EIT Health Morning Health Talks: Bottlenecks in Commercialisation – Challenges Facing Healthcare Start-ups in Entering European Markets | 2 December 2025 | Tallinn/online
Healthcare start-ups face significant hurdles when entering EU markets, from regulatory complexity to limited access to funding and practical guidance. This session brings together experts and founders to identify the key bottlenecks and discuss what concrete support measures would help young health companies scale more effectively in Europe.
Date: 2 December 2025
Time: 10:00–12:30
Venue: Workland Vabaduse (Pärnu mnt 12, Tallinn) / online
Agenda
9:30 – 10:00 Gathering and coffee
10:00 – 10:10 Opening and Welcome – Sven Parkel (Tartu Biotechnology Park)
10:10 – 10:30 Keynote 1 – The International Perspective – Speaker: Daniela NIPPRASCHK, Co-Founder of NG Cooperation
- “Digital Health Market Entry: A Fast Walkthrough for Market Entry in DACH & EU”
10:30 – 10:50 Keynote 2 – The Regulatory Perspective – Speaker: Silja ELUNURM, Development Manager for Certification and Regulatory Services, Estonian Business and Innovation Agency
10:50 – 11:35 Company experience stories by
– Martin LEIGER, Business Development Lead at Migrevention
– Madis PÄEV, COO at 7Sense
– Priit KRUUS, Co-Founder and CEO at Dermtest
- Why and how they selected a specific EU market
- Key bottlenecks and lessons learned
- Recommendations for other start-ups
11:35 – 12:15 Panel Discussion: “Breaking the Bottlenecks – What Would Really Help Health Start-ups in the EU?”
- Panellists: all of the above mentioned speakers
- Topics: regulatory pathways, funding, finding clinical partners, role of national and EU-level support mechanisms
12:15 – 12:30 Wrap-up and Next Steps
- What support do Estonian companies need most?
- How can the support organisations help to address these challenges?
12:30 – 13:00 Networking Coffee – informal discussions with speakers and participants
SPEAKERS
Silja ELUNURM, LL.M, M.Sc, is a leading regulatory advisor in the digital health field. She currently serves as Development Manager for Certification and Regulatory Services at Enterprise Estonia, focusing on developing services that help companies navigate regulation-heavy international markets. She has also held key roles in the private sector, including Head of Regulatory at the SaMD company Migrevention and Regulatory Affairs Manager at Health Founders, a prominent HealthTech accelerator in Estonia. With deep expertise in regulatory landscapes, Silja specialises in bridging the gap between innovation and compliance.
Daniela NIPPRASCHK has a background in Health Sciences and experience as a paramedic and has managed large-scale healthcare operations, including COVID-19 testing and vaccination centres. Her consulting work and her role as a board member of ASB Frankfurt have provided her with valuable insights into healthcare strategy. She now supports international Digital Health startups in navigating the German market, with a focus on market access, pilot project management, and regulatory compliance. Passionate about digital solutions, she aims to improve the efficiency and safety of healthcare across the DACH region.
Martin LEIGER brings 15+ years of experience from growing start-ups as well as large organisations, having led communications and operational teams. Before focusing on health innovation, he headed a finance shared service centre for a global renewable materials company. As a migraine sufferer himself, he now works on Migrevention’s business strategy, market expansion and commercial development, supporting the mission to make digital headache care accessible in all corners of the world.
Madis PÄEV is the COO at 7Sense, where he leads Sales, Marketing, and Partnerships. He brings extensive experience from the insurance industry, which has equipped him with the expertise needed to successfully launch and scale new products in highly regulated markets.
Sven PARKEL (MODERATOR) 
is the CEO of Tartu Biotechnology Park. Sven supports the growth of companies in the health technology, biotechnology, and other related sectors by providing support through EU-funded projects and incubation programs. In addition, Sven serves as the Community Officer for the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) community in Estonia. In this role, he connects Estonian companies, research institutions, and public sector partners with international opportunities across EIT’s thematic areas — including health, food, climate, digital technologies, and energy — to foster collaboration, attract new projects to Estonia, and strengthen the overall innovation ecosystem. Sven also acts as the Secretary General of the ScanBalt innovation network, promoting the development of the health technology ecosystem in the Baltic Sea region.
