About
Bart Collet
I'm a healthcare innovation catalyst based in Antwerp, Belgium. For over 30 years, I've been transforming complex healthcare challenges into scalable solutions: blending healthcare insight, cross-industry creativity, and relentless execution.
For a quarter of a century, I managed Huis Vandecruys, a 72-resident elderly care facility with 50 staff members, pioneering operational excellence and compassionate care delivery. That frontline experience gives me unique credibility with both clinicians and C-suite executives.
As a digital builder, I created JPLAN (2003), a web-based healthcare staff scheduling tool, and CALBLOX (2013), a tablet-optimised task management platform for healthcare workers. I've orchestrated five international digital health events, conducted four public hackathons launching seven successful companies, and organised a virtual hackathon with 15 international teams from scratch in just 10 days.
Currently, I spend most of my time helping healthcare and related organisations put generative AI to work; hands-on implementation, workshops and build days, and the automation strategies that turn AI from a demo into a daily practice. Alongside that, I keep one foot in the longevity economy: I run the Longevity Events Calendar, a curated database of 500+ longevity conferences worldwide.
What sets me apart
Speed
I compress months of stakeholder wrangling and product uncertainty into days of decisive progress. A 10-day virtual hackathon, pandemic pivots, prototype-to-pilot: I move fast without cutting corners.
Credibility
25 years on the frontline of elderly care, plus advisory roles at SXSW, ICT&Health, eHealth Hub, and AI4Health. I speak both clinical and commercial, translating in both directions without losing signal.
Knowledge Transfer
My goal is always to work myself out of a job. Every engagement is designed to leave your team more capable, not more dependent. I build capabilities, not consulting dependencies.
Advisory & Speaking
I serve on advisory boards including SXSW, ICT&Health, eHealth Hub, and AI4Health, providing foresight on digital health trends and emerging opportunities. Past consulting clients include the Flemish government (IPCEI funding), McKesson (pharmacy strategy), Coca-Cola (health and nutrition innovation), UCB Pharma (Hack Epilepsy, eyeforpharma Barcelona Awards 2016), and GitLab (inaugural Pitch Innovation Competition).
Presentations
A selection of keynotes and talks spanning AI in healthcare, digital health innovation, and emerging technology.
2023 · Health Innovation School
HIS Kickoff 2023–2024
Four emerging trends, four enabling technologies, and four mini hackathons, mapping the frontier of health innovation with the next generation of digital health leaders.
2022 · VR 4 Rehab Conference
VR for Rehab
Making the case for immersive rehabilitation technology, from clinical evidence to scaling strategy across care settings.
2019 · AI & Healthcare Speaking
Will AI Replace Humans?
It's not about replacing, it's about augmenting: the case for human–AI collaboration in healthcare delivery and clinical decision-making.
Service Packages
Flexible engagement models, from a 2-week sprint to 12 months of fractional leadership.
AI & Automation
Project-based / 3-month agile
From operational deep-dives to working prototypes: practical AI implementation that moves from roadmap to pilot.
What's included
- Personalised automation roadmap and team training
- Customer discovery and clickable prototype
- Lean business case and pilot-site onboarding plan
- Strategic implementation guidance throughout
Rapid Assessment & Strategy
2–4 weeks
Fast, outside-in diagnosis of your innovation readiness, paired with cross-industry inspiration to unlock new directions.
What's included
- Organisational readiness scorecard and bottleneck map
- Top 3 quick wins with implementation pathways
- Curated cross-industry case studies and partner introductions
- Translate-to-your-context workshop (2 days)
Hackathons & Accelerators
10 days – 6 weeks
End-to-end innovation event formats, from rapid remote sprints to full-scale accelerator programmes with post-event venturing support.
What's included
- Challenge framing, concept design, and speaker curation
- Facilitator playbook and mentoring programme
- Platform setup, daily standups, and judging
- Post-event incubation follow-up and venturing report
Leadership & Advisory
Quarterly retainer – 12 months
Fractional innovation leadership or board-level advisory, embedding strategic foresight and execution capability into your organisation.
What's included
- Innovation roadmap execution and KPI monitoring
- Coaching, capability building, and transition planning
- Quarterly trend briefings and technology scouting
- Partnership scouting, speaking, and PR support
Interested in working together?
Whether you need a strategic sounding board, a hackathon organiser, hands-on delivery support, or a keynote speaker: I'd love to hear from you.