In 2022, the Institute of Mother and Child inaugurated the first edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge competition, inviting startups from Poland and abroad to participate. It was the first project of this kind in the country and one of the few in Europe to unite public medical entities around a common goal: leveraging the potential of technology and innovation focused on healthcare protection.
The official announcement of the competition took place at Impact CEE in Poznań, on 12 May 2022.
The initiative was implemented in collaboration with four leading clinical hospitals:
Together, they undertook efforts to develop the most innovative projects and processes in healthcare. The first edition marked an important step in building an ecosystem of collaboration between agile technology companies and hospitals and clinical centres.
The competition was addressed to startups and entities creating creative product or process innovations of high value to patients and the healthcare system, covering, among others, medical technologies, diagnostics, pharmacotherapy, and IT solutions.
69 projects were submitted to the first edition, with an internationalisation level of 7%.
The thematic scope of the 1st edition covered:
Infermedica supports patients and healthcare workers at every stage – from the first symptoms, through medical consultations, to prevention and aftercare.
The platform consists of three modules: Triage, Intake, Follow Up. In addition to directing patients to appropriate care, it collects an initial medical history, supporting professionals in providing healthcare services more efficiently.
MedApp S.A. is a technology company specialising in solutions using artificial intelligence, analysis of large medical data sets, and holographic imaging visualisation. Its technologies are changing the way patients are diagnosed and treated, delivering next-generation tools in the field of digital medicine and augmented reality. The company continuously expands its services portfolio, adapting it to the dynamic needs of the medical sector and new application areas.
Second edition of MCSC – continuing the success
The second edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge competition, held in 2023, was a natural continuation of the success of the first instalment of the initiative.
The competition not only showcased the potential of creativity and entrepreneurship in the field of healthcare, but also strengthened the community of experts, medical institutions, and startups, creating an inspiring ecosystem of change.
Track for startups and teams in the research and development phase (R&D Track):
Thematic scope:
The level of project advancement in the implementation track was determined using the TRL: 3-7 scale.
Implementation track – ready solutions
In 2023, the Jury awarded main prizes to as many as 4 projects in two types of tracks:
2 in the implementation track:
Laserobaria 2.0_S (Inventmed)
Laserobaria 2.0_S is a product of the Polish company Inventmed. It is a multifunctional device certified as a class IIA medical device. As the only product on the market, it allows holistic therapy using the synergy of five physical factors: local high-pressure oxygen therapy, ozone therapy, magnetic field, red light, and UV light.
Laserobaria 2.0_S therapy is used in the treatment of wounds of various aetiology: diabetic foot, burns, frostbite, ulcers, post-operative wounds, lymphatic oedemas, as well as in the treatment of orthopaedic conditions and pain. In many cases, treatment makes it possible to avoid limb amputation. The software allows individualisation of the therapeutic factor system depending on the type of condition, level of infection, or any contraindications.
The therapeutic effects the company can achieve include biocidal action (virucidal, bactericidal, fungicidal), anti-oedema, anti-inflammatory, acceleration of tissue regeneration, and pain reduction.
In the orthopaedic field: acceleration of bone healing and muscle regeneration.
Laserobaria 2.0_S receives positive references from medical entities using it in patient treatment, including clinical military hospitals, regional hospitals, and private clinics. The company, together with the invention, has been awarded at events such as Brussels Innova, Startup Challenge 2023 as part of the European Economic Congress, and the 16th International Exhibition of Inventions and Innovations.
TruScreen Cervical Cancer Screening
The incidence and mortality of cervical cancer (CC) remain a global priority. Mortality from CC in Poland is one of the highest in Europe. Modelling shows that for progress in eliminating CC to be effective, the quality of the approach must be improved: vaccination, screening, and management must be addressed more comprehensively, at scale and faster, so that the goals of the World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) can be achieved. Screening for CC must be widely available. For the next several years, screening will have a greater impact on CC incidence than vaccination. However, identifying HPV DNA carriers as the sole screening method will not improve mortality. Research shows that improvement in prevention costs and CC mortality will only occur under conditions of mass HPV vaccination and appropriate identification of cervical lesions requiring treatment.
TruScreen is a medical device (class IIA) which, using a clinically proven optical-electrical method, immediately detects cervical lesions.
TruScreen offers the opportunity to reduce the costs of cervical cancer prevention and improve mortality rates faster than using HPV DNA, when applied at mass scale. It is also an excellent option for private gynaecological practices.
TruScreen is characterised by:
2 in the R&D track:
Clebre
Clebre is an innovative method of treating sleep and breathing disorders, in which progress is continuously monitored to adapt therapy to the individual needs of the patient. Using a sensor attached to the neck, diagnostics and monitoring are brought to the patient’s home. The sensor collects data on how we breathe and how we behave while sleeping. Such observations extended over many nights make it possible to build a complete, objective picture of the condition and monitor its changes.
