GINSUM Delegation and 2nd GIHF-AI Conference

Through its two innovation projects, GIHF-AI and GINSUM, ELNET brought its biggest delegation from Israel to Germany this month. The delegation included 30 Israeli healthcare experts, innovation managers, startups, and representatives of the Israeli Ministry of Health.

The GINSUM (German Network of Startups and Mittelstand) delegation came to participate in ELNET’s 2nd GIHF-AI (German Israeli Health Forum for Artificial Intelligence) Conference. This exclusive event with around 80 high-profile participants, provided an opportunity for relevant German and Israeli experts to exchange knowledge and experience in the field of digital health and AI. Held this year in Germany, the conference kicked off with a reception at Essen Town Hall at the invitation of Mayor of Essen, Thomas Kufen. The preliminary results of the first GIHF-AI study, focusing on trust in health data use in Germany and Israel, were presented by the Director of Data Research Centers at Clalit Innovation Dr. Yiska Weisband. The conference day included keynote speeches, a panel discussion on health data use in Israel, Germany, and Europe, and several breakout sessions.

The GINSUM delegation was supported by the Israeli Ministry of Health, Business Metropole Ruhr GmbH and Health IL. During their visit they met with the Envoy of the Embassy of the State of Israel in Berlin Aaron Sagui, Head of the Directorate “Innovation and Digitalization” at the German Federal Ministry of Health Thomas Renner; and Chief Medical Officer of the University Hospital Charité Prof. Dr. Martin Kreis, in addition to other representatives of the Bundestag, the German Federal Ministry of Health, and industry. The delegation also participated in an event between PwC Deutschland, Strategy&, ELNET, the German-Israeli Chamber of Industry & Commerce – AHK Israel, the Israel Economic & Trade Mission, and the Deutsch-Israelische Gesellschaft celebrating 75 years of the modern State of Israel and German-Israeli innovation cooperation. In addition, so as to get a glimpse of the Universitätsmedizin Essen, led by GIHF-AI board member Prof. Dr. Jochen A. Werner, the Chief Transformation Officer of UME Dr. Anke Diehl organized a tour through Germany’s leading smart hospital including its cutting-edge AI showroom, the ICU, and the radiotherapy department.

The GINSUM delegation also partook in the Big Bang Health Festival, a major healthcare event with 1,500 guests. At the event ELNET held a special GIHF-AI panel, a masterclass titled “Health Organizations – Catalysts for Innovation in Healthcare: Connecting Israeli Expertise with German Insights”, and ELNET’s “Israel Corner” where participants at the festival could engage with the Israeli delegates and exchange ideas.

Germany and Israel have tremendous potential for collaboration in the fields of health, innovation, and technology, and ELNET’s programs work to facilitate building new partnerships and collaborations.

“We acknowledge that our delegation not only brought Israeli expertise and an innovative spirit to the German digital health context, but also initiated possible collaborations. Moreover, it was a chance to connect in-person within the Israeli-German ecosystem, strengthening the bonds that will undoubtedly lead to fruitful partnerships in the future. We would like to express our deepest gratitude to ELNET for making our visit to Germany an enriching experience.”
Dr. Sivan Shafran Tikva
Founding Director of the Hadassah Medical Center Research and Innovation Center in Nursing