🇺🇸 The Transatlantic Opportunity for European HealthTech
Founders Factory Startup Bulletin #59
For European healthtech founders, the United States is often seen as competitive and capital-intensive - a later stage market for mature products rather than a space for development. But demand from US health systems for European breakthroughs is increasing.
US healthcare spending accounts for nearly 20% of GDP or around $5.3 trillion - larger than the entire GDP of Germany. It is operationally decentralised and under constant pressure to improve outcomes while reducing cost. That tension creates a demand signal for solutions that optimise clinical performance and enhance decision-making, and ultimately make advanced therapies deliverable at scale.
AI models in cardiology are predicting heart failure and arrhythmias upstream of acute events. Oncology platforms are operationalising biomarker-first treatment pathways and integrating radioligand therapies into clinical workflows. In gastroenterology (GI), AI-assisted endoscopy is improving adenoma detection rates and standardising procedural quality. These infrastructure technologies go beyond incremental improvements, structurally reshaping how care is delivered.
In this month’s Bulletin, we look at how European innovations can scale in the US healthcare market via our programme with Northwestern Medicine. Also in the Bulletin:
Converging on patient care - why we need a cohesive approach to life after diagnosis
Lasers, geology, and sovereignty - Europe’s startup mining opportunity
Survey: Take part in the Tech Nation 2026 Report
Investing in Nebuly
Events
Open cohorts
Job Openings
The Transatlantic Opportunity for European HealthTech
What makes the US particularly compelling is its receptiveness to systems based solutions particularly across clinical optimisation, business insights & predictive analytics, clinical decision support, precision medicine & advanced therapies, and quality, safety & reliability.
Hospitals are investing in predictive analytics to reduce readmissions in heart failure. Oncology centres are deploying decision support systems to navigate increasingly complex treatment algorithms. GI departments are adopting AI-enhanced imaging to improve detection rates and reduce variability. Advanced therapies, from CAR-T to targeted radiopharmaceuticals, require entirely new operational layers to be safely and efficiently delivered.
The common opportunity is in building the systems that allow those therapies to reach patients consistently and safely.
This represents a unique advantage for European founders. Many are building deeptech-first solutions in AI, robotics, and advanced analytics, in environments that demand rigorous evidence and clinical validation. When those technologies meet the scale and capital intensity of the US market, the growth trajectory can accelerate dramatically.
This is the thesis behind our Northwestern Medicine Healthcare Accelerator. Offering $150k capital and a 16 week programme to accelerate US market entry across Northwestern Medicine’s clinicians and 11 hospitals in Illinois. Founders will visit Chicago to scope pilots with NM senior leadership whilst connecting into local healthcare ecosystem payers, Government programs and US investors. All with the chance to work with the London Clinic in the UK, a recent NM partnership.
Healthcare innovation is going to be defined by infrastructure as much as by new therapies and drugs; and for European healthtech, the US is the platform on which systemic innovations can be scaled.
Converging on patient care - why we need a cohesive approach to life after diagnosis
Neurodegenerative illnesses are global by definition. They cut across borders, income levels, age groups and health systems. In recent years, they have blurred those boundaries even further, with more than three billion people, nearly half the world’s population, estimated to be affected by a neurological condition.
Yet despite the scale of the issue, the response remains largely siloed. Research, innovation and care models are often confined within nations, disciplines or disease categories. All while people living with these conditions navigate fragmented systems every day.
The opportunities to converge globally by industry, technology and medical practice are huge. With a $60bn market cap for patient care tech, and with strides being made around the world in different and adjacent areas to neurological care, the issue comes down to focus.
If we want to meaningfully improve outcomes for neurodegenerative conditions, we need to shift our focus. Not just toward better treatments, but toward better lives after diagnosis.
Lasers, geology, and sovereignty - Europe’s startup mining opportunity
Europe invented modern mining and then forgot how to do it. To be fair, most of the high-grade deposits in Europe were already worked hard by the nineteenth century. By the mid-twentieth century, a lot of operations were chasing deeper seams and lower grades which pushed costs up. The industry moved elsewhere and extraction became something that happened in Australia, Chile, Africa.
The good news is that Europe has more than 800 medium to large hard-rock deposits for 30 critical raw materials across 33 countries. These are deposits that could support domestic supply, but are currently uneconomical to mine with today’s technology.
In our latest blog post our Mining and Deeptech Investor Jack Kennedy looks at European startup innovations in mining:
Survey: Take part in the Tech Nation 2026 Report
The Tech Nation Report has been the UK’s state of the nation report on the technology industry since 2015.
Your survey responses will directly inform our 2026 report and help shape Tech Nation’s policy recommendations for government to strengthen the UK’s position in the global AI race.
The survey takes 2 minutes to complete. Responses will be anonymised and will not be attributed to individuals or their organisations.
Plus, you’ll have the chance to win £1,000 in cash, a personal invitation to our Future Fifty Forum, and a bespoke support package for your business.
Investing in Nebuly
Introducing Nebuly - one of the latest companies to join our Fastweb + Vodafone Investment Programme.
Unlike traditional apps, conversational AI leaves no clear trail of clicks or page views, and fewer than 1% of users leave feedback. That makes it incredibly difficult to measure performance, user satisfaction or ROI.
Nebuly is building the analytics layer for the AI era.
