The call for projects was launched to stimulate collaborative R&D ventures and to provide financial support to companies in the technology and healthcare sector. Luxembourg’s National Research Fund (FNR) contributed €2.8m to the funding, the finance ministry has earmarked €1.75m and the remaining costs are covered by the companies or research organisations’ own funds.

"This joint call for projects is part of the economic diversification strategy to further develop the health technology sector which is driven by innovation, resilience and competitiveness," said economy minister Franz Fayot (LSAP) in a statement.

Viewmind, an Argentine company which took part in the Fit 4 Start programme managed by Luxinnovation and the economy ministry, was one of the winners. Its project DigiCog aims to clinically validate a non-invasive technology based on artificial intelligence. Its goal is to identify neurocognitive deficiencies in patients suffering from long covid. The company will receive €1.36m in funding.

IEE--which creates safety systems for the automotive sector--has branched out into the medical sector and secured funding from the health tech call for projects. It won with its GAIT & activity monitoring solution for patients with orthopaedic conditions. This will be carried out in collaboration with the Luxembourg Institute of Health and the Centre Hospitalier du Luxembourg. The project seeks to validate a wearable device for day-to-day monitoring of patients before, during and after their rehabilitation period. The company has secured €1.529m for its project.

LuxAI, a spin-off of the University of Luxembourg which also took part in the Fit 4 Start programme, was also selected. Its social robot . The company will receive €1.878m in funding.

Meracle Health--another spin-off form the academic field--took off from the National University of Singapore and also participated in Fit 4 Start. Its intuitive solution, Whizz, aims to improve the daily management of chronic respiratory conditions. The company has secured €1.347m in financing.

The call for projects will allow the companies to speed up the process of development of their products and to validate them before making them available to the general public.

In March, Fayot had announced the creation of a , which will look to attract companies with experience in medical devices, in vitro and research. Luxembourg’s health technology sector is comprised of 136 companies of which all are less than 10 years old. Nearly 1,900 people are currently employed in those companies. The grand duchy is therefore looking to take this sector of its economy up a level.