The Clebre diagnostic system introduces a fundamental change in the way sleep apnoea and snoring are treated, and the entire process is managed by a team of specialists coordinated by a dedicated caregiver.
Sleep and breathing disorders are common. In children, they lead to disturbances in normal physical and intellectual development. In adults, prolonged stress and oxygen deprivation caused by apnoeas lead to hypertension, diabetes, heart rhythm disturbances, as well as heart attacks and strokes.
Breathing disorders have various causes, can occur at any age, and are chronic. This means there is no single treatment path, and treatment must be long-term. Clebre addresses these patient needs and effectively resolves their problems.
Mission Amygdala – Calmsie
Mission Amygdala is a platform providing immediate support to children with depression and anxiety disorders. It helps with prevention, early intervention, and complements standard therapy. The product was created by experienced doctors and IT specialists in collaboration with children, integrating the best therapeutic practices, conversational artificial intelligence, and mobile games.
Its digital form and additional functionalities supporting medical staff eliminate the systemic gaps causing the crisis in child psychiatry. This makes Mission Amygdala a revolution, combining innovation with engaging UX, safety, and effectiveness, changing the face of children’s mental healthcare.
Children are engaged in daily missions in which they help characters in the game overcome emotional challenges. They then have real-time conversations with General Empathy – our AI-driven videobot, who helps the child apply skills learned in the game to real-life situations.
Mission Amygdala is a platform that serves two purposes:
The main goal of the 3rd edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge competition, held in 2024, was to popularise medical innovation in Poland, particularly in the area of care for pediatric patients and women at every stage of life.
As part of the initiative, we sought to create an open approach to collaboration between startups and medical facilities, thereby supporting the development of technologies that can find application in the healthcare sector.
Thanks to the changes introduced, the 3rd edition of Mother and Child Startup Challenge was not merely a continuation of previous instalments – it became a milestone in building a community centred around the competition, attracting a record number of startups, medical facilities, and experts. In this way, MCSC consolidated its position as a dynamic platform supporting and connecting medical innovation in Poland.
New features included webinars dedicated to the Top 10 and Top 20, an Audience Award vote, and the introduction of hospital mentoring for individual startups from the final top 10.
The competition covered a broad spectrum of innovations addressing key needs of the healthcare system, including:
UES Ultra Echo Scan
UES is SaaS software that performs tasks involving the analysis of diagnostic ultrasound recordings. It analyses three basic projections. It automatically detects the probability of Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) in neonatal echocardiography, indicating the presence or absence of CHD. The software is based on artificial intelligence using machine learning. The project has great potential in terms of scalability and can be applied in newborn screening worldwide, at low implementation costs.
The global detection rate of Congenital Heart Disease is low, at 35–50%. CHD occurs with a frequency of 8.2 per 1,000 live births and is the leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Detecting CHD in newborns requires appropriate equipment, specialist knowledge, and extensive experience. The availability and number of specialist physicians and high-reference centres may be a contributing factor. UES software is a response to such problems. Trained medical staff or a physician, after performing standard projections in a specified manner and having the images analysed by UES software, receives an answer in the form of confirmation or absence of CHD with a 96% probability. This information allows the newborn to be referred for additional tests or a consultation with a specialist physician.
In 2025, the competition underwent a significant transformation – Mother and Child Startup Challenge was transformed into MCSC Hospital Leadership Innovation. This rebranding was directly related to the expansion of the scope of the initiative, going beyond the area of healthcare for women and children.
Thanks to the changes introduced, the competition opened up to collaboration with all hospitals – not only pediatric ones – interested in implementing breakthrough technologies improving the quality of treatment and the efficiency of managing medical facilities.
MCSC Ecosystem
The key novelty of the fourth edition was the creation of the MCSC ecosystem, comprising Co-Organizing Hospitals and Partner Hospitals. In the 4th edition of MCSC, this ecosystem consisted of a total of 16 facilities from across Poland.
Co-Organizing Hospitals:
Partner Hospitals:
90 projects from 21 countries were submitted to the fourth edition, with an internationalisation level of 34.8%.
Three events were organised as part of the fourth edition, gathering over 500 participants in total:
In 2025, the series of webinars for participants continued (divided into TOP 20 and TOP 10). Following the example of the 3rd edition, MCSC ecosystem hospitals had the opportunity to distinguish selected projects with mentoring. For the second time, the Audience Award vote was held, with the winner being the SphereCyberX project by Xopero. A novelty of the fourth edition was the award of the IMiD Foundation Prize for the particular social value of a project – this distinction was received by the company Exura.
For the 4th edition we invited teams and companies at a technological development stage TRL >4, offering solutions in the following areas:
Promedheus
Promedheus – an intelligent system for managing hospital operations that not only harmonises the operating theatre schedule, but also genuinely improves the efficiency of medical teams. The system can save up to 75 minutes per operating theatre per day, increase revenues by 8–12%, and generate savings of approximately PLN 350,000 per year – without increasing resources. The Jury recognised its innovation, scalability, and readiness for deployment.