The SFITS and the Future of Health Grant Join Forces to Accelerate Digital Innovation in Surgical and Interventional Medicine

The Future of Health Grant program, a digital health acceleration initiative co-founded by CSS and the EPFL Innovation Park, is proud to welcome a new partner to its network: the SWISS Foundation for Innovation and Training in Surgery (SFITS).

This collaboration builds on a shared commitment to supporting practical, impactful innovation. The partnership between the SFITS and the Future of Health Grant has already borne fruit: two promising startups in the program—Digehealth and Clee Medical—have benefited from access to the SFITS clinical ecosystem.

Digehealth is developing a wearable AI device to monitor bowel activity in patients at risk of intestinal obstruction after a surgery, while Clee Medical is building ultra-high-resolution navigation tools for neurosurgery. Both companies exemplify how digital health can drive advances in surgical and interventional care, and both will continue their journey with SFITS and FoHG in the coming months.

The aim of this new partnership is clear: to encourage more early-stage digital health startups working on surgical and interventional solutions to apply to the Future of Health Grant and benefit from both programs’ complementary strengths. From access to simulation and clinical feedback at the SFITS, to structured milestone-based support, non-dilutive funding, and a national innovation network through FoHG—this partnership offers an end-to-end launchpad for healthcare startups ready to make a difference.

Together, we are building bridges between early innovation and real-world clinical impact—making the future of health a reality.

Future of Health Grant – in brief

Launched in 2022 by the insurance CSS and the EPFL Innovation Park, this program, which supports innovations in digital health, is distinguished by its practical approach. Each start-up benefits from tailored coaching and monitoring, enabling it to move forward as quickly as possible while optimizing its resources. Around 15 start-ups are chosen each year to receive support totaling up to CHF 90,000 without any dilution of ownership.

The FoHG draws on the expertise of its founders and its unique network of partners composed of key players in the Swiss healthcare industry. This ecosystem stimulates the exchange of knowledge and experiences that is essential to agile, collaborative innovation. At present, the partners are: confinis, CSEM, Elca, HE-ARC, Hôpital de la Tour, Institut et Haute Ecole de la Santé la Source, Microsoft, Pfizer, Réseau Delta,Takeda, Unisanté, and Vaudoise Assurance.

News about Future of Health Grant

In the CSS Presse Release of Septembre 2025, CSS announces the new partnership between the SFITS and the Future of Health Grant.

“Le réseau du FoHG s’enrichit également de deux nouveaux partenariats nationaux majeurs. La Swiss Foundation for Innovation and Training in Surgery (SFITS), implantée au sein des HUG, offre aux start-up un environnement de simulation clinique de pointe pour tester et affiner les technologies chirurgicales et interventionnelles. La Haute École de Santé Vaud (HESAV), acteur académique clé dans l’écosystème de santé vaudois, renforce le programme grâce à son expertise en recherche et innovation, et ses liens étroits avec les cabinets médicaux. Ces deux collaborations élargissent l’actuelle «Pilot Factory» du FoHG et facilitent l’accès des start-ups à des contextes de soins réels.”

Read the PR on CSS website