Their platform gives organisations a real-time, privacy-first understanding of how people interact with AI, helping teams quantify productivity gains and identify opportunities for automation.
As AI becomes the primary interface between businesses and users, understanding those interactions will be as essential as web analytics was for the internet and mobile apps.
Events
Third Derivative Data Center Decarb Series - Innovations in Southeast Asia
As data centre demand accelerates across Southeast Asia, driven by AI, cloud expansion, and regional digitalisation; ensuring access to clean, reliable energy at speed is becoming a defining challenge. This session will explore solutions enabling data centres in the region to scale efficiently while reducing emissions and strengthening grid resilience.
The session will then feature startup pitches and live Q&A with innovators working across clean power, storage, cooling, and materials.
Founders Factory in Toronto for the PDAC 2026 Convention
We will be hosting TD Bank Group, Orion Industrial Ventures, Unearthed Solutions and CleanAI for “Venture-Backed Exploration: How AI, New Technologies & Business Models are Redefining Critical Mineral Discovery & Supply”.
The event brings together miners, investors and founders to explore how critical minerals are moving beyond a question of geology, becoming a data, software and automation challenge.
Discussions will range from the impact of capital, AI and emerging technologies and business models on mineral exploration, to some of the exciting developments in the market to date.
We look forward to the founder presentations and networking - and a chance to connect builders, operators and investors working at the intersection of AI and the energy transition.
Founders Factory and Innovate UK Hospital to Community Accelerator Pitch Day
Last week we marked the close of our Hospital to Community Accelerator, delivered in partnership with InnovateUK, with a Demo Day showcasing the progress of the cohort.
Over the previous 12 weeks, founders worked closely with our partners and industry specialists to develop early-stage innovations designed to move care closer to patients and into the community. The programme focused on practical implementation, exploring how new technologies can operate in real healthcare settings.
The afternoon brought together clinicians, operators and investors for startup pitches, a panel discussion and open conversation about adoption pathways across the NHS and wider care systems.
A big thank you to the founders, partners and healthcare professionals who joined us and helped shape the conversation around the future of community-based care.
Sensore — automated pressure ulcer prevention mapping
Papcup — non-invasive cervical screening
Arcus Dental — digital dental check-ups from home
Punto Health — AI-powered dementia management platform
Auracare — AI triage for primary care providers
Dotplot — at-home early breast cancer detection
Myonerv — wearable device to monitor and treat stroke-induced paralysis
Circe — clinical group therapy platform for women
William Oak — integrated diagnostics for nutritional deficiencies
Lifeyear — an operating system for cardiac care
The discussions reinforced a consistent theme across the programme on shifting care from hospital to community requires more than new technology. It requires solutions that fit clinical workflows, support overstretched staff and deliver measurable improvements in patient outcomes.
Open cohorts
MSWA Multiple Sclerosis & Neurological Care Accelerator - Applications close Feb 28th
For early-stage ventures harnessing AI, robotics, wearables, and digital health to address multiple sclerosis, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease, motor neurone disease and acquired brain injury. Apply here.
Blue Action Accelerator – Applications open
For early-stage ocean and blue economy ventures, supporting founders building solutions across maritime, shipping and supply chains, coastal resilience, conservation, and ocean infrastructure. Apply here.
HSBC Industrial Innovator Programme - Applications close March 13th
From industrial waste and critical minerals to maritime logistics and materials circularity, the programme focuses on themes where innovation can drive real environmental and commercial impact. Apply here.
Northwestern Medicine & Founders Factory Accelerator — Applications close March 31st
A US hospital-embedded programme helping European healthtech startups pilot and scale solutions across clinical optimisation, decision support and advanced therapies within real care pathways. Apply here.
Job-openings
🏥 Co-Founder: Healthcare Studio – Founders Factory (London / Europe / Remote)
Co-build a healthcare venture from day one with Founders Factory, tackling systemic challenges across remote monitoring, care optimisation and health infrastructure. You’ll receive €275k pre-seed funding, hands-on venture studio support and access to leading healthcare partners to validate and scale your idea.
Apply here
🔧 Founding Engineer – Konduit (London / Hybrid)
Join Konduit, a venture backed by Aviva and Founders Factory, building the infrastructure layer for real-time insurance capacity allocation. As Founding Engineer, you’ll architect and ship the core platform, shaping the technical foundation of a category-defining marketplace.
Apply here
🦾Venture Studio Lead – Founders Factory (Berlin, Hybrid)
Act as co-founder across new studio ventures, validating concepts, defining go-to-market strategy and preparing startups for spin-out and scale. You’ll operate at the intersection of product, commercial strategy and founder hiring to turn ideas into investment-ready companies.
Apply here
🧱Venture Builder – Founders Factory (London, Hybrid)
Work hands-on with founders to take ventures from 0→1, shaping product strategy, building MVPs and driving early validation. This is a fast-paced studio role focused on momentum, experimentation and building companies that can scale.
Apply here
🚀 Digital Ads Freelancer – Byway (London/Remote)
Reporting to the Head of Paid Growth, you will be the engine room of Byway’s through-funnel marketing strategy. Your work will directly support their 2026 goal of scaling international markets and diversifying into YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest. Byway is a first-of-its-kind travel technology that uses miles of local expertise to route trips by land and sea optimised for your enjoyment. We are a 100% flight-free travel company and B Corp.
Apply here