Innovation
Smart wound-monitoring patch wins international Biomaterials Hackathon 2026
Brainport Eindhoven, 15 March 2026 – A smart biosensor patch that enables doctors to monitor surgical wound healing remotely has won the Biomaterials Hackathon 2026 in Brainport Eindhoven. The concept, called WoundReCoverE, was selected by the jury after three days of collaboration between young innovators from across Europe.
During the hackathon, 41 participants from nine countries worked in interdisciplinary teams to develop healthcare solutions based on advanced biomaterials.
The winning team designed a biosensor patch that continuously monitors wound recovery, helping doctors detect complications earlier while patients recover safely at home.
The jury praised the concept’s strong combination of medical relevance, market potential and technological feasibility.
“We felt this concept targets an important market with clear added value,” the jury said.
The second prize went to HeartLink, a minimally invasive monitoring system for heart failure patients based on continuous measurement of BNP biomarkers – substances released into the bloodstream when the heart is under stress. The third prize was awarded to OvaSense, a wearable patch designed to help detect ovarian cancer at an early stage.
The Biomaterials Hackathon is an annual event held at Cureon, the Innovation Center for MedTech & BioTech at the High Tech Campus Eindhoven, bringing together students, researchers and entrepreneurs to accelerate innovation in healthcare and biomaterials.
The initiative is organized by Brabantse Ontwikkelings Maatschappij (BOM), Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Fontys, Helmond Biotech Materials Hub (HBH), High Tech Campus Eindhoven and Smart BioMaterials Center (SBMC), with financial support from the European Union, OPZuid and Interreg Vlaanderen – Nederland (ATMP-XB).
