On Thursday, January 22, the IHU Strasbourg had the honor of hosting the launch of the 2026 Call for Projects from the Force for Innovation and Research in Health Foundation. This event brought together the main players in the Alsatian innovation ecosystem, as well as numerous researchers, clinicians, and entrepreneurs.
The main guidelines for the 2026 edition were presented, emphasizing the importance of supporting projects capable of sustainably improving healthcare, particularly in the Alsace region.
The morning session was led by Lilla Mérabet, Executive Director of the Force Foundation, and Dr. Ali Hamiche, Director of Research at the IGBMC, who is Secretary General and member of the Force Foundation’s Scientific Council.
They highlighted the Foundation’s agility and high standards in selecting and monitoring projects and emphasized the mark of excellence that the Foundation Force label now represents for projects.
A call for projects opens to all forms of innovation
The 2026 edition is particularly significant for the Force Foundation, which is celebrating its 35th anniversary this year. Projects must fall within four areas that reflect the Force Foundation’s ambition to transform practices: prediction to anticipate risks and personalize care, coordination to streamline care pathways, technologies to equip professionals and patients, and social innovation to develop inclusive solutions tailored to needs.
Applications will be evaluated according to several criteria, including the maturity and feasibility of the project, the quality of the team, consistency with the priorities of the call for proposals, potential impact, regional roots, and consideration of environmental issues.
The IHU Strasbourg, a committed partner
By hosting this event, IHU Strasbourg is part of the dynamic driven by the Force Foundation, which combines agility and scientific rigour to bring about initiatives that bring together local stakeholders to provide solutions with real-life applications.
In 2025, the FAST-Tx project, led by IHU Strasbourg, was awarded a grant by the Force Foundation for the development of a streamlined pathway for the diagnosis and surgical treatment of lung cancer.
Call for projects 2026 from the Force Foundation (in French): www.fondation-force.fr
FAST-Tx Project: www.ihu-strasbourg.eu
