CARE-GET

CARE-GET

Duration: 01/12/2024 - 31/05/2028

Total budget: EUR 5 009 480

Total ERDF budget granted: EUR 4,007,584.00

EU Cohesion Policy Objective: Europe closer to citizens

About the Project:

Priority: Harnessing talent in shrinking cities

The CARE-GET Project aims to transform Haskovo into a hub of health, wellness and innovation, addressing key challenges like population decline, youth unemployment, and a lack of skilled professionals.

The project lays the foundations for an ecosystem where talents are nurtured, businesses grow, and healthcare services improve by leveraging the city's existing strengths in culture, education, and the medical sector.

The project establishes a MedTech Hub that integrates health, digitalisation and education. This hub will enhance healthcare access, particularly in rural areas, through telemedicine and wellness services. It also provides a collaborative workspace for professionals, students and entrepreneurs to drive innovation.

Alongside, tailored training programmes align education with industry needs, ensuring individuals acquire essential skills in healthcare and digitalisation. The project also fosters start-ups by offering mentorship, digital tools and business incubation support.

CARE-GET encompasses a comprehensive analysis of Haskovo’s labour market, to produce strategies that address local workforce gaps. This is followed by initiatives that align education with industry needs and support start-ups through digital transformation. The MedTech Hub enables the piloting of innovative healthcare solutions, wellness services and nature-based approaches.

Main challenges

Haskovo faces significant challenges, including population decline, youth unemployment, and a lack of skilled labour due to brain drain and limited job opportunities. These issues have led to an aging population and increased pressure on healthcare services. The mismatch between workforce skills and labour market needs hinders local economic growth. It is vital to tackle these challenges in order to revitalise the city's economy and improve quality of life.

- Population decline and brain drain: Young people leave Haskovo due to limited education and employment opportunities, leading to an aging population and a shrinking workforce, which strains healthcare and the economy.

- Youth unemployment and skill gaps: Haskovo’s youth struggle to find jobs matching their skills. A mismatch between workforce qualifications and labour market demands hinders sustainable employment and economic growth.

- Healthcare access and workforce shortage: An aging population increases the demand for healthcare services, while the lack of qualified healthcare professionals limits the urban authority’s ability to meet these needs, especially in rural areas.

Proposed solutions

The CARE-GET Project offers a comprehensive solution by establishing a MedTech Hub in Haskovo. This hub integrates healthcare, digital innovation and education to address workforce gaps, improve healthcare services, and foster local economic growth. By offering tailored training, telemedicine services and business incubation, CARE-GET helps the city attract, retain and nurture talent, while promoting sustainable development in both urban and rural areas.

- New MedTech Hub and wellness centre in a former orphanage: With wellness services and a digital corner for telemedicine, the hub fosters collaboration between professionals and students to drive healthcare innovation and improve service accessibility.

- Digital skills and training programmes: Tailored training programmes align education with industry demands, equipping individuals with skills in digital health and technology, and preparing young professionals for the job markets.

- Business incubation and start-up support: Offering mentorship, digital tools and business incubation, the project empowers start-ups in healthcare and technology, driving local entrepreneurship and creating new opportunities for young innovators.

Milestones

1. Telemedicine deployment

01 - 31 Aug 2027

Personal telemedical devices and stations installed in certain key locations.

2. Former orphanage (future MedTechHub) refurbished

01 - 30 Sep 2027

The main investment focuses on transforming the former orphanage into a MedTech Hub.

3. New business plan for MedTech Hub

01 - 31 Oct 2027

The plan provides a roadmap for the hub's ongoing success and its sustainability.

4. MedTech start-up community launched

01 - 30 Nov 2027

A dynamic network of entrepreneurs and innovators for the healthcare technology sector.

Partnership

Lead Partner

Main urban authority: Haskovo Municipality, Bulgaria

Transfer partners

Transfer Partners are urban authorities that join the EUI-Innovative Action project to observe and learn. Their primary aim is to enhance the adaptability of the project's solutions to different urban contexts within the EU. These partners play a crucial role in facilitating knowledge exchange among EU cities and fostering innovation. They come from different EU member states than the project Main Urban Authority and participate during the project's implementation phase. Each project generally involves three Transfer Partners. The involvement of Transfer Partners is vital for ensuring the project's innovative solutions are effectively adaptable and replicable in various contexts across the EU.

Transfer Partner 1 - Administration of Druskininkai Municipality, Lithuania

Transfer Partner 2 - Municipality of Komotini, Greece

Transfer Partner 3 - Municipality of Siena, Italy

Delivery partners

A Delivery Partner is an organization selected for its expertise and experience to help design and implement specific parts of a project. Their role is to carry out certain tasks, create outputs, and manage a part of the project's budget. They are essential for bringing in knowledge and skills that enhance the project's overall value.

·       URBASOFIA

·       Bulgaria Economic Forum

·       LIP TRADE LTD

·       TRAKIA UNIVERSITY – STARA ZAGORA

·       GENERAL HOSPITAL FOR ACTIVE TREATMENT - HASKOVO JSC

·       Alliance for Regional Cooperation and Development

to the site of EUI: https://www.urban-initiative.eu/ia-cities/haskovo/partnership