APPLY

Catalyst Europe 2023

September 7th, 2023 - March 7th, 2024

September 7th, 2023 - March 7th, 2024

APPLY by July 16
APPLY by July 16
The Process
Testimonials
Program Dates
How To Apply
Info Webinar
Who should join
Network
FAQs

Do you want to boost your career as a biomedical innovator by learning and using the MIT Catalyst framework for translational biomedical research?

Do you want to be involved in new and exciting projects addressing real needs in healthcare? If you are a PhD student, postdoc, researcher in a company or academia, or a clinician interested in healthcare innovation, then join the Catalyst Europe online program!

Over a 6-month period, you, along with a diverse group of talented individuals across Europe, will identify unmet medical needs, brainstorm and evaluate potential solutions and plan research project proposals. 

Several Intensifications (multi-day meetings) will be held to interact with clinical and domain experts and other stakeholders to advance your projects. 

At the end of the program, projects with demonstrated potential for impact may establish longer-term efforts with key stakeholders.

Join as an individual

COMMITMENT

– Weekly sessions, every Thursday from 3pm to 6pm CET (online format).

– Workload of 10-12 hours/week, with flexible schedule format, over 6 months.

– First session: September 7th, 2023. Final session: March 7th, 2024.

– Three multi-day Intensification meetings: September 19th-21st (in-person – Györ, Hungary); October 17th-19th (online); and January 9th–11th (online). 

– You will form teams organically throughout the program. You are open to work in multiple teams.

COST

Thanks to the generosity of our donors and partners, this program does not require individuals to pay tuition.

Leave with a collaborative, high-impact and novel research project

The Process

As a Fellow, over the 6-month program, you will identify and validate unmet medical needs, explore and evaluate potential solutions, and plan research project proposals, guided by Faculty – experts from academic, commercial and clinical backgrounds. You’ll start a journey of innovation for healthcare impact.

1. Proof of
Need

Identify compelling unmet medical needs. Talk with subject matter experts and explore the literature to define problem and need statements.

2. Proof of Opportunity

Devise a set of possible new opportunities (need + solution ideas). Meet with key stakeholders to ensure that the solutions are practical and appropriate. Develop and document your opportunities.

3. Project
Proposal

Narrow down to the most promising solutions and plan research project opportunities that outline key milestones in a 12-18 month time frame. Conclude the program with a portfolio of validated research projects.

After the
Program

Explore collaborations and further funding opportunities for those projects with greatest potential for impact, and with real opportunity to transition to project execution. Learn more about the Catalyst process.​

Research / Innovation Themes

The Catalyst program fosters the development of enabling technologies to address unmet medical needs. We encourage anyone interested in this end-goal to apply. See a few examples below.

New technology to
improve diagnosis, therapy, imaging or surgery

Read More
How can we use advances in precision medicine, data science, and new science & technologies to improve diagnosis, risk prediction, medical therapies, imaging and surgical methods?

How can we provide alternative or enhanced diagnostic capabilities that would improve outcomes?

How can we leverage existing, emerging, or new technologies to improve the efficacy and/or reduce complications in clinical care?

How can biomedical imaging / image processing to help clinicians and physicians better detect, diagnose, and prevent health conditions as well as guide surgery?

How can we improve treatment monitoring and better predict the behavior and outcome of treatments?

How can we devise enhanced computational tools to drive actionable insight from patient data and medical records?

Access to
Healthcare Services

Read More
How can we enable equitable and effective access to healthcare services?

Underserved populations experience access challenges due to factors ranging from income level, transportation challenges, lack of cultural relevance, urban/rural considerations, or anxiety about the consequences of seeking care. As illustrated by COVID-19, pandemics have simultaneously exacerbated healthcare access while creating opportunities for innovation.

How can we leverage novel technologies, new models or methods to better align healthcare services with the needs of underserved patients?

What are the opportunities to better plan and manage our public health response to pandemics outbreaks?

How can we improve access to continuing care and monitoring of conditions for people at home?

How can we improve support for patients with specific needs such as elderly patients or dementia patients and their caregivers?

In their own words

Catalyst Europe Fellows describe their experience during the 2020 program edition.

Program Dates

September 7th, 2023 - March 7th, 2024

As a Fellow, you will join Catalyst Europe to discover opportunities for research with high translational and impact potential, and prepare yourself to execute new research projects.

Weekly sessions will be held online on Thursdays from 3pm to 6pm CET.

Program starts

September 7th, 2023

Intensification 1

September 19th – 21st, 2023 (in-person – Györ, Hungary)

Intensification 2

October 17th – 19th, 2023 (Online)

Intensification 3

January 9th – 11th, 2024 (Online)

Program ends

March 7th, 2024

Program starts

September 7th, 2023

Intensification 1

September 19th – 21st, 2023 (in-person – Györ, Hungary)

Intensification 3

January 9th – 11th, 2024 (Online)

Intensification 2

October 17th – 19th, 2023 (Online, run by MIT linQ faculty)

Program ends

March 7th, 2024

After the Program

What happens next?

