Launching a successful digital healthcare business isn’t just about having a good idea or creating a great product, it’s about launching it in the right place.
Almost every country in the world has its own rules and regulations around healthcare, whether it be public systems, private services or strict rules around medication.
Not only that, but location can also define who your customers are, what they are looking for and how they interact with technology.
Here, we take a look at some of the best countries in the world for starting a digital healthcare business.
Estonia
Likely a surprising first choice, but Estonia is actually one of the top countries for digital healthcare businesses? Why? Well, 99% of Estonia’s patient data is currently digitised, making it one of the most digital healthcare systems in the world.
The government is also working on partnering with startups to solve a number of national problems, making them a great partner for healthcare companies that want to scale fast with government support.
Denmark
The Danish Digital Health Strategy (2018-2022) was launched to help healthcare companies collaborate more easily within Denmark. It focused on creating a digital network where healthcare providers could share information, access records and collaborate more easily.
The government has also said that they are keen to collaborate with new companies that are able to offer strategic partnerships. And with a highly digitally literate population, bringing new concepts to market will likely be easier in Denmark than other places.
USA
The US has a huge private healthcare market, largely driven by the lack of public health services available and the well established VC market driving health tech.
In fact, In 2025, the U.S. digital health market is projected to reach $248 billion by 2034 – showing huge demand and opportunity for new players.
Israel
With hundreds of digital health startups within its borders, Israel has invested millions into digital health.
With a growing private medical sector as well as public healthcare, the county is constantly looking for new ways to streamline care. And with tech growth at the core of the country, it is also a great location for any tech business to thrive in.
UK
The NHS is one of the biggest public healthcare systems in the world, and it’s constantly looking for new ways to streamline operations and cut costs.
In the UK, many healthcare startups have been adopted by the NHS, bought out and integrated into their systems to power them forwards.
Programmes like NHS Digital and the Accelerated Access Collaborative also exist to help startups move into healthcare systems more quickly than in many other countries.
Canada
Close to the US and a tech-friendly environment, Canada is another great country for aspiring digital health startups.
With government incentives for research and development, as well as close access to US markets, it’s a great location for any startup looking to scale in North America.
Canada also has a national healthcare system, allowing businesses to collaborate and test their products at scale.
Spain
As a country with some socialist values, Spain has invested heavily in its national healthcare system, but with rising costs the government is struggling to keep up.
Because of this, hospitals are being encouraged to use tech to increase efficiency and reduce costs. This provides upcoming companies with a lot of potential for partnerships and collaboration, especially those in areas like telemedicine.
Launching A Digital Health Startup
If you’re planning to launch a digital health startup, then location is just as important as the idea.
Countries like Estonia, The UK, Canada and Israel all offer great environments both to build businesses in and to scale from.
So, if you are thinking of launching a health tech startup, don’t just think about what you want to launch, but where you want to launch too.
