Tuesday, February 17, 2026
Although public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the health and welfare domain offer opportunities for healthcare organizations, companies, and knowledge institutions, they also require a specific way of working together. During the Medical Delta Café on Tuesday, February 10th, three speakers shared their experiences from different perspectives.
Public–private partnerships are often used to address complex challenges. They play an important role in the recommendations of the Wennink report and have become an integral part of the health and innovation domain.
The Medical Delta Café focused on sharing practical experiences, methodologies, and funding opportunities that help make collaboration between private and public partners successful. Three experts shared their experiences, and under the guidance of Medical Delta Chair Prof. Dr. Sanne de Vries, there was ample room for questions and discussion between the audience and the speakers.
How do we deploy robotics?
Robotisation and automation make it possible to reduce physically demanding work and to make work more enjoyable, sustainable, and feasible. Linda de Moor, Program Manager at RoboHouse (TU Delft), guided the audience through the world of human-centred robotics and highlighted the importance of public–private collaboration for innovation and implementation. RoboHouse operates across various sectors, including healthcare, and actively seeks connections and collaboration opportunities between industry and academia.
A good example of this is Neollie. This project recently received funding from the WorkTech innovation program to further develop a robot that prepares bottle feeds for neonatal intensive care units in hospitals, significantly reducing the workload of nursing staff. Neollie started as a minor project by TU Delft students, commissioned by Erasmus MC, and subsequently continued as a startup. RoboHouse supports the team by helping to identify funding opportunities, establishing the right connections, and collaborating with innovation teams to further advance the project and share knowledge.
A completely different sector is that of sanitary installations. In a robotisation project, RoboHouse collaborated with industry associations and SMEs. They applied the so-called ‘Double Diamond’ approach, engaging not only with entrepreneurs and innovation teams, but also with installers working on site.
‘This revealed aspects that had previously remained unseen,’ De Moor explained. ‘We mapped what gives employees energy and what drains it. This led to creative robotics solutions that align well with daily practice.’
The role of science in public–private collaboration
The high cognitive burden on patients, the lengthy duration of research, and the increasing workload in clinical practice are putting pressure on eye examinations. Researcher Dr. Peter Bremen (Erasmus MC) shared his experiences as a scientist within the SMART-EMP project, in which public–private collaboration is used to make eye examinations smarter, faster, and more accessible.
A public–private partnership forces you to formulate clear questions, not to do less science.
This project is also a public–private partnership under the WorkTech scheme. Erasmus MC, TU Delft, the Rotterdam Eye Hospital, and private parties such as Purple Gaze and TOM are participating.
“For me as a scientist, public–private collaboration is not a goal in itself, but a valuable means to achieve the shared goal of faster, more reliable, and more accessible eye examinations,” Bremen explained. “The project requires a combination of fundamental research, clinical expertise, and technological innovation. The beauty of a PPP construction is that it helps you as a researcher to involve companies and other societal partners along the way.”
Working within a PPP also brought a different mindset for Bremen. Whereas fundamental research often strives for maximum precision, PPPs focus on being ‘accurate enough’ to be truly applicable in practice. Clear agreements on the research question and required level of accuracy are therefore essential. Bremen concludes: "A PPP forces you to formulate clear questions, not to do less science. It defines the scope of the problem, which is a valuable contribution."
Stimulus for applicability
How Health~Holland promotes public–private partnerships through subsidies was explained by program coordinator Sten Heck. Previously, collaborations were mainly focused on research institutions and long-term, four-year projects, which can be a challenging commitment for entrepreneurs, especially startups: a startup may no longer exist or may have taken a different direction during that period.
It is important to consider not only the technological and scientific aspects, but also clinical applicability and economic viability.
The current arrangements better align with the needs of entrepreneurs. New PPP-projects are often shorter (around two years) and are co-designed by SMEs and research institutions, with attention to societal relevance and policy objectives.
Subsidies applications are evaluated based on scientific quality, societal impact, and early engagement of the target group. "It is important to consider not only the technological and scientific aspects, but also clinical applicability and economic viability,’ Heck explained. ‘A strong project has a clear route to market and demonstrates the steps needed to successfully implement an innovation."
Heck concluded with an overview of upcoming and ongoing PPP-opportunities from Health~Holland.
Societal need
Medical Delta Chair Prof. Dr. Sanne de Vries opened the closing panel discussion with the audience by asking at what stage of an innovation project public–private collaboration is most suitable. The speakers emphasized the importance of good matchmaking, clear frameworks, and involving the right partners.
When asked for the ‘golden tip’ for a successful PPP, the answers were unanimous: maintain continuous dialogue with your partners, stay open to feedback, and consider the bigger picture—not just the technology itself, but also the societal need. These points were actively discussed further during the closing networking reception.
Photo's: Eelkje Colmjon
