More and more people in Germany need care, but there are fewer and fewer caregivers available to provide it - how can technology help those affected and those working in the sector? The ‘digital health & care’ conference – realized in the Munich Urban Colab and organized by the Department of Labour and Economic Affairs of the City of Munich in co-creation with start-ups, institutions such as the LMU Clinic, the Wir!-Stiftung pflegender Angehöriger and other experts in the field of health and care – offers answers and networking opportunities once a year. Start-ups present their innovative solutions. Interactive workshops, speeches and panel discussions make the program complete.
“In order for new approaches to become even better and be put into practice, this requires exchange on an equal level, something that the conference offers. The Munich Urban Colab is the perfect place for this, providing an open atmosphere for a trust-based exchange between stakeholders,” says Claudia Frey, CEO of the Munich Urban Colab.
Start-ups in key role
Digital solutions can activate the care sector, allowing caregivers to spend more time caring for people. Start-ups play a key role in this development. It is essential that solutions are designed to meet the needs of those who work with and use them. “What we need are digital tools and platforms that are tailored towards the needs of people requiring care and caregivers in their everyday lives,” emphasized Judith Gerlach, Bavarian State Minister for Health, Care and Prevention, in her welcoming speech when visiting the “digital health & care” in summer 2024.
Online training for future professionals
Start-ups such as StellDirVor are already working with data eyewear and applications in virtual (VR) or augmented (AR) reality. The company trains caregivers in virtual space, for example in medical education. Immersion in digital worlds also makes it easier to recruit staff from abroad.
This way, prospective employees know what to expect and can get an idea of their potential workplace in advance. “We are already active in the pre-qualification of specialists, for example with immersive technologies and assistance systems that can be used without language barriers,” says Alexandra Messerschmidt from StellDirVor.
Digital Product School and the Caritas Association: Providing more time for people
"Wouldn't it be great if our nursing staff could spend less time on documentation and more time with their patients?" This was the question the association, which runs 25,000 residential and non-residential facilities, addressed to UnternehmerTUM's Digital Product School (DPS) in spring 2023.
In just three months, a team of talented individuals developed a prototype that digitizes and simplifies the time-consuming admissions process for people in need of care. CareMates, which started as a small team and has since grown into a start-up, not only improves care, but also saves up to four hours per patient. “When we worked together, we often had to overcome our own limitations and structures,“ says Lena Wirthmüller of the Caritas Association about the clash between the different cultures in the social economy and in start-ups. But: “It is fun to try new things, to test prototypes and to dare to do something.“ Dylan Sean Gruner, founder of CareMates, stresses the importance of an equal partnership and access to resources. For example, the team was able to join caregivers in their daily lives and gain important insights into their routines. "We were very grateful that Caritas opened its doors to us.
Time-saving and entertainment - practical tech benefits at Münchenstift
Karin Bernecker, Head of Central Quality at Münchenstift, and Christoph Schneeweiß, founder of CareTable - a mobile activity table that resembles an oversized tablet computer - demonstrate how successful collaboration between start-ups and care facilities can look in practice. Residents of the Münchenstift can use the table to train their senses or talk to their families, for example. The CareTable is part of a suite of digital tools that Münchenstift is now using, ranging from smart documentation and mobile devices to fall detection sensors and activity tables that can be accessed and distributed via a dedicated fiber-optic network and nationwide Wi-Fi. "The smart and mobile documentation saves more than an hour of administrative work in the eight homes where we already use the tool," says Bernecker.
For founder Christoph Schneeweiß, the collaboration with Münchenstift, which began in 2022, is an important reference project. More than 1,000 care facilities in the DACH region as well as in Luxembourg and Italy are already using the CareTable. But, in their experience: “Procurement takes time and is often financed through creative channels.” In the meantime, the start-up has made a virtue of necessity and set up its own department for funding management.
Robots acting as listeners and mindful companions
The big googly eyes look patiently and close briefly before the slightly metallic reply sounds. “In care homes, I can keep the residents company, chat with them and help them with various activities. For example, I can play games, solve puzzles or just listen when someone wants to share their stories and experiences,” explains Navel the robot. He is barely a meter tall, but he has the concentrated power of generative AI - which means, for example, that he has the right answer ready for questions and comments. And it has a lot of time - a scarce commodity for caring relatives and nursing staff. The price of the little listener, which the developers at Navel Robotics call the next generation of social robots, is still in the five-figure range. Institutions will have to find new ways to fund them and pool resources.
The Munich-based start-up Devanthro also works with the latest technologies. The combination of robotics, AI, AR and 5G creates human robotic avatars, called Robodies, that allow their users to teleport their senses, actions and presence to any location in the world. “Robodies are workforce multipliers that can collaborate with local caregivers to ensure around-the-clock support and protection while maintaining human interaction with the community”, describes founder and CEO Rafael Hofstettler. The avatars can, for example, remind you to take medication properly.
Continuing the success story
Interest in the Digital Health & Care conference is growing every year. In 2025, the Munich Urban Colab will once again be the place for cross-sector networking and the further development of new solutions.
“Health and care are major urban challenges of our time - also in Munich. The 'digital health & care' shows how important interdisciplinary platforms are for working on specific problems, breaking down fears of contact and involving caregivers directly in the development of solutions,” says Julia Christiansen from the Department of Labor and Economic Affairs of the City of Munich. Together with Dr. Horan Lee, she is responsible for the conference on behalf of the city. “In order to tackle the employment policy challenges in the care sector, we not only need digital solutions, but also skilled people who can use them competently. The conference ties in thematically with the Münchner Beschäftigungs- und Qualifizierungsprogramm (MBQ) and the care projects already implemented within it. The Munich Urban Colab provides the perfect setting for our co-creation approach. The committed exchange shows that we are on the right track.”