DIH-HERO
DIH-HERO is a pan-European, EU-funded network connecting Digital Innovation Hubs, SMEs, RTOs, hospitals, and policymakers across 11+ countries to accelerate healthcare robotics innovation through cascade funding, brokerage, and standardization services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2019
- HeadquartersEnschede, Netherlands
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What DIH-HERO does
DIH-HERO (Digital Innovation Hubs in Healthcare Robotics) is a pan-European independent platform and network established in 2019 and coordinated by the University of Twente in the Netherlands. It connects Digital Innovation Hubs, SMEs, research and technology organizations, healthcare providers, and policymakers across more than 11 European countries to accelerate innovation in healthcare robotics. The network operates an open online portal providing brokerage, innovation coaching, a service catalogue, a Standards Directory, an Ethics Guide, and a Safety Quick Check tool, and curates a repository of open-source robotics software libraries (ROS, MoveIt 2, 3D Slicer, ITK, OpenIGTLink, PCL, OpenCV, VTK) for healthcare robotics developers.
The organization's primary commercial and programmatic activities are (i) cascade funding instruments disbursed to SMEs and third parties — Travel Vouchers (up to €4,000), Dissemination Vouchers (€5,000), Technology Demonstrator calls (up to €100,000 per project), and COVID-19 Response calls (up to €250,000 per project) — and (ii) tiered annual membership fees ranging from €2,500 (Startup/Professional) to €25,000 (Partner), with intermediate tiers for SMEs (€5,000), Universities/RTOs (€10,000), and Industry/Healthcare bodies (€12,500). DIH-HERO has supported 65+ innovation and deployment projects across 32 European clinics and co-organizes the European Robotics Forum workshops and its own Knowledge Conference.
DIH-HERO is funded under EU Horizon 2020 grant agreement No 825003 and received a €3.5M top-up from the European Commission in 2021 as part of the EU COVID-19 response. It is a non-profit network entity, not a venture-backed or publicly traded company. The project was scheduled to transition into a self-sustaining economic network structure by end of June 2023, coordinated by the University of Twente. Distribution is pan-European through member hubs, the online portal, conference events, and direct cascade funding calls targeted at SMEs.
DIH-HERO firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- DIH-HERO
- Legal name
- Digital Innovation Hubs in Healthcare Robotics (DIH-HERO)
- Website
- https://dih-hero.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2019
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- DIH-HERO is a pan-European, EU-funded network connecting Digital Innovation Hubs, SMEs, RTOs, hospitals, and policymakers across 11+ countries to accelerate healthcare robotics innovation through cascade funding, brokerage, and standardization services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
DIH-HERO industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Robotics Innovation Network
- NAICS
- Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415), Business Support Services (5614)
- SIC
- Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Healthcare & Assistive Robotics (HDAAAIAC)
Keywords
Where DIH-HERO is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Enschede
- HQ country
- Netherlands
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices4 records
Markets served
DIH-HERO business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- EU Horizon 2020 Grant Funding: DIH-HERO is co-funded by the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 825003. The organization received a top-up budget of €3.5M from the European Commission in 2021 as part of the EU response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Network Membership Fees: Annual membership fees ranging from €2,500 (Startup/Professional) to €25,000 (Partners). Additional sponsorship opportunities available at special rates.
- Financial Support to Third Parties: DIH-HERO provides financial support to third parties through various instruments: Technology Demonstrator calls (up to €100,000 per project), COVID-19 Response calls (up to €250,000), Travel Vouchers (up to €4,000), and Dissemination Vouchers (€5,000). These FSTP instruments support SMEs and companies in healthcare robotics innovation.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Partner membership at €25,000/year for organizations leading the network |
| Subscription | Annual | Industry/Healthcare body membership at €12,500/year |
| Subscription | Annual | University/RTO membership at €10,000/year |
| Subscription | Annual | SME membership at €5,000/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Startup/Professional membership at €2,500/year |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Travel Voucher funding up to €4,000 per SME |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Dissemination Voucher at €5,000 per award |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Technology Demonstrator funding up to €100,000 per project |
| Other | Multi-year contract | COVID-19 Response funding up to €250,000 per project |
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
DIH-HERO product offering
Product offeringCore offering
DIH-HERO is an independent pan-European platform that connects Digital Innovation Hubs specialized in healthcare robotics across more than 11 countries. The network accelerates innovation by offering brokerage, innovation coaching, tiered membership services, and cascade funding instruments (Travel Vouchers, Dissemination Vouchers, Technology Demonstrators, COVID-19 Response Calls) that support SMEs, universities, and healthcare providers in developing, validating, and deploying robotics solutions for healthcare.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- DIH-HERO Network Membership Annual tiered membership program for organizations across the healthcare robotics ecosystem, including Partners (€25,000/year), Industry/Healthcare bodies (€12,500/year), Universities/RTOs (€10,000/year), SMEs (€5,000/year), and Startups/Professionals (€2,500/year), providing access to network benefits, services, leadership roles, and partnership opportunities.
