Portugal has established itself as an innovation hub in Europe, especially in technological areas. Among start-ups and small companies, e-Health has become very prominent.
The first Portuguese companies dedicated to the e-Health sector were launched in 2006, but it was between 2012 and 2016 that the sector experienced the sharpest growth. Although most operate in incubation clusters, these businesses are designed for a world without borders.
If you want to come to Portugal and work in the e-Health sector, get ready to find a world of companies that almost seem like a family. Recent studies show that 91% of companies in the sector are small or medium-sized, which means small teams, agile processes and environments and, of course, fast-paced innovation.
The same study also proved that 82% of Portuguese companies in the e-Health area do not belong to any business group, which means that there is no market monopoly and the business is open to new players and disruptive projects.
The expertise of Portuguese companies in the e-Health sector lies in Telemedicine and Big Data. Analysing trends, discovering new development opportunities, shortening geographical distances and streamlining processes are the strengths of the Portuguese specialists, who also bring a strong technological component to the field.
In Portugal, we work with the world
Another curiosity about the e-Health sector in Portugal is that companies rarely work with the end customer. The Portuguese business fabric has many small businesses, and almost all of them work on a B2B basis. Hospitals, clinics, insurers and other players in the healthcare ecosystem are the most sought-after clients.
From this perspective, Europe and the United States are the most attractive destinations. The Portuguese feel Portuguese, but they also feel very European, so they take the entire European Union market into account when they want to do business. Because they particularly appreciate process agility, entrepreneurs and investors also look closely to the United States, where the pace of innovation is fast and there is room to try new things.
Generally speaking, Portuguese companies like to loosen their chains and challenge the status quo. If you come to work or invest in Portugal, get ready to accelerate: businesses want to be fast, innovative, restless and non-conformist.
This liberal spirit also amplifies the internationalisation of the Portuguese workforce. Because they want to approach different markets in different countries, e-Health companies in Portugal welcome collaboration of any kind and any country. You are likely to meet colleagues, collaborators and international partners in Portugal, participate in multinational partnerships and be invited to collaborate on joint projects.
This is, incidentally, another characteristic of Portuguese innovation companies: they always seek to generate collaboration opportunities with partners, building bridges and favouring joint innovation. At the end of the day, the solution these companies bring to the market is what counts, be it alone or through joint forces.
The Portuguese model of innovation has served as inspiration to other countries, namely across Europe, and has been replicated in other markets. Even so, the original always comes first and the Portuguese case is no exception.
The e-Health Summit, an annual event that brings together digital health innovation companies, is proof that Portugal is still steering the ship when it comes to global trends. The event takes place every year in Lisbon and is open to national and international companies. As well as being able to exhibit their products and services, participants have access to suppliers and potential partners and customers.
© eHealthsummit.pt
Portuguese e-Health companies work for the B2B market and the Portuguese State is part of the client group. Therefore, the Portuguese health system is highly digitalised: hospitals, clinics, health centres and other relevant institutions share communications and hospital management systems, ensuring better quality of information and greater articulation between services.
From the user's point of view, the Portuguese health system is transparent and offers a uniform experience. From laptops to mobile phones, there are several technologies embedded in public systems, ensuring citizens' access to their clinical information while data security and privacy are protected.