As a graduated Fellow, you will explore collaborations with Catalyst Europe partners and other European institutions to cooperatively execute these research projects. You will also apply for competitive research grants to raise the funds required to develop the need-driven research projects.

All this process will be mentored by Catalyst Europe Faculty, who will continue helping you in your path of making an impact in human healthcare!

An EIT Health Education program

Corporate Champion

How To Apply

Online Application

Researchers (PhD students, postdocs) in companies or academia, clinicians, and  professionals working in healthcare organizations who want to accelerate the impact of biomedical research are welcomed to apply. Please check the Terms & Conditions.

Eligibility criteria
Who should join
Who should join
Application deadline:
July 16th, 2023
Applications closed
Informational webinar:
July 3rd, 2023, 4pm CET
Join the webinar

Interviews

Pre-selected candidates will meet online with the Selection Committee for assessment activities and interviews.

Interviews date:
July 26th, 2023
Online interviews

Selection & Enrollment

The Selection Committee will decide on the candidates that best meet the selection criteria to join the program as Fellows. Admitted candidates will sign the enrollment agreement. 

Selection criteria
Who will be selected
Who will be selected

Informational webinar

Watch the recording of the informational webinar to learn about the Catalyst method, the Catalyst Europe 2023 program, and how to proceed with your application.

Unlock your potential for need-driven research and make an impact in healthcare.
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Eligibility & Selection
Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Selection Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

Candidates’ profile:

  • Candidates living in the European Union (EU), from any EU region.
  • Typical profiles: Researchers (Postdocs, PhD students), Clinicians (residents, fellows, attendings). Other early stage and experienced professionals interested in biomedical research (designers, entrepreneurs, business developers) may be considered if they fit the cohort.
  • With domain expertise in:
    • any domain area linked to health technology: including but not limited to life sciences, engineering, biomedical engineering, data science.
    • Or any clinical domain.
    • Or in commercial science or health economics.
  • Research experience is desirable.
  • With a strong interest in health innovation and willingness to participate in research projects after the 6-month Catalyst Europe program, as the pathway to de-risk the opportunities identified during the program.
  • Open to identify and validate unmet needs, define solutions and design new research projects with high translational potential, rather than applying with an existing project to the Catalyst program. We do not expect candidates to have an ongoing research project to “bring” to the program, though having had some research or project experience is important.

While we expect candidates to have some identified area of expertise, we do not specify that area. Through our process, Fellows working in teams learn from one another and gain from hearing the perspective of others (even those who are not expert). Sometimes, Fellows have to unlearn (or set aside) what they know about a problem to open the door to observations and, ultimately, innovation.

Faculty serving as mentors will help guide you through the Catalyst process, which involves cycles of convergent and divergent thinking, trial and error, iteration, progress, reassessment, creativity, critical thinking, and more iteration. Although seldom a linear path, it is always an exciting one for those who are ready for a journey from insight to impact. You and your teammates will ultimately decide which projects to move forward. Applicants don’t need to know a lot about entrepreneurship or innovation.

Commitments:

  • Availability to dedicate 10-12 hours/week for regular weekly activities of Catalyst Europe program – including weekly Sessions, personal work and teamwork (personal and team work in a flexible schedule format).
  • Weekly sessions (online): Thursdays from 3pm to 6pm CET. From September 7th, 2023 to March 7th, 2024.
  • Full time availability for the Intensifications. One or more intensifications may require travel. Please check “Program Dates” in this web page or in the Terms and Conditions.
  • Compatibility with current job, training or activity. 
  •  

Selection Criteria

A Selection Committee composed of representatives from Catalyst Europe partners will select the Catalyst Europe 2023 Fellows, based on one main and most important criteria:

  • Candidate’s potential to bring value to the innovation cohort and contribute to the cohort main objectives: validate unmet needs, propose technological solutions and develop research project plans.

 

The main common attributes of successful fellows are:

  • Ability to differentiate between validated facts and assumptions, and to ideate a process to validate assumptions.
  • Ability to apply logic and critically analyze and synthesize a broad range of source materials.
  • Willingness to work outside your field of expertise.
  • Ability to communicate ideas and collaborate with others with different expertise and experience.
  • Ability to design, create and build new technologies to solve critical problems.
  • Ability to receive and synthesize constructive criticism.
  • Willingness to “own” your career and your project (rather than depending on direct supervision).
  • A team player willing to fulfil different roles in research projects.
  • Experience in developing and implementing research proposals.
  • Be willing to work in a process that is chaotic, creative and free of pre-conceived ideas or pathways.
  • High level of English.
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Network

Catalyst Europe network is comprised of people working in the following institutions:

A program

co-funded by:

Catalyst Europe is a network of people working at European academic, industry and hospital partners who implement and run the MIT linQ Catalyst methodology in Europe.

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