere encouraged direct engagement between guests and created opportunities for future collaborations involving companies, institutions, healthcare organizations, researchers, startups, and innovation ecosystems operating across different sectors.
Beyond the presentations and networking moments, the event also demonstrated the value of creating smaller, curated environments where relevant actors can connect more directly and explore concrete collaboration opportunities.
Acknowledgements
SPOT Nordic would like to sincerely thank everyone who joined and contributed to the success of the initiative.
A special thank you to Maria João Veiga Gomes and AICEP Denmark for their institutional support, and to Niepoort, Carolina Carraca, and Frederik Kreutzer for creating such a unique and welcoming atmosphere throughout the afternoon, featuring Portuguese wines.
We also extend our gratitude to H.E. Ambassador Pedro Marinho da Costa for his presence and support, as well as to all participating companies, institutions, researchers, professionals, and partners who contributed to making the event possible.
Representatives from organizations including Phibon, Akira Science, Healthy Smart Cities, HIMSS, Bayer, MTG Research, Unidade Local de Saúde de Loures-Odivelas, Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra (CHUC), Niepoort, Medicon Valley Alliance, Lundbeck, Instituto Pedro Nunes, Novo Nordisk, Fraunhofer Portugal AICOS, Vitalis, KU Lighthouse, Universidade do Algarve, TechBBQ, Health Cluster Portugal, Ferrosan Medical Devices, Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública da Universidade NOVA de Lisboa, Glintt Global, AICEP, Health Tech Hub Copenhagen, Nordic Innovators P/S, Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship, Unidade Local de Saúde de Coimbra E.P.E., Auricle, Embassy of Portugal in Copenhagen, Bioneer A/S, Medtronic, Gubra, LogosGuard, Champalimaud Foundation, Hospital da Luz, and Unidade Local de Saúde de Amadora/Sintra participated throughout the evening.
The After HIMSS Networking Event reflects SPOT Nordic’s continued commitment to strengthening connections between Portugal and the Nordic countries through science, innovation, and strategic collaboration
📸 Full event photo gallery here
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