- Travel Voucher Program Financial support of up to €4,000 per voucher for SMEs to fund cross-border travel to attend DIH-HERO conferences, workshops, or visit partner Digital Innovation Hubs. Reimbursable on a first-come-first-served basis.
- Dissemination Voucher Program Financial support of €5,000 per award for SMEs to create professional dissemination materials such as videos, pictures, and descriptions of healthcare robots. Awarded on a first-come-first-served principle.
- Technology Demonstrator Calls Cascade funding program providing up to €100,000 per project to SMEs and companies to demonstrate the feasibility of innovative robotic solutions in healthcare application domains through cross-border cooperation.
- COVID-19 Response Calls Cascade funding program providing up to €250,000 per project for clinical deployment of robotic applications addressing COVID-19 response, recovery, and healthcare professional support. Funded through a €3.5M top-up from the European Commission.
- Innovation Coaching Service Expert coaching service provided by DIH-HERO through its network of innovation coaches to support SMEs and innovators in developing and bringing healthcare robotics innovations to market.
- Brokerage Service Service facilitating matchmaking and connections between innovators, providers, businesses, users, and policymakers in the healthcare robotics sector to enable collaboration and partnership development.
- Service Catalogue Catalogue of services offered by the DIH-HERO network for SMEs and healthcare robotics innovators, accessible through the DIH-HERO online portal.
Quantifiable outcome
- 65 projects supported with innovation and deployment support
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use DIH-HERO
Customer profileNamed customers13 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
DIH-HERO technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
DIH-HERO partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
37 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- euRoboticscoreeuRobotics is an international non-profit association for all European robotics stakeholders. DIH-HERO collaborates with euRobotics on organizing workshops at the European Robotics Forum, the most influential robotics meeting in Europe, with DIH-HERO organizing multiple workshops on healthcare robotics topics.
- University of TwentecoreCoordinator of the DIH-HERO project. Contact point for network activities ([email protected]). Leading sustainability planning and future network operations.
- Twente UniversitycorePartner organization presenting outline of DIH-HERO future plans at Knowledge Conference 2023. Leading network sustainability and future service development.
- UAB Gruppo FOS LithuaniaminorLead company in RECONNECT Technology Transfer Experiment developing ultra-compact planetary gearbox technology from ESA space program for bionic hand prosthetics.
- E.M.A.C. – Elettronica Medicale e Attrezzature Chimicocliniche (Italy)minorProject partner in RECONNECT TTE working on bionic hand prosthesis with space-originated transmission technology.
- Stam S.r.l. (Italy)minorProject partner in RECONNECT TTE contributing to development of bionic hand prosthesis technology transfer.
- Verhaert new products and Services nv (Belgium)minorLead company in IRSA project developing robotic system for dental applications with micrometre accuracy tooth milling.
- Dental Design sprl (Belgium)minorPartner developing disruptive digital process for dental robotics in IRSA intra-oral robot project.
- Benkana Interfaces GmbH &Co. KG (Germany)minorPartner in IRSA project contributing to intra-oral robot for surgical dental assistance.
- Able Human Motion S.L.minorAwarded party in Technology Demonstrator Call 2022 - developing enhanced ABLE Exoskeleton for gait rehabilitation.
- Digiotouch OUminorAwarded party in Technology Demonstrator Call 2022 - developing REVO rehabilitation robotics system.
- Inovatyvi MedicinaminorAwarded party in Technology Demonstrator Call 2022 - developing R-EMB-D remote embolisation demonstrator.
- Technaid S.L.minorAwarded party in Technology Demonstrator Call 2022 - developing RehAnkle smart wearable robot for ankle rehabilitation.
- TonusTechminorAwarded party in Technology Demonstrator Call 2022 - developing MOTION textile-based sensing suit for rehabilitation.
- Inovatyvi Medicina (Lithuania)minorDeveloping Marionette endovascular robotic system for remote embolization procedures. Previously developed robotic solutions for NASA and German Aerospace Centre.
- ArgosConsult (Germany)minorProject partner supporting Marionette robotic embolization system development in R-EMBO TTE.
- PAL Robotics (Spain)minorPartner in SANDRo project providing TIAGo platform for semi-autonomous night and day robot for care assistance.
- Halodi Robotics AS (Norway)minorDeveloping humanoid robot EVE for remote assisted home care in DemoHuRoHaptics TTE project.
