On January 19th, 2026, the second edition of the HaDEA Showcase Event took place in Brussels, with the possibility to follow it also online. This event brought together a variety of EU-funded projects managed by the Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), with the aim of showcasing their impact and enhancing cooperation across various sectors.

While last year's event was aligned with World Cancer Day, focusing on cancer-related projects, this second edition took a broader approach. This year’s event emphasized the role of EU-funded initiatives in driving competitiveness and preparedness across key sectors, including digital technology, industry, space, and health. Furthermore, the event’s focus aligned with two major EU policy initiatives: the Competitiveness Compass and the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, highlighting the crucial role of EU funding and HaDEA funding in these areas.

In the health sector, several notable speakers from health-related projects addressed the audience, providing insights into how EU-funded health initiatives are not only advancing medical research but also creating opportunities for collaboration in data sharing and cross-border research. Key projects, partnerships and networks discussed included:

• ·         EVH (Donata Medaglini), the European Vaccines Hub for pandemic readiness
• ·         THCS (Giusi Condorelli), the European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems
• ·         EU FAB (Marta Figa Bosch), the network of vaccine producers for future health emergencies
• ·         Hola 5G Oulu (Andrew Conway), showcasing the impact of 5G technology in the healthcare sector

A number of EU initiatives were mentioned during the panel discussions, including the Safe Hearts Plan, as well as the Health Data Space. The first one is a new EU-wide strategy aimed at addressing one of Europe’s most pressing public health threats: cardiovascular diseases. Presented on December 16^th of last year, it highlights the importance of prevention and screening. On the other hand, the Health Data Space aims to create a secure and interoperable environment where health data can be shared, accessed, and utilized across different organizations and platforms. It is designed to improve the exchange of health information while ensuring privacy, security, and compliance with GDPR regulations.

This topic was a key focus throughout the panel sessions, not only in the medical field but also in relation to other projects. The importance of data sharing and cooperation was particularly emphasized for its potential to benefit EU researchers and provide secure access to data and results from various EU initiatives.

It is inspiring to witness the progress of EU-funded projects and the valuable opportunities they provide. The HaDEA Showcase Event represented also an opportunity for networking, where participants could connect, share ideas, and explore potential collaborations in an ever-evolving landscape of EU innovation and research.

For more information and to watch the recording of the event click here.