Paediatric Innovation Day 2026 in Helsinki

The new children's hospital and foundation are delighted and honored to host this international event. The event has previously been held in Barcelona, Warsaw and Riga.

This year, the event will be held in Helsinki on September 18, 2026—welcome!

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About the event

What is the Paediatric Innovation Day?

Paediatric Innovation Day (PID) is an annual high-level European event aiming to accelerate paediatric, maternal, and fetal health innovation. The event is organized together by HUS, The New Children's Hospital Foundation and i4KIDS, a hub focused on innovations in children's health, led by Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona.

The event brings together clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, startups, investors, and decision-makers to promote collaboration and support new technologies designed specifically for the health needs of children and mothers.

The goal is impactful solutions

It is a place to share ideas, showcase projects, network and find support and funding.

The purpose of the event is to:

  • Highlight promising health technology solutionsTuoda esiin lupaavia terveysteknologian ratkaisuja
  • Share best practices
  • Create connections between healthcare professionals and innovation developers

In addition, the goal is to accelerate the development of medical devices, digital health tools, and biotechnology for children and mothers, identify unmet needs in care and technology, and influence funding and decision-making in the field. The goal is to accelerate the creation of solutions that have a real impact on children's health.

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Program and details

Paediatric Innovation Day is a one-day hybrid event that will be streamed on i4KIDS channels. The event is free of charge and will be held in the assembly hall of Restaurant Töölö, which can accommodate up to 500 participants.

The day's program includes:

  • Inspiring speeches
  • Roundtable discussions
  • Project presentations
  • Networking opportunities

The PID 2026 program will be published on this page during the spring.

Participate and make a difference

If you have ideas for the Helsinki event or would like to participate in the collaboration, please fill in the Call for Proposals -form.

Should you have any questions or wish to kow more, please contact:

Project Manager for the New Children's Hospital jonna.salminen@hus.fi
or Representative of the New Children's Hospital Support Foundation jouni.lounasmaa@lastensairaalantuki.fi

Links:

Register

Learn more about i4KIDS

Have a look at the full program (2026)

The Venue: Restaurant Töölö

Program

8:00 – 9:00

Registration
9:00 – 9:15

Welcome Address

Speaker TBC
9:15 – 9:30

Opening Remarks

Jari Petäjä — Chief Executive, Children and Adolescents, HUS Helsinki University Hospital

Theme 1 — Human-Centred Paediatric Care: Play, Mental Wellbeing and Family Support
9:30 – 10:00

Do We Really Need to Play? Reimagining Paediatric Innovation through Children's Perspectives

Dr Paulina Pérez-Duarte — Clinical Paediatrician and Medical Anthropologist, Great Ormond Street Hospital
10:00 – 10:45 PANEL

From Diagnosis to Daily Life — Innovative Approaches to Supporting Children's and Families' Mental Wellbeing

Chair: Marie Korhonen — Chief Physician PhD, Paediatric Psychiatry, HUS Helsinki University Hospital
Panel: Paulina Pérez-Duarte (Great Ormond Street Hospital) · Linnea Karlsson (FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study; Center for Population Health Research, University of Turku & Turku University Hospital) · Casper Mathiesen (Lead Play Designer, Mary Elizabeth's Hospital, Copenhagen)
— Coffee Break
11:15 – 11:35

Play in Hospitals: Inspiring Practices Across the Nordics

Nordic Hospital Showcase
11:35 – 11:55

Digital Mental Health Care: From Evidence to Engagement and Real-World Impact

Karri Budde — Psychologist and Development Manager, Internet Therapies, Digital and Psychosocial Treatments, HUS Helsinki University Hospital
11:55 – 12:15

Family-Centred Innovations Improving Mental Wellbeing in Paediatric Care: From Hospital Experience to Long-Term Resilience

Monika Rogalska — President & CEO, K.I.D.S. Foundation
— Lunch

Theme 2 — Data, Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Paediatric Healthcare
13:00 – 13:30

High Frequency Data & AI in Healthcare — Real World Applications

Joseph J. Frassica — Professor of the Practice, MIT Institute for Medical Engineering and Science (IMES); Executive Director, MIT–Hood Pediatric Innovation Hub
13:30 – 14:15 PANEL

Data and AI in Paediatrics

Chair: Pekka Kahri — Development Manager, Strategy & Development Unit, HUS Helsinki University Hospital
Panel: Joseph J. Frassica (MIT IMES / MIT–Hood Pediatric Innovation Hub) · Andrew Taylor (Director of Innovation, Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust) · TBC
14:15 – 14:30

Launch of the Paediatric Health Data Space (PHDS)

Speaker TBC
14:30 – 14:45

Can AI Survive a 3-Year-Old?

Professor Laughalot

Theme 3 — Solving Real Clinical Challenges: Innovation for Impact
14:45 – 16:05

Paediatric Hospital Innovation Challenge 2026 — Project Showcase

  1. Sticky Adventure — Karolinska University Hospital, Sweden
  2. The Check-In Tools — Great Ormond Street Hospital, UK
  3. Antek — Children's Memorial Health Institute, Poland
  4. Connected Paediatric Care — Hospital Pedro Hispano, ULSM, Portugal
  5. AI-Powered Pediatric Appointment Optimization — Children's Clinical University Hospital, Latvia
— Coffee Break
16:25 – 16:40

Paediatric Hospital Innovation Challenge 2026 — Awards
16:40 – 16:50

Closing Remarks

Arnau Valls — Director, i4KIDS & i4KIDS-EUROPE; Innovation Coordinator, Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children's Hospital
End of Event

Registration is open

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