LAB University of Applied Sciences and the Päijät-Häme region are at the forefront of advancing tech innovations in health and well-being and fostering collaboration between academia and industry. This focus aligns with the region’s broader goals of promoting sustainable growth and enhancing the quality of life through digital transformation, knowledge transfer, and research-driven solutions (Lahti Business Region 2024).
Driving innovation for healthier futures: leading the way in knowledge transfer
LAB and the Päijät-Häme region are involved in the KnowledgeAnalytics project (2024) which promotes using AI and advanced analytics to enhance regional policies and knowledge transfer between academia and business. The project provides critical insights for optimizing knowledge flows between academia and industry, focusing on health tech, significantly impacting healthcare delivery.
LAB is a key player in the region’s knowledge transfer ecosystem and innovation value chains, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and government. By working closely with companies, LAB helps translate academic research into practical tech applications, improving healthcare services (Regional Council of Päijät-Häme 2024).
Through LAB’s R&D programs, it develops practical solutions for health and care challenges, ensuring that innovations can be directly applied to benefit society. LAB WellTech supports the development of preventive healthcare efficiency, digital health monitoring tools, and AI-driven personalized care solutions. The testing environment for pre-piloting health and well-being technologies offers collaboration opportunities for businesses and start-ups to bring cutting-edge solutions to the market (LAB Welltech 2024). Regional policies and policy instruments are pivotal in enabling digital transformation and growth.
The role of regional policies in innovating health and well-being technologies
Regional policies in Päijät-Häme are pivotal in fostering technological innovations that address the health and well-being needs in one of the most rapidly aging regions in Finland. These policies drive collaboration between academia, healthcare providers, and the private sector, facilitating the development of practical solutions such as AI, smart devices, and remote monitoring technologies. They focus on shifting healthcare towards preventive care, enabling early detection, and promoting independent living for seniors.
By providing funding, supporting R&D policies helps scale innovative solutions, ensuring they can be implemented in real-world settings. Ultimately, Päijät-Häme’s regional policies create a thriving ecosystem for health technology innovations that improve the quality of life for citizens and enhance healthcare system efficiency.
Author
Niko Lankinen is a chief specialist and KnowledgeAnalytics project lead at LAB University of Applied Sciences.
References
geralt. 2014. Altmann, G. Ohjelmisto, internet. Pixabay. Cited 21 Oct 2024. Available at https://pixabay.com/fi/illustrations/ohjelmisto-internet-luoti-http-www-557602/
KnowledgeAnalytics project. 2024. Advanced analytics for efficient knowledge transfer:desired status and obstacles. Cited 21 Oct 2024. Available at https://www.interregeurope.eu/knowledgeanalytics
Lahti Business Region. 2024. Manufacturing industry in Lahti. Cited 21 Oct 2024. Available at https://lahtibusinessregion.fi/en/business-opportunities
LAB Welltech. 2024. Enchancing Tomorrow’s Wellbeing. Cited 21 Oct 2024. Available at https://www.labwelltech.fi/eng/
Regional Council of Päijät-Häme. 2024. Regional Strategy 2022‒2025. Cited 21 Oct 2024. Available at https://paijat-hame.fi/maakuntastrategia
