A recent evaluation of FP7 projects executed by the EC, showed that an estimated 80% of funded Health projects lacks valorisation. The “UTILE” proposal presents the EU-Health Innovation Marketplace, an online tool to better valorise the FP7 Health and Horizon2020 SC1 project results. This marketplace will actively bring together Innovation Providers (i.e. technology push) and the Innovation Developers (i.e. market pull). Moreover, in order to bring technology push and market pull successfully together, all 1200 FP7 Health and Horizon2020 SC1 projects will not only be analysed and defragmented by five high quality TTO’s (including NIH) in a LEAN process. It will also be valued by an elaborate Market & Stakeholder Advisory Committee, existing of Business Developers of 20-35 important pharmaceutical, medtech, biotech companies and Venture Capitalists. Thus here, valorisation of Health results will not be enhanced by just pushing harder, but by defragmenting and presenting these results in a way that the market will better recognize the added value. In addition to the presentation of well valued selected results on the online UTILE Marketplace, technology push and market pull will be actively brought together by a series of offline activities such as specific workshops and roundtables at international and conferences, brokerage events and technology valorisation courses and trainings. Special attention will be given to the participation of SME’s and involvement of Low Performing Countries. UTILE will deliver a self-sustainable platform of functionalities and activities will also enable the valorisation of future Horizon2020 SC1 projects as well as the many more health-related EC-funded health projects (e.g. in the Marie (Skłodowska) Curie actions). The UTILE Marketplace therefore will continue well after the current grant period.

More than 450.000 people are diagnosed with esophageal cancer (EC) each-year worldwide and approximately 400.000 die from the disease. Esophageal cancer is the eighth most commonly diagnosed cancer, but it is the sixth leading cause of cancer-related death, with incidence rates steeply rising. Risk factors, including gastroesophageal reflux disease and Barrett’s esophagus, may diagnostically implicate more than 300 million people worldwide. Nevertheless, the disease is detected late due to limitations in current diagnostic procedures leading to adverse prognosis and high treatment costs. ESOTRAC will change the landscape of esophageal diagnosis, over existing methods, based on cross-sectional optoacoustic and optical coherence endoscopy. The dual-modality system delivers a set of early-cancer imaging features necessary for improving early diagnosis, saving lives and leading to 3-5 Billion annual savings for the healthcare system. OCT provides micron scale subsurface morphological information based on photon scattering and optoacoustics provides deeper penetration and complementary pathophysiological features based on photon absorption. ESOTRAC develops novel photonic components (light sources, optical/optoacoustic scopes) and innovates novel medical system designs. Then, it performs pilot studies to investigate the functionality of the new endoscope and deliver a novel imaging-feature portfolio offering improved and earlier diagnosis. A central ESOTRAC ambition is that the new endoscope will become the new EC diagnostic standard by enabling quantitative and label-free three-dimensional endoscopy of early cancer with tremendous potential to impact esophageal care. ESOTRAC leverages European investment and know-how and strengthens the prospects of economic growth by leading the market position in endoscopic imaging.