InnoMedCatalyst Demo Day 2025: Innovation, Investment, and European Networking in Bologna
On 14 November 2025, the inaugural InnoMedCatalyst Demo Day was held at Opificio Golinelli in Bologna, bringing together the European innovation ecosystem in health, medtech, and digital health. Organized by Clust-ER Health Emilia-Romagna as part of the European InnoMedCatalyst (IMC) project, the event marked the culmination of the acceleration program for selected startups, providing a platform for visibility, connections, and growth.
The event attracted broad participation and strong engagement from all ecosystem stakeholders:
- 17 European startups participating in the InnoMedCatalyst accelerator
- 124 participants including startups, investors, mentors, and partners
- 13 international jury members representing venture capital, innovation, and technology transfer sectors
These figures underscore the growing interest in the project and the high caliber of the startups involved.
Pitching Sessions and Startup Road
The core of the event were the pitching sessions, where startups presented solutions developed during their mentorship programs. Presentations were evaluated by industry experts, policymakers, and investors, providing participants with valuable, actionable feedback to support future growth.
At the conclusion of the day, AIGEA Medical was awarded Best Startup of the Day – Jury Award, having achieved the highest overall score. The award included:
- Three months of access to the Dennemeyer Octimine Business Intelligence Tool
- A voucher to attend the HealthTech Investor Summit
Additional special recognitions celebrated specific areas of excellence:
- Metablue Solutions (Portugal) – Best Presentation
- ablute (Portugal) – Best Market Potential
- RareBioTech (Spain) – Best 5P Innovation Potential
These awards highlighted the creativity, market potential, and innovation capabilities of the participating startups, making the event a truly memorable occasion.
International Jury
Startups were assessed by a distinguished international jury of 13 experts, including investors, cluster representatives, venture capital funds, and innovation organizations:
Christian Simone Lussafi (Opificio Golinelli), Felice Lo Pane (Cluster Lombardo), Francesco Mazzini (TLS), Cecilia Maini (ART-ER), Caterina Bissoni (UPFactor), Amaya Tanco (Clave Capital), Christian Kumar (Capital Kinetics), Alexandru Chifu (VC), Andrez Haremski (Haremski Consultancy), Andrea Di Placido (Scientifica VC), Álvaro Sánchez Rubio (Nara Capital), Fabrizio Cappucci (Dennemeyer), Annalisa Coraducci (Panakes).
An official Investor e-Book was produced, featuring all startups from the InnoMedCatalyst accelerator. This tool provides investors with detailed insights into the profiles, solutions, and market potential of the selected companies.
Thematic Panels and Ecosystem Engagement
The event’s thematic panels featured high-profile speakers and a highly engaged audience, with numerous interventions and questions. Even the final panel maintained a high level of attention, reflecting the relevance of the topics discussed and the expertise of the speakers.
The Demo Day delivered tangible impact, including:
- Strengthened networking among startups, investors, and mentors
- Increased international visibility for the accelerator startups
- Generation of concrete connections leading to investments, partnerships, and future growth
- Promotion of the Emilia-Romagna innovation ecosystem within a European context
All of this was made possible thanks to meticulous organization, highly appreciated catering, and the iconic innovation venue, Opificio Golinelli.
Next Steps for InnoMedCatalyst
The InnoMedCatalyst journey continues. A new call for startups will soon be launched, providing further opportunities for innovative companies seeking international growth in health and medtech.
The next Demo Day will take place in Piatra Neamț, Romania, in July 2026, continuing the trajectory of innovation, investment, and European collaboration.
