Newsletter – Issue 8
20 April 2026
We are pleased to invite you to the Invest4Health Horizon Europe project final event:
“Mobilising New Financial Approaches for Equitable Health and Wellbeing.”
Date: 28 May 2026 | 09:00–17:15
Venue: Brussels, European Committee of the Regions
European health systems are facing increasing pressure from ageing populations, workforce shortages, rising costs, and the long-term impacts of COVID-19. Chronic diseases already account for over 75% of healthcare spending. Investing in prevention is no longer optional; it is essential.
The Horizon Europe-funded Invest4Health project responds to this challenge through Smart Capacitating Investment (SCI), an approach that treats prevention as a long-term social and economic investment. By combining financial and non-financial resources, SCI strengthens communities, addresses the social determinants of health, and reduces inequalities.
Over the past three years, Invest4Health has worked with regional testbeds across Europe to design and test innovative financing approaches in practice. The project has developed new financing models, explored outcome-based and blended funding, strengthened cross-sector collaboration, and generated evidence to support implementation and scaling.
This final event is a mobilisation event, marking the transition from project results to real-world uptake.
WHO IS THIS EVENT FOR?
The event, hosted by the European Committee of the Regions, will bring together policymakers, investors, researchers, and practitioners to explore how SCI can be scaled and embedded into health systems. The event is designed for stakeholders at European, national, and regional levels, including policymakers, investors, public health professionals, and practitioners working across health, social care, and related sectors. It is also relevant for representatives of regional authorities, innovation hubs, and organisations involved in health promotion and disease prevention. The event offers a valuable opportunity for those interested in innovative financing approaches, cross-sector collaboration, and scaling impactful solutions to improve population health and reduce inequalities.
PROGRAMME AND SPEAKERS
The programme will feature keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive sessions on financing prevention, lessons from regional testbeds, and pathways for scaling and mainstreaming innovative investment approaches, followed by a networking reception. The detailed programme is available at the following link: https://invest4health.eu/final-conference/
We are pleased to welcome three keynote speakers: Graham Randles (WHO European Office for Investment for Health and Development), Caroline Costongs (EuroHealthNet), and Stanleyson Hato (Invest-NL).
They will be joined by leading experts including Maureen Rutten-van Mölken (Erasmus University), Vidya Oruganti (NHH Norwegian School of Economics), Jani Anant (University of Heidelberg), Rhiannon Tudor Edwards (Bangor University), Jolanda Van Vliet (Region Skåne), Joanna Lane (Stichting Health ClusterNet), Balázs Babarczy (Syreon Research Institute), David Evers (FIR Institute for Industrial Management), Shirin Bartholdsson (RISE), José María Romero Fidalgo, Galician Health Knowledge Agency, ACIS), Pascal Lardie (éditoHealth), Alison Massen (EuroHealthNet), Lars Münter (I4H Citizen Patient Advisory Group; Nordic Wellbeing Academy), Balázs Nagy (Syreon Research Institute), Lina Papartyte (EuroHealthNet), Shabs Rajashekharan (IESE), Bengt Stavenow (Innovation Skåne), Theologos Xenakis (Norway Health Tech), and Ushma Issa (Ripple Foundation).
REGISTRATION
Join us in Brussels to be part of the discussions shaping the future of health financing in Europe and to move from short-term costs to long-term investment in health.
Register here: https://forms.gle/vrwu4yP38S3PRNqt7
We look forward to welcoming you.
