Driving innovation in digital health
DKV Innolab is a unit dedicated to identifying and overcoming challenges in the insurance sector by connecting with the entrepreneurial ecosystem, driving open innovation, and implementing disruptive technologies within DKV’s business. At DKV, we aim for innovation to be a core attribute of our brand and products. Through inspiration and capability building, we seek to impact our business, the ecosystem, and key stakeholders. All of this is driven through two main areas: digital health and insurtech.
Desafío DKV 2026: Disrupting Perinatal Health
Desafío DKV is DKV Innolab’s open innovation program designed to identify and attract innovative ideas and solutions capable of addressing key healthcare challenges and generating value for the DKV ecosystem. DKV Innolab has been launching annual calls since 2022 (see them here).
In 2026, the challenge focuses on identifying disruptive solutions in perinatal health.
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Identifying the annual challenge
2
Annual innovation call
3
Scouting, certification and winner selection
4
Collaboration for adoption at DKV
In collaboration with leading organizations
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Collaboration with DKV on the adoption project of the winning solution (may include a pilot)
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Jury participation
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Mentoring for finalists
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Solution scouting
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Promotion of the winning solution within the pediatric innovation network
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Jury participation
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Mentoring for finalists
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Jury participation
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Inclusion of the winning solution in ERGO ScaleHub and a meeting with ERGO executive
The challenge
An opportunity to anticipate
During pregnancy and the first months of life, significant complications may arise. Despite existing controls, care remains largely reactive, leaving significant room for improvement in early detection and continuous monitoring.
Newborn post-discharge transition: a vulnerable moment
After hospital discharge, a particularly sensitive phase begins. Newborns may develop conditions requiring early attention and/or continuous monitoring, while families often face uncertainty. Lack of follow-up can lead to avoidable emergency visits or readmissions. Ensuring a safe transition from hospital to home remains a major challenge.
DKV's vision to address the challenge
At DKV, our commitment is to support our customers and their families in achieving the best possible health at every stage of life. To do so, we incorporate innovative technologies through strategic partnerships within the digital health ecosystem.
What we are looking for
We are seeking disruptive digital solutions in obstetrics and pediatrics that address one of the following areas, with clear specialization in maternal and child health and the ability to integrate into care pathways:
Pregnancy complications
Early detection and monitoring of obstetric risks and complications, including identification of warning signs. Examples: preeclampsia, risk of preterm birth, etc. |
Newborn and post-discharge transition
Solutions that enable safer hospital discharges, earlier discharge, reduced emergency visits and avoidable readmissions through remote monitoring and early detection, focusing on the mother-newborn dyad. Examples: at-home neonatal screening (heel prick test, hearing, congenital heart disease), jaundice, feeding and weight gain, respiratory, digestive or metabolic issues. |
Timeline
May 20
Program launch
June 8
Informational webinar
August 10
Application deadline
September 10
Finalists announcement
September-October
Mentoring programme
October 14
Final event Health4Good, pitch & winner selection
November-January
Winner agreement & project kick-off
Mentoring program
This program will allow the four finalist startups to gain deep insight into the Spanish private insurance and hospital landscape and the DKV digital ecosystem, facilitating integration and access to end customers.
💬 “The program had a very tangible impact on how we think about scaling globally. Over an intensive six-week journey, DKV provided a deep dive into the Spanish insurance market. This helped us refine our market-entry thinking, (…) and how a partner like DKV could enable adoption if we move forward together.” — Swaasa, finalist Desafío DKV 2025
💬 “It was a very good overview of DKV's insurance business and also the high-level view of insurance sector in Spain. Especially useful were the insights on the focus areas for DKV and the strategic push into digital health and the objective of gaining differentiation. I also enjoyed the Q&A and that the session was very interactive.” – Cardiosignal, finalist Desafío DKV 2025
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Introduction to the Spanish private insurance market and DKV
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DKV’s digital health strategy
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Collaboration models with startups
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1:1 mentoring sessions for pitch and business proposal preparationMentorías individuales para la preparación del pitch y propuesta de negocio
To be defined
To be defined
Final at Health4Good
October 14, 2026
A DKV digital health innovation event for 200 attendees featuring panels and high-level presentations. Finalists will pitch their solutions to the jury and one winner will be selected.
Elegibility criteria
Inclusion
Differentiation and innovation
Clearly innovative and differentiated solutions, leveraging disruptive technologies.