- Hocoma AG (Switzerland)minorPartner in LOKO-VR project transferring immersive virtual reality to Lokomat gait rehabilitation robot.
- F&P Robotics AG (Switzerland)minorDeveloper of Lio robot for healthcare assistance - autonomous sanitiser and assistant with NightWatch HERO project using event cameras.
- Blue Ocean Robotics (Denmark)minorDeveloping GoBe telepresence robot for healthcare through SUSTAIN TTE project with hospitals in Spain.
- Akara Robotics Limited (Ireland)minorDeveloper of Violet UV disinfection robot - first autonomous UV disinfection robot clinically validated in peer-reviewed journal. Won EU Prize for Women Innovators 2022.
- ROPCA HOLDING APS (Denmark)minorDeveloper of robotic ultrasound platform for rheumatoid arthritis detection - winner of KUKA Innovation Award 2022.
- Digital NorwayminorHosted and organized RODIN Summer Camp 2022 in Oslo where all robotics innovation actions (DIH-HERO, RIMA, TRINITY, agROBOfood, DIH²) met to discuss IA sustainability plans.
- Other Robotics Innovation Actions (RIMA, TRINITY, agROBOfood, DIH²)minorNetwork of related EU-funded robotics Digital Innovation Hub networks collaborating on sustainability planning and best practice sharing at RODIN Summer Camp.
- Norgenotech AS (Norway)minorDeveloping ANCESTRY automated comet assay diagnostic robot for male fertility assessment in partnership with Copenhagen Fertility Center.
- Copenhagen Fertility Center (Denmark)minorEnd-user partner in ANCESTRY project providing clinical expertise for automated male fertility diagnostic robot development.
- Topic Group Healthcare of euRoboticsminorDIH-HERO partners organize workshops on healthcare robotics topics including technology transfer, deployment, and autonomy at ERF events.
- Sint Maartenskliniek (Netherlands)minorHealthcare provider partner in EngageABLE project validating enhanced ABLE Exoskeleton with gamification features for gait training.
- CAIXA MAGICA SOFTWARE S.A (Portugal)minorSoftware partner in RehAnkle project developing immersive interface for smart wearable ankle rehabilitation robot.
- ORTO-MD (Serbia)minorPartner in REVO project providing clinical expertise for adaptive smart rehabilitation robotics system.
- Patient1st Consult (Germany)minorPartner in R-EMB-D project demonstrating Sentante remote embolisation robotic system to end-users and industry.
- Strong4Life ApS (Denmark)minorFitness center partner in MOTION project providing real-life environment for ToneUP sensing suit testing.
- KELO Robotics GmbH (Germany)minorDeveloper of ARODIS autonomous UV-C disinfection robots achieving 99.9% SARS-CoV-2 disinfection in 4 minutes. Tested in hospitals.
- MetraLabs GmbH (Germany)minorDeveloper of STERYBOT autonomous UV-C disinfection robot eliminating 99.99% of viruses including SARS-CoV-2.
- Rubedo sistemos (Lithuania)minorDeveloper of Unmanned Disinfection Solution using ionized hydrogen peroxide mist spray eradicating 99.9999% of pathogens.
- Voxdale (Belgium)minorDeveloper of ROB-ID robot for intradermal drug delivery enabling 90% dose-sparing vaccination.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
DIH-HERO competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
DIH-HERO social profiles
Digital presenceDIH-HERO financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
DIH-HERO leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
DIH-HERO funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
DIH-HERO M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about DIH-HERO
What does DIH-HERO do?
DIH-HERO is an independent pan-European platform that connects Digital Innovation Hubs specialized in healthcare robotics across more than 11 countries. The network accelerates innovation by offering brokerage, innovation coaching, tiered membership services, and cascade funding instruments (Travel Vouchers, Dissemination Vouchers, Technology Demonstrators, COVID-19 Response Calls) that support SMEs, universities, and healthcare providers in developing, validating, and deploying robotics solutions for healthcare.
Is DIH-HERO a public or private company?
DIH-HERO is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was DIH-HERO founded?
DIH-HERO was founded in 2019. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is DIH-HERO based?
DIH-HERO is headquartered in Enschede, Netherlands, in the Europe region.
How does DIH-HERO make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. EU Horizon 2020 Grant Funding is the primary driver. The others are network Membership Fees and financial Support to Third Parties.
Does DIH-HERO have an API?
No public API is recorded for DIH-HERO.
What industry is DIH-HERO in?
DIH-HERO's product category is Healthcare Robotics Innovation Network. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HDAAAIAC, Healthcare & Assistive Robotics. Its NAICS code is 5415 and its SIC code is 7372.