Since 2023, Biotech Santé Bretagne has been participating in the European Interreg ACE project, which brings together 13 partners from six countries (Germany, Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden). Its goal? To accelerate the innovation ecosystem dedicated to the home care of the future in the North Sea region.
The project’s final event (which concludes in June 2026) was held in Antwerp at the end of May. After more than three years of collaboration to design the home care of tomorrow—bringing together home care professionals, care recipients, innovative companies in the sector, academic researchers, and public authorities—the partners took stock of the progress made.
Conditions for the successful implementation of home care technologies
The work carried out by European partners, including Biotech Santé Bretagne and CoWork’HIT in Brittany, has led to the publication of two reports: a practical guide for implementing innovative solutions in healthcare facilities, and a second report designed to inform decision-makers about the necessary changes to legislation and public policy.
“This report demonstrates that the successful implementation of technology in home care depends on organizational adjustments, staff training, and user engagement—far beyond mere technological innovation.”
Adeline Jacob, Development and European Projects Manager at Biotech Santé Bretagne
“This report emphasizes that home care pilot projects must adapt to local contexts—regulatory, financial, and cultural—in order to succeed. Their integration into existing healthcare ecosystems and collaboration with stakeholders are essential to successfully and significantly improving the quality of life for older adults in Europe.”
Dimitri Guézel Romanov, European Project Manager at Biotech Santé Bretagne
Innovations spreading across Europe
Over the course of more than three years, the partners have:
- Organized numerous workshops in their respective regions to identify the needs of home care providers;
- Promoted innovations through showcases highlighting transferable regional and European solutions;
- Monitored some 30 innovations tested in care facilities.
The SHE World Conference, held alongside the project’s final meeting in Antwerp in May 2026, provided an opportunity for companies to present their innovations. The Breton company ORIKIO, for example, presented its acoustic monitoring system for the medical-social sector. A true regional success story of the project: its sound-based AI solution has been deployed for elderly, dependent, and disabled individuals in the municipality of Vesthimmerland (Denmark). The company is also continuing its development efforts in Sweden.
In total, nearly 30 pilot projects are currently underway, including five in Brittany led by CoWork’HIT:
- TwinSkin (Belgium): a solution developed by the company Dermatoo for remote wound monitoring. The solution will be tested with the Aven Home Healthcare Service in Etel. Working groups with healthcare professionals have helped define the scope of the trial to evaluate the solution’s benefits compared to current practices.
- Helpsoq (Netherlands): a device that facilitates the application of compression stockings. Teams at the Kerpape center have been trained, and a field test will be conducted with the center’s professionals and patients.
- Easy Wheely (Netherlands): a system of small, customizable wheels that can be attached to wheelchairs to improve agility, independence, and the ability to navigate obstacles. A working group was organized with patients and professionals from Kerpape to assess its potential use and acceptability.
- Kinetic Analysis (Netherlands): Smart textile equipped with chest and abdominal sensors to accurately measure respiratory functions. Focus groups bringing together patients and professionals from Kerpape facilitated discussions on use cases.
- Smart Floor (Netherlands): A floor covering that analyzes gait to predict the risk of falls and detect changes over time. A partnership is currently being established with the Groupement hospitalier de Bretagne Sud to test the solution.
What lessons have been learned from the testimonials collected during the ACE project?
As part of the ACE project, 87 home care professionals in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France (Brittany) shared their feedback on the use of innovative technologies to improve care for older adults. Here are some key findings from their testimonials:
- Technology does not replace personalized care. It enhances it.
- 60% of respondents say they do not compromise the quality of their care when using digital tools.
- 57% of respondents say they are able to provide more care each day thanks to increased efficiency.
- 50% of respondents indicate that technology helps them organize their workday.
- 72% of respondents believe that their professional responsibility remains unchanged.
And now?
The project partners are currently working to build on the results of ACE, and we hope to continue promoting our Breton ecosystem by maintaining this momentum. Potential themes and funding mechanisms are currently under consideration.
Note: The collaborative platform, which aims to build connections between innovators in the home care sector and healthcare professionals across Europe and brings together nearly 200 organizations, will remain open until the end of 2026.
🌍 Visit the ACE project website: https://www.interregnorthsea.eu/ace
💡 To learn more about the European ACE project, contact:
- Adeline Jacob, Development and European Health Projects Manager > adeline@biotech-sante-bretagne.fr
- Dimitri Guézel Romanov, European Projects Manager > dimitri@biotech-sante-bretagne.fr
Published on 08/06/2026
