Barbara Vízhányó-Fogden
I spent most of my adult life living and working in the UK, but now I’m happily back on Hungarian soil. My first love was healthcare — I trained as a specialist adult nurse — but curiosity (and a love for big ideas) soon pulled me into the world of marketing, communications, and business consultancy.
For the past two decades, I’ve had the chance to work with all kinds of healthcare organisations — from private hospitals to dental and aesthetics clinics, and even animal health companies. Each role gave me a new lens on how innovation can make people (and sometimes pets!) healthier and happier.
These days, I’m part of the dynamic team at EIT Health InnoStars, connecting with RIS hubs, accelerators, incubators, and universities across Europe. Surrounded by brilliant minds and bold dreamers, I’ve been completely swept up by their passion for nurturing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs (like You) in life sciences and healthcare.
Expertise: marketing, communications, project and campaign management, practical knowledge on private and public healthcare systems in the EU and the UK.
Krisztina Tálas
International expert at the Hungarian Innovation Agency’s (NIÜ) International Relations Directorate. She is involved in the XPAND programme of the NIÜ, wherein she takes part in the recruitment of SMEs, startups ready to enter foreign market and expose their products in international fairs.
Furthermore, she is responsible for organising business meetings, business developing possibilities for them during the expos. At NIÜ she also contributes to the Enterprise Horizon programme which is to disseminate theoretical and practical knowledge on Horizon Europe calls. Her field of expertise in this respect calls under the health cluster and related partnerships, Cancer Mission, innovation ecosystem building, EIC calls.
She is the contact person for EIT Health from the Agency. She acquired her health-related experience in public administration, where she had worked for more than 20 years at international relations departments of ministries responsible for health. She has an M.A. in European Studies.
Hans Hofstraat
Prominent figure in the field of life sciences and healthcare innovation. As of September 1, 2023, he serves as the Director of Business Development Life Sciences at the Utrecht Science Park, where he focuses on strengthening the life sciences ecosystem by connecting and establishing innovative public and private partnerships.
Before this role, Dr. Hofstraat was the Vice President of Philips Research, a position he held since 2007. At Philips, he led efforts in health tech innovation, emphasizing a holistic approach to healthcare and well-being. His career at Philips began in 1998, where he initially led the Polymers and Organic Chemistry department.
In addition to his current role, Dr. Hofstraat is active as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at The Institute of Cancer Research in London and serves as an advisor to various initiatives within the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Health.
Eszter Tóth
Mentor at the Innovation Ecosystem Centre of the University of Debrecen and lecturer of the Faculty of Economics and Business; I am involved in workshops focusing on supporting students with enterpreneurial mindset in the field of Project management and coordination, to define the problems and demands of the market and help them setting up a BMC.
Main focus: Project management, Problem Statement Canvas, Business Model Canvas topics
Melinda Paholcsek
Melinda Paholcsek, PhD is a molecular biologist and geneticist by training, with extensive expertise in the design, validation and implementation of diagnostic assays and monitoring systems across human, veterinary and environmental health domains. Her recent work focuses on the systems-level analysis of complex biological communities using next-generation sequencing and on integrating advanced molecular technologies into One Health–oriented clinical, livestock and environmental surveillance frameworks.
Lajos Kovács
Lajos Kovács (Hungary) is founder and CEO of Global Impact Health and Development, a consultancy firm in health, development, and innovation.
He supports EIT Health Innostars and has advised governments globally while working with international donor organizations and development banks.
Formerly CEO of international healthcare organisations, he was also a visiting professor of health policy and health management at international universities.
LinkedIn profile: www.linkedin.com/in/lajoskovacs
István Csarnovics
I have been working at the University of Debrecen since 2008, initially as a researcher and later as a researcher-educator.
I teach physics and electrical engineering students in several practice-oriented courses. As a researcher, I focus on applied materials science: the production and testing of nano-sized structures and their potential applications.
Throughout my career, I have supervised numerous successful theses, diploma projects, and scientific student theses.
My students have earned several awards for their projects. Because of this, I have participated as a mentor in various projects that progressed from concept to prototype, where students addressed both hardware and software challenges.
Based on my expertise, I am interested in mentoring projects related to materials science, technological processes, electronics, microcontrollers, and embedded systems, especially those involving sensors.
Balázs Darnai
Assistant lecturer at the Institute of Management and Organisational Sciences at the Faculty of Economics, University of Debrecen. My research area is a model-based analysis of the organizational characteristics of start-ups from an organizational life-cycle perspective. My main areas of interest are quality- and process management, the EFQM model, and sustainability, especially SDGs. I also work as a project manager and trainer. As a trainer, I aim to foster a strategy-oriented, structured vision and pass on the right values and sustainable thinking to trainees and students.
