Final Event of the ADD4KIDS Project: Accelerating demand-driven tools for paediatric Innovation adoption in Europe

On March 11, 2025, the final event of the ADD4KIDS Project took place in Brussels and online, marking a significant milestone in the journey towards accelerating the adoption of paediatric innovations in Europe. This event provided a strategic plan to showcase the project’s key outcomes and engage stakeholders in discussions on the implementation of demand-driven solutions. By bringing together experts from across Europe, the event underscored the urgent need for new actions to  reduce uncertainty and risk in paediatric innovation, fostering a more efficient and competitive healthcare ecosystem.

A Collaborative Effort for Paediatric Innovation

The ADD4KIDS Project, a 12-month EU-funded initiative, has been dedicated to identifying key instruments available for demand-driven innovation, analyzing the primary challenges in implementing them for paediatrics, and developing a comprehensive innovation action plan to enhance the effectiveness of demand-driven financing instruments.. The goal is to reduce barriers to innovation adoption in paediatric healthcare, ensuring that new solutions reach patients faster. Through collaboration with existing initiatives, ADD4KIDS strives to establish synergies among EU member states, reinforcing Europe’s leadership in paediatric research and innovation.

Why Brussels?

Holding the final event in Brussels, the heart of European policymaking, highlighted the importance of aligning paediatric innovation strategies with EU-wide regulations and funding mechanisms. The event provided a crucial opportunity to engage directly with policymakers, regulatory bodies, and key stakeholders, ensuring that the proposed European Action Plan gains institutional support and drives real change across the continent.

Key Objectives of the Event

The primary goals of the event were to:

• Present an overview of the ADD4KIDS Project and its key achievements, including the launch of the White Paper and the Action Plan, designed to bridge the gap between innovation and uptake in paediatric healthcare. (These documents will soon be published and made available to the public.)
• Facilitate discussions on demand-driven innovation in paediatric healthcare.
• Promote cross-sector collaboration and the exchange of best practices.
• Leverage the in-person event to foster networking opportunities and establish connections that can support the activation of the European Action Plan.
• Explore future steps to ensure the sustainability and long-term impact of the ADD4KIDS initiative beyond the project’s completion.

Event Agenda and Key Sessions

The event featured a diverse programme, presented by Guillem Figueras (Inveniam Group), with expert presentations and a high-level roundtable discussion:

• Institutional Welcome – Dr. Fatima Núñez (SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital)
• Project Presentation – Sofía Ferreira (ADD4KIDS Project Coordinator, SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital)

• Insights from the ADD4KIDS Working Groups & Presentation of the White Paper – Anael Barberan-Garcia (Agency for Health Quality and Assessment of Catalonia – AQuAS)
• European Action Plan for Paediatric Innovation – Nolwenn Schaan & Arturo Loureiro (EIT Health e.V)

• Roundtable Discussion: ADD4KIDS & EU Paediatric Procurement Policies – Featuring Maria Sanchis, PhD – Senior Open Innovation & Innovative Procurement Manager, EIT HealthV, Marc Van den Bulcke – Head of Service, Sciensano, Arnau Valls Esteve – Head of Innovation Unit, Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, i4KIDS I i4KIDS-EUROPE Director, Dr. Marek Migdal – CEO, Children’s Memorial Health Institute and Rossana Alessandrello – Value Based Procurement Director of the Agència de Qualitat i Avaluació Sanitàries de Catalunya (AQuAS), coordinator of the Value Based Procurement Subcommittee of the Catalonian Department of Health Innovation and Transformation Commission

• Closing Remarks – Ester Borràs (Government of Catalonia to the EU)

Additionally, a networking session provided attendees with the opportunity to connect and exchange insights on advancing paediatric healthcare innovation.

Strong Stakeholder Engagement and International Representation

The ADD4KIDS final event successfully attracted 151 participants, with 36 attending in person and 115 joining online, reflecting its strong international reach. Attendees came from a diverse range of backgrounds, including public institutions, research centres, healthcare providers, industry leaders, and representatives from the European Commission.

The geographical representation of participants further highlighted the event’s European and global impact. In-person attendees travelled from Belgium, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, and other European countries, while online participants joined from Spain, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Portugal, the United States, and beyond.

The event also welcomed professionals from leading organisations, members of the ADD4KIDS consortium, including SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital, EIT Health e.V, Agency for Health Quality and Assessment of Catalonia   (AQuAS), Sciensano, and the Children’s Memorial Health Institute. In addition, representatives from the European Commission and prominent pharmaceutical companies, universities, and research institutions participated, further reinforcing the importance of collaborative efforts in advancing paediatric innovation.

Key Outcomes and Impact

The final event of ADD4KIDS successfully:

• Disseminated project findings to a broad audience of stakeholders.
• Collected valuable feedback to refine future strategies for paediatric innovation adoption.
• Strengthened partnerships and collaborations among key players in the paediatric innovation ecosystem.
• Identified policy recommendations to support the practical implementation of the project’s findings.

According to Sofía Ferreira, Innovation Manager at SJD Barcelona Children’s Hospital & ADD4KIDS Project Coordinator, “the outcomes of the ADD4KIDS Project mark an important step towards improving the adoption of paediatric innovations in Europe. By proposing a structured, demand-driven strategy, the project aims to reduce uncertainty and risk, providing a framework that can help accelerate the uptake of new healthcare solutions, paving the way for a more coordinated approach to paediatric innovation across Europe.”

Looking Ahead: Sustaining the ADD4KIDS Impact

The insights and discussions from the event aspire to serve as a foundation for future European policy frameworks and innovation strategies in paediatric healthcare innovation. The ADD4KIDS European Action Plan aims to ensure the sustainable and effective integration of demand-driven financing instruments in paediatric healthcare, fostering a more innovative, competitive, and patient-centred ecosystem.

As i4KIDS continues to lead efforts in paediatric innovation, the outcomes of ADD4KIDS will provide essential guidance for future initiatives aimed at overcoming barriers to innovation adoption and improving healthcare solutions for children across Europe.

If you were unable to attend the event live, it is now available on YouTube.