The start-ups do not have to feel alone at REHACARE. Here, the small companies find interested parties for their products, both consumers and companies. Like Scewo AG, which exhibited at the trade fair in 2019 and has since received an aid number for its product, the Scewo Bro. The same applies to munevo GmbH, which exhibited at REHACARE for the first time in 2018. They, too, have received the all-important aid number, which makes it easier to bill health insurance companies for the product.
Inputs can also be obtained in the various REHACARE forums (Forum language: German): In the PRODUCTS & NEWS @REHACARE specialist forum, exhibitors offer an insight into their product portfolio and present innovations in short presentations. At TREFFPUNKT REHACARE (English: Meeting place REHACARE), the name says it all. Each year, a main topic is presented here and visitors and exhibitors are invited to exchange ideas. Start-ups can also be found here. This exchange is particularly useful for young companies in the healthcare sector, as the market has become difficult due to the new Medical Device Regulation (MDR), which will apply in full from May this year. Weber also emphasizes this: "Entering the healthcare markets has certainly not become easier due to the MDR/IVDR that is now in force. Since not only have the requirements increased, but the number of certification bodies has also decreased, the documentation effort has increased and the processing times are unusually prolonged. This time, when nothing is happening, still costs money for personnel and so on. Startups don't have that money, nor are investors happy to help finance this waiting time." For this reason, solutions must always be found individually for each start-up. Nevertheless, one should not be deterred, because many aids have their beginning with a good idea.