APEPTICO and Avy win 2nd ePitching event to Procurers on COVID-19
On 17 November 2020, 16 innovators had the chance to show their COVID-19 solutions during a dedicated ePitching session to 35 public and private procurers. The event, organised by the DG Research & Innovation People Directorate and the European Innovation Council, was a follow-up of the first EIC ePitching to Procurers on COVID-19, which took place in April this year.
The pitches were divided in 2 rounds: the 1st session brought together 8 companies funded under the Research & Innovation Horizon 2020 Health programme and the second round gathered 8 projects funded by the European Innovation Council.
Austrian company APEPTICO was the winner of the 1st pitching session with their SOLNATIDE Investigational Medicinal Product (IMP), designed for the therapeutic treatment of patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) and various forms of Pulmonary Permeability Oedema (PPO). The solution is being clinically tested under the EU-funded SOLNATIDE project and has already been approved for compassionate use for the treatment of COVID-19 patients suffering from PPO and ARDS in Austria and Italy.
The EIC-funded company Avy was the winner of the second pitching round, presenting their lifesaving medical drone. The Dutch start-up focuses on manufacturing drones suitable for transporting medical cargo such as blood, medicines or samples and developed a solution to transport COVID-19 vaccines as well.
A selected number of procurers had the chance to share their most pressing needs and issues, presenting multiple challenges on Medical/testing devices, supply chain and logistics management and Biotechnology / Health - Drugs, antimicrobials. Lidia Capparelli, representing CONSIP - the Central Purchasing Body of Italy and Fabrice Bazu from the French Army were two of the procurers joining the session.
In the coming months the EIC will organise several ePitching with Procurer events, for the moment fully online, with applications running through the EIC Community.
The European Innovation Council (EIC) is part of the European Commission's effort to give innovative companies better opportunities to become world-leading enterprises. ICLEI- Local Governments for Sustainability supports partnership building between the EIC Community members and public procurers interested in working with EIC SME’s.