Main focus: Quality- and process management, EFQM model, sustainability (SDGs)
Nóra Kovács
Senior program manager at the University of Debrecen Innovation Ecosystem Center. Economist, trainer, and mentor. With over 10 years of experience in soft skill development, she is passionate about the development of the future generation. Her primary responsibility is to design and deliver training programs, such as courses and workshops focused on developing entrepreneurial skills. She is dedicated to fostering an entrepreneurial mindset among students and enhancing their innovation skills.
Main areas: Exploring and defining problems, teamwork, communication, pitch ideas
Ákos Kiss
Staff member of the Innovation Ecosystem Centre at the University of Debrecen.
In the last decade I have been the organizer, speaker or mentor at several startup competitions. I have gained experience in supporting early-stage startups.
Béla Göblyös
Food industry-focused professional with 8 years of experience, specializing in food manufacturing, product development, product launch, and market expansion. I’ve built national retail and HoReCa distribution networks, led product introductions—including retail partnerships—and supported snack product launches across CEE export markets. I combine product development insights with product management, commercialization strategy, and customer-driven innovation to scale food concepts from idea to market.
Aletta Ivándel
As a Technology Manager at the UD Innovation Ecosystem Center I help to bring research from the lab to the market. My role involves guiding patent processes, licensing, and industry partnerships. With a background in biology and nutritional sciences, and experience in both science and technology, I am passionate about fostering collaboration, promoting sustainable innovation, and driving forward technologies that can make a positive impact in the world.
Main areas: Intellectual Property (IP) Guidance, Market Assessment, Innovation and Sustainability, Proof of Concept program implementation.
Veronika Bak
As a Technology Manager at the UD Innovation Ecosystem Center I focus on identifying and advancing technologies developed within the university to drive their commercialization. I manage intellectual property, facilitate research collaborations and partnerships between academia and industry. With a background in chemical engineering, I bring a strong understanding of technology development and commercialization processes to my role.
Main areas: Intellectual Property (IP) Guidance, Market Assessment, Innovation and Sustainability, Proof of Concept program implementation.
Ferenc Pongrácz
Ferenc Pongrácz, PhD, MBA, PMP, is the COO and CFO of E-Group, a leading Hungarian deep tech company specializing in FinTech, HealthTech, and SpaceTech. With over 20 years of executive experience, Ferenc has held senior roles at IBM, Tungsram, and EIT Health InnoStars, driving innovation across healthcare and technology. He is also a university lecturer and former President of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hungary.
Imre Töviskes
In addition to his experience in multinational companies, as the organizer of Debtech, he has built up an impressive network of contacts in the Hungarian startup ecosystem, and has gained extensive international experience through Erasmus projects. Currently, alongside his work, he is working on his PhD in philosophy, focusing on the relationship between humans and artificial intelligence, and transhumanism. As a non-formal educator, coach, and mentor, he has helped many young people and startups, mainly in the areas of team building, team dynamics, and social entrepreneurship.
Péter Salga
Salga Péter is the CEO of Dyntell Software, a software development and consulting company specializing in AI, ERP and business intelligence solutions. He holds an MSc degree in Mathematics and Biology, bringing a technical foundation to his work in machine learning and artificial intelligence. As a mentor at the Debrecen i-Days program, Péter offers guidance across multiple domains: machine learning algorithms, software development practices, international market entry strategies, and strategic business planning. Under his leadership, Dyntell developed innovative AI-powered services for the Hungarian Ambulance Service, including emergency call prediction systems and AI-based ECG diagnostic solutions. His expertise combines technical knowledge with strategic business acumen
Máté Rab
Economist, business development specialist, managing director of Shoprenter since May 2022, where he climbed the career ladder in three years: he worked on expanding partner relationships, led the sales team, actively participated in the Polish Idosell transaction, and later oversaw the entire business side. Previously, he was the chief operating officer of Innonic Group, and before that he worked as a business development specialist.
Attila Pintér
Start up lawyer, and medtech investor.
As the managing partner lawyer of the PV PARTNERS Law Firm I have more than 15 years professional experience with start up investments and I focus to the life science companies. I have lead many domestic and international investment and merge&acqusion (M&A) transactions during my carrier, and I successfully launched several companies on the stock exchange. PV PARTNERS give services for their clients in any question relatet to any company legal and financial issue.
As the investment director of the White Unicorn Incubator, I am looking for the good opportunities to invest life sience technologies. After the investment I gladly help the founders with my business, legal and financial experience.
Zsolt Gémesi
Zsolt has coached and trained up over 800 startups in the past 15 years and these ventures have since raised capital exceeding EUR 350 million. His background is aquatic ecology and he set up his first eco-startup in 1999 and saved 109 million m2 of coral reef in the Red Sea. He is a founding member of EIT Health and was appointed to serve on the Managing Board by Imperial College, London.