Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria

What Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria does

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria (DHI Cluster) is a Sofia-headquartered non-profit organization founded in 2018 that operates as a community platform connecting healthcare companies, experts, academia, and government bodies around digital health innovation. The cluster reports 150 member healthcare companies, 50+ completed projects, and states it is trusted by 100+ organizations; its portfolio spans EU-funded initiatives (IRHIS for interoperable remote health innovation, DIGI4Care for digital patient journeys across the Danube Region), public health campaigns (the multi-city '5 Minutes for HEALTH' lung cancer screening initiative), telemedicine policy work, and an elective Digital Health and Innovation Course at Medical University of Sofia delivered with Novartis Bulgaria and JA Bulgaria since 2019.

The cluster's core asset in development is the DHI Platform, a community tool for matching healthcare organizations with expert partners within the member network. Membership is anchored by Bulgarian affiliates of major pharmaceutical companies (Roche Bulgaria, Novartis Bulgaria, AstraZeneca, MSD Bulgaria), regional health inspectorates, and health-adjacent technology firms (Mnemonica, Vertipay, SOLA, Imagga, SoftGroup, Astellas, KORE, Fenix Insurance). Board composition reflects the cross-sector positioning: the Chairman is Rosen Dimitrov (Founder of NRETIA Health), Vice-Chairman is Sava Todorov (Assoc. Director Policy Lead at MSD Bulgaria), with seats held by founders and executives of Sirma Medical Systems, Kelvin Health, and Consento JSC, alongside AstraZeneca's Governmental Affairs Manager.

DHI Cluster's revenue model combines recurring membership fees with project-based funding from EU grants (e.g., Interreg Danube Region for DIGI4Care), positioning it as a grant-funded ecosystem orchestrator rather than a software vendor. Distribution runs through a self-serve membership portal on dhicluster.bg, participation in EU project consortia, and events; pricing for membership is not publicly disclosed. The cluster operates with 11 employees and is governed by a board drawn from pharma, medtech, and academic stakeholders, with no parent company or external equity ownership indicated.

Name

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria

Legal name

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria

Website

https://dhicluster.bg

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

DHI Cluster Bulgaria is a Sofia-based non-profit that connects 150+ healthcare companies, academia, pharma affiliates, and government bodies to drive digital health innovation through EU-funded projects, education, and partnership facilitation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Healthcare Innovation Cluster

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (5415)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro primary industry

Health Access & Social Care Innovations (Community Health, Telehealth for Underserved) (BPAGALAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health & Support Communities (BPAMABAL), Health, Wellness & Patient Communities (MPACAJAL), Digital Health, Health Information Systems & Data Programs (BPADAIAJ), Health Informatics & Digital Health Programs (EDAHAGAJ)

Keywords

• Digital health cluster
• Healthcare innovation community
• Telemedicine policy projects
• Medical education programs
• Health partnership platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Sofia

HQ country

Bulgaria

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: DHI Cluster operates as a non-profit organization that generates revenue through membership fees from healthcare companies and organizations. Members gain access to the community network, partnership opportunities, and the platform for finding expert partners.
2. EU Funded Projects: The cluster pursues and manages EU-funded projects (such as IRHIS and DIGI4Care) that contribute to operational funding and advance the organization's mission of digital health innovation across the Danube Region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria is a non-profit membership organization that builds and convenes Bulgaria's digital health community of 150+ healthcare companies, experts, and institutions. It delivers value through a developing expert-partner matching platform (DHI Platform), EU-funded healthcare innovation projects (IRHIS, DIGI4Care, telemedicine policy work), public-health campaigns such as "5 Minutes for HEALTH," and educational programs including the Digital Health and Innovation Course at Medical University of Sofia.

Product overview

Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria operates as a non-profit organization serving as a community platform for healthcare experts, companies, and organizations. The core offering is the DHI Platform (currently in development) for finding expert partners, complemented by several healthcare innovation projects including IRHIS for remote health interoperability, DIGI4Care for digital patient journeys, telemedicine policy initiatives, and the 5 Minutes for HEALTH screening campaign. The organization also runs an educational program at Medical University of Sofia. Rather than a unified software product, the portfolio consists of a developing platform and multiple collaborative healthcare projects and initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• DHI Platform: Digital platform for finding expert partners in the healthcare sector, coming soon
• IRHIS

Products and services

• DHI Cluster Membership Recurring membership-based service granting healthcare companies and organizations access to the DHI Cluster community network, partnership opportunities, the expert-partner matching platform (DHI Platform), and participation in EU-funded and member-driven digital health initiatives. Target buyers are healthcare companies, pharma firms, medtech vendors, and health-tech organizations operating in Bulgaria and the wider Danube Region.
• Digital Health and Innovation Course at MU-Sofia An elective educational service co-developed with Medical University of Sofia, Novartis Bulgaria, and JA Bulgaria, providing training in digitalization, entrepreneurship, and innovation for medical students. Designed for university students seeking to build expertise in digital health innovation.

