In this episode of InnoStars Talks, we speak with Milena Argirovic, Country Head at Takeda for Serbia, Albania, North Macedonia, Kosovo, and Montenegro. We explore how a region often seen as “lagging behind” is becoming a testing ground for bold innovation, data-driven solutions, and global partnerships.

👉 Can Big Pharma be truly agile?
👉 Why is Serbia a perfect pilot for the European Health Data Space?
👉 What advice does Milena have for early-stage innovators?

Tune in to hear how Takeda is bridging East and West—and shaping the future of personalised care.

Can technology save lives? In our latest episode of InnoStars Talks with Lehel Ferenczi from GE Healthcare we tell the real story behind AI in diagnostics, treatment, and prediction - and why trust is the final frontier.

From early cancer detection to smarter ultrasound tools, this conversation reveals how data, design, and discipline are reshaping patient care—one algorithm at a time.

How can technology combat the global threat of counterfeit medicines? 

Monika Stepanova, CEO and co-founder of Lightly Technologies, shares how her Czech start-up is pioneering a portable solution to detect fake drugs—helping law enforcement agencies and public health authorities tackle a crisis that is rapidly escalating worldwide.

Discover how Lightly Technologies’ patented UV fingerprinting method not only identifies counterfeit substances but also cross-matches drug shipments globally, a breakthrough innovation in forensic analysis. Monika also reflects on the challenges of hardware development, navigating government partnerships, and scaling impact-driven innovation—along with the invaluable support received from EIT Health’s Jumpstarter programme.

How can we prepare future healthcare professionals for a rapidly evolving industry? Dr Rita Rocha, Coordinator of the Innovation and Value Creation Office at NOVA Medical School, shares how the institution is redefining medical education by fostering technology literacy, data analysis, ethical decision-making, and innovation.

Discover how NOVA’s global partnerships—including Harvard Medical School, the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, and EIT Health—are shaping a new generation of healthcare leaders. Plus, explore the ASSIST Project, which is driving AI-powered medical devices and accelerating start-up technologies from pre-clinical assessment to market entry.

📣 Congratulations to Moodmon, the project led by the Polish company Britenet, an InnoStars partner, for being awarded €1 million in funding through EIT Health’s prestigious Flagship Call. With the support of a distinguished European consortium, they are now set to obtain a CE mark, conduct clinical trials, and showcase its real-world healthcare benefits. Additionally, the team is working on creating a legal framework for AI retraining without the need for full recertification.

Curious about how artificial intelligence is transforming psychiatry?

🎙️Tune in to the latest episode of the InnoStars Talks podcast, where Dr Marlena Sokoł-Szawlowska from the Institute of Psychiatry and Neurology in Warsaw, the innovator behind MoodMon, discusses this AI-powered tool for detecting and managing affective disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.

🎙️ Join us for the third episode of InnoStars Talks, an engaging podcast series presented by EIT Health in partnership with Emerging Europe! Get ready for insightful discussions with health innovators transforming the medical landscape.

🎙️ Join us for the second episode of InnoStars Talks, an engaging podcast series presented by EIT Health in partnership with Emerging Europe! Get ready for insightful discussions with health innovators transforming the medical landscape.

👥 In our first episode, Andrew Wrobel talks with Mate Balazs Kovacs, CEO and co-founder of AIPLabs, about his groundbreaking journey in combating skin diseases with AI-enhanced digital healthcare solutions.

In this episode, Balázs Fürjes invites to a chat with Professor Krzysztof Klincewicz from the Faculty of Management at Warsaw University.

The discussion, hosted by Andrew Wrobel focuses on the importance of collaborative innovation in boosting innovation in the European Union, particularly in countries with moderate or modest innovation scores.

Don't forget to visit our website at eithealth.eu/in-your-region/innostars/ for more information about our new programmes, calls for proposals and applications and events.

In this episode, Balázs Fürjes invites to a chat with Professor Guido Boella, Vice-Rector for Enterprises at the University of Turin. 

The discussion, hosted by Andrew Wrobel focuses on the role of digital innovation hubs in strengthening innovation in the European Union, particularly in countries with moderate or modest innovation scores.

Don't forget to visit our website at eithealth.eu/in-your-region/innostars/ for more information about our new programmes, calls for proposals and applications and events.