Value proposition
A clear impact both on the insurance business and on the private hospital environment.
User
Solutions must involve the healthcare professional, regardless of the level of involvement of the family.
Scale of impact
Solutions with the potential to impact a significant volume of the population will be prioritised.
Focus
Focus on early detection, diagnosis and/or monitoring.
User-friendly and accessible UX
The design and usability of the solution must take into account the needs of the target segment, provide an easy-to-use experience, and comply with the European Accessibility Act.
Ready for adoption
A CIMIT level higher than 6 will be required.
Adaptation plan for the Spanish market
If the company is not Spanish, applications must include a plan to adapt the solution to the Spanish population.
MDR compliance, where applicable
Solutions must comply with the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), where applicable. If not, they must have a solid plan to obtain certification within 6 months. Wellbeing solutions will not be considered.
IVDR compliance, where applicable
Solutions must comply with the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR), where applicable. If not, they must have a solid plan to obtain certification within 6 months. Wellbeing solutions will not be considered.
Legal and regulatory compliance
The entity must ensure compliance with the necessary legal and regulatory requirements to operate at both European and Spanish levels, including the European AI Regulation (EU AI Act), where applicable.
Entity commitment
Entities must ensure the availability of the necessary resources to participate in the different activities of the program.
Exclusion
The following solutions will not be considered:
x Generic solutions not specialized in obstetrics or pediatrics (e.g. clinical decision support tools not specifically designed for these contexts).
x Generic educational solutions on pregnancy without a clinical focus on risk detection.
x Educational solutions focused primarily on breastfeeding.
x Purely informational apps without clear clinical criteria or defined care pathways.
x Therapeutic treatments.
x Rehabilitation.
x Oncology.
x Rare diseases.
x Pediatric ICU.
Award
Adoption within DKV & Hospital Universitario San Rafael + 10.000 €
The winning solution will enter the process of being included as an additional healthcare service within one of DKV’s private insurance products, in collaboration with Hospital San Rafael.
This process may include a pilot depending on the maturity of the solution.
DKV will also award €10,000.
Additional benefits
International scalability
Inclusion in ERGO ScaleHub + meeting with ERGO executives
Presentation at i4KIDS
Webinar to showcase the solution across the pediatric innovation network
Do you have a solution to solve this challenge?
What type of solutions are we looking for in this call?
We are looking for innovative digital solutions in the maternal and child health field that address one of the following challenges:
Pregnancy complications
Early detection and monitoring of relevant obstetric risks and complications, as well as identification of warning signs.
Enable early detection and monitoring from the home environment, complementing outpatient and hospital care.
Contribute to a more proactive care model, reducing late detection of complications
Support patients throughout the entire pregnancy journey, enhancing continuity of care and the patient–doctor relationship
Examples: preeclampsia (early identification and monitoring), risk of preterm birth, etc.
Neonates and post-discharge transition
Solutions that enable safer hospital discharge, allowing earlier discharge and reducing emergency visits and avoidable readmissions through at-home newborn monitoring and early detection, with a focus on the mother–newborn dyad.
Improve clinical safety and confidence for families and healthcare teams during the hospital-to-home transition
Enable early detection of warning signs and monitoring at home
Facilitate remote resolution of questions, avoiding unnecessary emergency visits Improve families’ understanding and management of the newborn after discharge
Examples: at-home neonatal screening (heel prick test, hearing, congenital heart disease), jaundice, feeding and weight gain, respiratory, digestive or metabolic conditions, among others.
What approach should the solution have?
Solutions must focus on early detection and/or continuous monitoring of risks or complications — preferably in a home setting — as well as improving support for patients and families. They must involve the healthcare professional/hospital, in addition to the pregnant woman and/or families.
Does the solution need to address the entire challenge?
No. The challenge is divided into two independent areas: pregnancy complications and newborn monitoring/post-discharge transition. Startups may submit solutions addressing one of them, or both.
What requirements must a solution meet to be eligible?
