Stronger Connections Across the Healthcare Continuum: MuSiC4Diabetes at the EIC Pathfinder Portfolio Meets in Porto
On 21–22 May 2026, partners of the EIC Pathfinder Portfolio “Towards the Healthcare Continuum” gathered in Porto, Portugal, for the portfolio Stakeholder Event and Annual Meeting, hosted by i3S – Instituto de Investigação e Inovação em Saúde. Representatives from portfolio projects, including partners from MuSiC4Diabetes, met industry stakeholders, innovation experts, and the European Innovation Council to strengthen collaboration and explore pathways towards future healthcare solutions.
Bridging the Gap Between Science and Industry – Portfolio Members Meet Industry Stakeholders
The stakeholder event on 21 May created a highly interactive environment focused on advancing dialogue between cutting-edge research initiatives and industry actors. In a reverse pitch format following short project presentations, industry representatives were able to directly share their technological challenges, expectations, and needs not yet fully addressed with the research projects. Afterwards, project and industry representatives had a chance to discuss bilaterally during industry coffee. A presentation on the role of European Medicines Agency (EMA) in the process of developing new medical devices was followed by a panel discussion focusing on the question ‘How can Europe accelerate translational innovation in the healthcare continuum?’. Miguel Antunes (EMA), Juliana Alves (Health Cluster Portugal), Miguel Botto (Portugal Ventures), Carmelida Capaldi (Chiesi Pharmaceuticals) and EIC Programme Manager Federica Zanca engaged in a fruitful discussion with the portfolio partners and shared insights from very different perspectives.
The event continued with a Tech Café Session, which encouraged focused small-group discussions between projects and industry participants. MuSiC4Diabetes Coordinator Martin Richter (Fraunhofer EMFT), and Chiara Toffanin (University of Pavia) hosted two of the café tables and were able to make valuable contacts and in-depth exchanges. The format enabled open conversations on technological barriers, regulatory considerations, scalability, clinical adoption, and potential business models. It also fostered meaningful networking that went well beyond traditional presentation sessions.
The stakeholder event concluded with a portfolio dinner overlooking the city of Porto, offering participants the opportunity to continue discussions in an informal setting while enjoying stunning panoramic views of the city and the Douro River.
From Innovation to Market Readiness: Intellectual Property Workshop for Portfolio Members
Day two was reserved for the closed portfolio meeting: the four portfolio working groups presented important updates on their ongoing activities and collaborative achievements. The session demonstrated the growing maturity of the portfolio and the increasing synergies emerging between its members. An IP workshop provided all projects with practical insights into IP protection, exploitation pathways, and strategies for balancing openness and competitiveness in collaborative innovation environments. Participants welcomed the opportunity to discuss common challenges and exchange experiences regarding technology transfer and commercialisation.
The meeting also included an important strategic discussion on the future direction of the portfolio and the long-term sustainability of project outcomes beyond the lifetime of individual Pathfinder grants. Participants explored ways to maintain collaboration structures, strengthen connections with industry and investors, and ensure that the innovations developed within the portfolio continue progressing towards real-world healthcare impact.
Overall, the third Annual Portfolio Meeting once again demonstrated the strength of the Towards the Healthcare Continuum community and its commitment to fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, accelerating innovation, and shaping the future of healthcare technologies in Europe.
Special thanks go to the hosts from i3S, who made all participants feel welcome and made sure that the event went along smoothly; as well as to our EIC Programme Manager Federica Zanca and portfolio coordinator Jakub Cebula, whose coordination ensured a dynamic and productive meeting environment throughout both days.
Group picture 
Panel Discussion 
Chiara Toffanin leading the Open Tech Coffee Session on AI & Data Handling 
Martin Richter hosting the Open Coffee Table Sampling & Microfluidics