Quantifiable outcome

• 150 healthcare companies connected through the cluster
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Novartis BulgariacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Partner in implementing the Digital Health and Innovation Course at Medical University of Sofia, contributing pharmaceutical industry expertise and innovation support to medical education.
• JA Bulgaria (Junior Achievement Bulgaria)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Educational partner in the Digital Health and Innovation Course at MU-Sofia, contributing entrepreneurship education expertise to train future healthcare innovators.
• Regional Health Inspectorates (RHI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional Health Inspectorates are key partners in the '5 Minutes for HEALTH' campaign for lung cancer screening and prevention, providing local health authority support and organizing free telemedical examinations in participating cities.
• Bulgarian Cluster for Digital Solutions and Innovations in HealthcarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the '5 Minutes for HEALTH' campaign, bringing together digital health innovation expertise from Bulgarian healthcare clusters.
• Association 'Air for Health'coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the lung cancer prevention campaign, contributing health advocacy expertise and support for air quality and health awareness initiatives.
• HubiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the '5 Minutes for HEALTH' campaign, contributing to the initiative's goal of lung cancer prevention and smoking cessation support.
• Medical University of SofiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for the first Digital Health and Innovation Course, providing academic infrastructure and student access for digital health and entrepreneurship training.
• Roche BulgariacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the '5 Minutes for HEALTH' campaign, contributing pharmaceutical expertise and support for lung cancer prevention and free telemedical examinations.
• EIT HealthstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerEIT Health InnoStars ecosystem supports DHI Cluster through Zsolt Bubori's involvement, providing access to European healthcare innovation networks and funding opportunities.
• University Hospital ZurichstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerRadoy Pavlov, Head of Digital Architecture, is associated with DHI Cluster as a thought leader, bringing international academic medical center expertise in digital health architecture.
• Leiden University Medical CenterstrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerProf. Nick Guldemond brings academic medical center expertise in healthcare and public health, strengthening DHI Cluster's international knowledge network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• European Health Management Association (EHMA): Non-profit membership association for the European health management community, facilitating knowledge exchange, policy, and capability-building. Comparable as a member-based health umbrella organization, though more academic/policy-focused than DHI Cluster's industry tilt.
• Digital Health Society (EHTEL): European multi-stakeholder association focused on digital health transformation and policy. Comparable as a digital health ecosystem steward advocating for adoption and policy, with an EU-level remit that overlaps with DHI Cluster's policy work.
• Medicines Discovery Catapult: UK-based non-profit innovation centre supporting digital health and drug-discovery SMEs. Comparable as a publicly funded, mission-driven digital health intermediary, although focused on discovery rather than cross-sector facilitation.

Broad incumbents

• EIT Health: EU-supported pan-European health innovation network that funds and connects healthcare startups, providers, and industry. Directly comparable to DHI Cluster as a multi-country health innovation ecosystem, but with much larger scale and dedicated venture-programme funding.

Direct peers

• Health Axis Europe: European cluster network of leading healthcare innovation hubs collaborating on innovation, talent, and procurement. Comparable as a multi-country health innovation cluster network, with overlapping EU-funded activity and member-based model.
• ScanBalt Health Ecosystem: Northern European cluster network spanning the Baltic Sea region that drives health innovation, digital health, and biotech collaboration. Comparable as a regional, member-based health innovation cluster, although serving a different geography.
• European Connected Health Alliance (ECHAlliance): Global non-profit network connecting health and care stakeholders through regional ecosystems and innovation communities. Highly comparable to DHI Cluster because both operate as facilitator networks focused on digital health collaboration across regions.
• MEDVIA: Belgian health innovation cluster funding and supporting digital health and medtech projects. Comparable structure as a regional cluster that funds and connects members working on digital health innovation, though in a different country.

Regional players

• Health Innovation Manchester: UK-based health innovation cluster that brings together NHS, academia, and industry to develop and spread health innovations. Comparable as a regional health innovation cluster with public-sector partners, but operating in a different geography.
• Czech eHealth Cluster (CEHC): Czech-founded cluster promoting digital health solutions and connecting healthcare stakeholders across Central Europe. Comparable as a Central European health innovation cluster with EU-aligned programmes, though centred in the Czech Republic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@dhicluster3167/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/dhicluster
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dhicluster

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Digital Health and Innovation Cluster Bulgaria