The solution must: Be an innovative healthcare solution Have sufficient maturity for piloting or adoption Comply with applicable legal and regulatory requirements (MDR/IVDR or certification plan) Have a clear value proposition Be suitable for integration into the DKV ecosystem and healthcare pathways
Full list of inclusion criteria:
Differentiation and innovation: clearly innovative and differentiated solutions are sought in the market, leveraging disruptive technologies. Value proposition: a clear impact both on the insurance business and on the private hospital environment. User: solutions must involve the healthcare professional, regardless of the level of involvement of the family. Scale of impact: solutions with the potential to impact a significant volume of the population will be prioritised. Focus on early detection, diagnosis and/or monitoring. User-friendly and accessible UX: the design and usability of the solution must take into account the needs of the target segment, provide an easy-to-use experience, and comply with the European Accessibility Act. Ready for adoption: a CIMIT level higher than 6 will be required. Adaptation plan for the Spanish market: if the company is not Spanish, applications must include a plan to adapt the solution to the Spanish population. MDR compliance, where applicable: solutions must comply with the Medical Device Regulation (MDR), where applicable. If not, they must have a solid plan to obtain certification within 6 months. Wellbeing solutions will not be considered. IVDR compliance, where applicable: solutions must comply with the In Vitro Diagnostic Medical Devices Regulation (IVDR), where applicable. If not, they must have a solid plan to obtain certification within 6 months. Wellbeing solutions will not be considered. Legal and regulatory compliance: the entity must ensure compliance with the necessary legal and regulatory requirements to operate at both European and Spanish levels, including the European AI Regulation (EU AI Act), where applicable. Entity commitment: entities must ensure the availability of the necessary resources to participate in the different activities of the programme.
What types of solutions are NOT eligible?
Proposals including the following will not be considered:
x Generic solutions not specialized in obstetrics or pediatrics (e.g. clinical decision support tools not specifically designed for these contexts).
x Generic educational solutions on pregnancy without a clinical focus on risk detection.
x Educational solutions focused primarily on breastfeeding.
x Purely informational apps without clear clinical criteria or defined care pathways.
x Therapeutic treatments.
x Rehabilitation.
x Oncology.
x Rare diseases.
x Pediatric ICU.
Can international startups participate?
Yes. International startups can participate, provided they include a plan to adapt the solution to the Spanish market and comply with European regulation.
What level of maturity is required?
Solutions must have sufficient maturity for piloting or validation in a real-world environment (CIMIT 7 or higher).
What prizes and benefits does the winning startup receive?
Prizes for the winner:
€10,000 from DKV
Adoption project with DKV and Hospital Universitario San Rafael (may include a pilot)
Opportunity to present the solution to ERGO executives
Presentation of the solution in an i4KIDS online session to its national and international pediatric innovation network
What benefits do finalist startups receive?
Mentoring program with experts from DKV, Hospital Universitario San Rafael, i4KIDS and other ecosystem stakeholders Support to adapt the solution to the healthcare and insurance environment.
Visibility within the innovation ecosystem.
Opportunity to collaborate with DKV on other projects Feedback from previous finalsits
What role do partners play in the Challenge?
The DKV Challenge 2026 is a collaborative initiative in which each partner plays a specific role:
DKV (leads the call): Leads the call and defines the challenge based on its strategic priorities. It leads and coordinates the scouting, selection and evaluation process, including the jury and mentoring activities, and also leads the potential adoption of the solutions within its digital health ecosystem. It also organises the innovation event (Health4Good), where the final of the DKV Challenge 2026 will take place.
Hospital Universitario San Rafael: Provides clinical and care delivery expertise. Participates in the co-definition of the challenge, as well as in the selection and evaluation process, jury and mentoring activities, and plays a key role in the adoption project of the winning solution together with DKV.
I4KIDS: Participates in the co-definition of the challenge. Its main role is to contribute to scouting and dissemination of the challenge at both national and international level, as well as promoting the winning solution within its network. It also provides expert feedback in pediatric innovation and participates in the jury and mentoring activities.
ERGO: DKV is part of the ERGO Group. Having ERGO involved reinforces the international dimension of the programme, providing visibility and opportunities to connect with the global insurance ecosystem. In addition, the winning solution will be included in ERGO ScaleHub and will have the opportunity to present its solution to ERGO executives. ACCIÓ: Scouting of relevant startups.
How are solutions evaluated?
Solutions are assessed based on: Fit with the challenge Level of innovation Adoption potential User experience Clinical and business impact Finalists and the winner will be selected by a multidisciplinary jury led by DKV and ERGO, with participation from Hospital Universitario San Rafael and i4KIDS.
How can I apply to the Challenge?
Through the application form available on the Challenge website. It is recommended to review the eligibility criteria beforehand.
Will there be an informational webinar?
Yes. After the launch, a webinar will be organised to present the challenge, explain the process and answer questions.
In collaboration with:
