In the EU, service production and innovation are undergoing a transformation. Diminishing resources, aging population, changes in lifestyles and technological developments affect the way in which innovations in the health sector are developed and implemented. In the future, startup companies will increasingly be the drivers of application development and innovation in the healthcare sector, whose application portfolio supports, in particular, self-care and wellbeing services developed directly to consumers. This transformation also offers a significant opportunity for innovation, exports and has a significant impact on citizens’ awareness of healthcare innovations.The health technology development work in the SOTE sector has grown to Finland’s largest technology export sector (EUR 1.66 billion in 2012). Exports of health technology will continue to play a significant role in employment and will be promoted at national level by Team Finland, Tekes and Sitra. It is particularly encouraging that hardware and software are manufactured in Finland.Tavoite:Perustaa, Kymenlaakso, Kymenlaakso, a highly applied T&K&I innovation hub for health applications and games, which contributes to the development of healthcare innovations and citizens’ health behaviour. The project uses the strengths that have already emerged in the region, i.e. the Playa Game Industry Hub community and the health IT cluster.Subjectives:1) Develop the process of introducing and transferring knowledge and technology to the market, highlighting the strengths of the region.2) Increase applied R & D competence, understanding of healthcare innovations and megatrends.3) raise awareness of health and wellbeing applications among citizens.4) Promote growth entrepreneurship in the industry, especially among women, and increase the supply of quality labour to growth companies.5) Develop 20 concepts and 10 prototype applications, have been evaluated by international industry experts to analyse their competitive advantage. The applications are produced in cooperation with students, start-ups, the public and private sectors, and large companies producing fundamental technology. This model has been proven to be good and effective,because companies employ development work during and after.6) The project aims to influence citizens’ health and well-being behaviour and awareness of innovations in the industry with the help of partners and target-group companies.7) Develop a process of requirements and validation of health and well-being applications and a model that guides the effects of their use on the use of companies operating in the industry.8) The project will have a positive impact on the publicity of Kymenlaakso’s innovation activities. The project will result in:- a high-level innovation centre for the development of gamified health and well-being applications (especially mobile), whose services are offered and ordered internationally (cf. Serious Games International, Coventry, UK)- the process of demanding and validating health and well-being applications and a model that guides the effects of use for companies operating in the industry — 3 new companies and 20 jobs- Positive publicity for Kymenlaakso’s innovation activities.- The public’s awareness of healthcare applications and use is increasing. For the applications developed by the Centre of Excellence, a model is defined to harness the strong internal and external motivation factors associated with gaming to the user experience of utility applications. At the same time, the welfare effects of applications will be examined. This model will be based on analytics and analysis tools, which are widely used in game design. Thanks to good user experience, the intended effect of the utility application is realised. In particular, efforts will be made to influence young people’s lifestyles and choices, not forgetting the ageing population.Megatrends: wearable technology, sensors, smartwatches, Internet of Things, gamification, mobile applications, multiplatformity and community development. The region will generate internationally competitive know-how and widespread applications, as well as new types of business. The results of the project will be applied in practice and widely presented at national and international level. A positive feature of entrepreneurship in the health and well-being sectors is also that it is suitable for female entrepreneurs. The project has already been strongly networked with key actors in the region, Finland and internationally, but a coordinated innovation hub and centre in Kymenlaakso is still missing.