The second HaDEA Showcase Event was held on 19 January 2026 in Brussels, with both in-person and online participation. The event convened a wide range of EU-funded projects overseen by the European Health and Digital Executive Agency (HaDEA), offering a platform to present their results and to foster collaboration across multiple policy areas.

Unlike the first edition, which coincided with World Cancer Day and centered on oncology-related initiatives, the 2026 event adopted a much wider perspective. This year’s discussions highlighted how EU-funded projects contribute to strengthening Europe’s competitiveness and readiness in strategic domains such as digital technologies, industry, space, and health. The overall agenda was closely connected to two key EU policy frameworks, the Competitiveness Compass and the EU Preparedness Union Strategy, underscoring the strategic importance of EU and HaDEA funding in supporting these priorities.

Health-related initiatives were a key component of the programme. Speakers representing major EU-funded projects shared concrete examples of how European investment in health research is accelerating scientific progress while also promoting collaboration through shared data infrastructures and cross-border research efforts. Among the projects and partnerships presented were the European Vaccines Hub for pandemic preparedness (EVH), the European Partnership on Transforming Health and Care Systems (THCS), the EU FAB network of vaccine manufacturers for future health crises, and the Hola 5G Oulu project, which demonstrated how 5G technologies can be applied in healthcare settings.

The panels drew attention to several EU initiatives. These included the newly introduced Safe Hearts Plan, an EU-wide strategy targeting cardiovascular disease through improved prevention and screening, presented in December 2025. Another major topic was the Health Data Space, which aims to establish a secure and interoperable framework for sharing and reusing health data across borders, while fully respecting data protection, security, and GDPR requirements.

Data sharing and cooperation emerged as recurring themes throughout the event, not only in health-related sessions, but across other sectors as well. Participants emphasized how better access to secure, high-quality data can support researchers across the EU and maximize the impact of results generated by European projects.

Overall, the HaDEA Showcase Event served not only as a demonstration of the tangible outcomes of EU-funded initiatives, but also as a networking opportunity. Attendees were able to exchange ideas, build connections, and explore new collaborations within Europe’s rapidly evolving research and innovation ecosystem.

The recording of the event and additional information are available here.