Braunschweig: AI-Powered Simulations Help Train Emergency Responders Without Risking Patients

MedSim Wins 2026 HealthHack with AI-Powered Emergency Training Tool

Complex emergency scenarios are rarely practiced in realistic, risk-free conditions by trainees and new emergency medical personnel—without putting patients in danger. The MedSim team aims to change that with an AI-driven simulation tool.

Drawing on real-life cases and professional medical guidelines, the tool allows responders to rehearse diverse emergency situations while ensuring patient safety. This innovative concept won over the jury, earning the four-member team first place—and a €1,000 prize—at the 2026 HealthHack in Braunschweig.

The second-place award, worth €500, went to Team CoNurse, which developed an AI-powered learning tutor for nursing schools. The platform enables trainees in healthcare professions to study at their own pace with adjustable difficulty levels, track their progress, and ask follow-up questions. The jury awarded third place to Team WithYou, whose adaptive app helps people with disabilities manage daily tasks, fostering greater independence. Their project received €250.

Twelve Teams, Two Days of Innovation in Braunschweig

Nine challenges, around 60 participants, three winning teams: The Hannover-Braunschweig-Göttingen-Wolfsburg metropolitan region hosted its eighth HealthHack—a co-creative competition where interdisciplinary teams develop solutions and prototypes for pressing issues. Over two days at Braunschweig's Trafo Hub, twelve teams worked on groundbreaking concepts for healthcare and nursing.

Metropolitan Region Drives "Hackathon Valley" Forward

With the HealthHack, the Hannover-Braunschweig-Göttingen-Wolfsburg metropolitan region has established a highly sought-after format that reflects the area's growing innovation momentum. In recent years, other organizers have launched additional hackathons in the region, covering topics like AI and sports. The metropolitan authority itself also initiated the first AI Promptathon in Einbeck in 2024, focused on mobility.

Christoph Meineke, managing director of the metropolitan region, commented: "Our area is increasingly becoming a 'Hackathon Valley.' The HealthHack has been instrumental in this shift. Events like these bring together brilliant minds, bold ideas, and creative energy—even in tough economic times. They send a clear message to founders: this is where you belong, and your concepts are in high demand."

Success stories from past HealthHacks include startups like Tangility GmbH and Mental Health Box, both of which emerged as winners in recent years. The metropolitan region actively supports their growth, for example by providing opportunities to showcase their innovations at major trade fairs such as Pro Care in Hannover and the Smart City Expo World Congress in Barcelona.