Vital Regions

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Northern Netherlands and North-West Germany have been experiencing dejuvenation and ageing for some time, resulting in a shrinkage in these regions. This means more pressure on the resource levels especially for the healthcare. There is an increased appeal to the self-reliance of residents and informal care. For Drenthe and Emsland it is quite a challenge to support older residents in particular in order for them to live independently as long as possible. Technology innovations are playing a crucial role hereby. The project “Vital Regions” aims on reinforcement of the health sector in the border areas by means of realizing “Vital, experienced, self-reliant village communities”. These vital, experienced, self-reliant village communities offering the local SME the unique opportunity to test product innovations in real life pilots to set the last development steps and to develop a mature business case for the real market introduction. The prototypes are realised in seven work packages: “AGILE”, the "Mole game", "8D Game, "the Autonoom technological living quarter”, the “SMART bed”, the “Show to do” en the "Digital Platform". The German and Dutch University of applied sciences support the SME in the validation and valorisation of the innovative products and services. Through an innovative project process market mature products are marketed via thorough business plans. Eleven entrepreneurs and four colleges are involved in the project, as well as nine organisations for the benefit of testing the prototypes. The cooperation should lead to permanent German-Dutch network forming, to a cross-border scientific basis for valorisation of innovative technological products and services. Mainly through intensive cooperation between knowledge institutes and the SME.

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