4YFN at World Mobile Congress MWC25 is the world's largest event for startups, investors, and innovators shaping the future of connectivity- with a large emphasis on health and health tech. Here is what I took away:
1. AI and Participatory Methods
A fascinating talk by Pau Aleikum Garcia explored AI in a way that was both artistic and nostalgic. But beyond that, it made me think about its practical potential in program evaluation and research. We often use participatory methods like photovoice or body mapping to tackle difficult topics—whether it’s navigating illness or capturing the experiences of marginalized communities.
🤝 Could we take this further? Where a ‘prompter’ collaborates with a patient and program evaluator to co-create something meaningful?
2.Patient Engagement in Health Research & Evaluation
Patient engagement can become a buzzword, but Teresa Ramos, MBA and Mar Gomis Pastor went deeper—highlighting both its critical role in driving innovation and the practical challenges of doing meaningful research with patients.
🔍 Anyone who has done this work knows the struggles: half-filled questionnaires, lost-to-follow-up participants, and the complexity of truly inclusive research. From my experience, validated tools and strong questionnaire design are key. But they’re even more powerful when combined with participatory approaches that remind everyone—patients and researchers alike—of the bigger 'why'.
3- European Health Data Space (EHDS)
Reality checks are valuable, even as we stay optimistic about the future of digital health and the European Health Data Space (EHDS) Regulations that were just released. Jordi Piera Jiménez analysis offered an insider’s perspective on the challenges of data sharing across agencies and countries—( the “I” word again 🔄. interoperability).
But he also emphasized something that can't be repeated enough times: let’s build the infrastructure and foundation right, and what follows will be more likely to work.
🚩 Another reality check in his talk was the challenge of Bias in datasets and the limitations they cause for innovation to move forward equitably- he pointed us toward the work of Lancet Digital Health. I don't know which framework he referenced specifically, but The Standards for Data Diversity, Inclusivity, and Generalisability (STANDING Together) recommendations aim to encourage transparency regarding limitations of health datasets and proactive evaluation of their effect across population groups.
4- Regulate AI or Not Regulate AI? That is NOT the Question
Regulation is already happening. AI act exists in Europe. Its interpretation in practice is not straight forward. But regulating or no regulating is not the question. A better question?
How to craft regulations that can evolve quickly, or at least quicker than the current pace (easier said than done, of course). Bleddyn Rees made some great points about this and talked about ethics versus regulations.
Another better question? What should be regulated? Francesc Guim PhD for example talked about the impossibility of regulating autonomous models that evolve randomly. Should we then focus on the 'fundamentals'? If so, what are they, exactly?
Where will these discussions be four years from now?
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