Healthcare players - here’s your ticket to Berlin to learn and be part of global solutions with Bayer Pharma Grants4Apps

This story is sponsored by Bayer Pharma Grants4Apps.

Berlin ruft! Bayer ruft!

Berlin is calling, and so is Bayer!

If you are a startup in the healthcare space developing health technology or IT solutions that can connect and empower patients or healthcare stakeholders, then you may well be on your way to Berlin, along with an opportunity to be connected with Bayer, a life sciences company with a history of more than 150 years.

A global enterprise, the Bayer Group’s core competencies lie in healthcare and agriculture. A subgroup of Bayer AG, Bayer Pharmaceuticals aims to discover, develop, manufacture and market products that will improve human health worldwide. With a global workforce of 40,000 employees and a presence in over 100 countries, it is a name synonymous with healthcare globally.

 Here is what the Indian startups in healthcare should note. For digital health startups, entrepreneurs, developers, and mature companies the Bayer Pharma Grants4Apps program is again open for applications. There are two ongoing programs. One is an Accelerator and the other one is called Dealmaker. Here’s how you can be a part of it:

The Grants4Apps Accelerator

Being a part of the Bayer Pharmaceuticals’ open innovation initiatives that aim to create an environment that helps advance digital innovation in healthcare, the Grants4Apps (G4A) Accelerator is a Berlin-based mentoring programme for digital health startups.

Established in 2014, the G4A Accelerator provides dedicated office space for up to five digital health startups with ideas for innovative technology solutions to healthcare problems at the premises of Bayer Pharmaceuticals in Berlin.

The aim of the program is to support digital health startups in further advancing their projects and business models. This year’s batch, with up to five startups runs from September until November 2017.

Why you should apply

Each of the startups receives €50,000 as financial support and can stay in the Grants4Apps Accelerator premises for about 100 days. During this time, startups will receive mentoring and coaching by Bayer executives and other entrepreneurs. 

Who should apply

• Startups with innovative healthcare solutions with special attention to focus areas such as nephrology, women’s health, pulmonology, cardiology, hematology, oncology, radiology, infectious diseases, and ophthalmology.
• Collaboration projects using software or hardware to be applied in clinical trials and medical IT using state-of-the-art technologies such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, deep learning, sophisticated algorithms, bioinformatics, genomics analysis, novel approaches for Electronic Health Records (EHR) etc. – in short: highly innovative technologies with a taste for excellent simplicity and unbeatable user experience focus are eligible too.
• The accelerator program is also open for any innovative digital health solutions directed towards helping healthcare providers or patients, as well as solutions to prevent or diagnose diseases or improve pharmaceutical processes.

Application criteria

Early stage or mature startups with a prototype of the product, a team and with a fit to Bayer’s areas of expertise.

The previous batches include startups such as xbird from Berlin, Vitameter from Waterloo in Canada, Vitalsmith from Seoul, South Korea, Oasis Websoft’s Bisa from Accra, Ghana and Turbine from Hungary.

You can find more information on https://www.grants4apps.com/berlin/.

The last date for application for the Accelerator is 31 May 2017. Apply now!

What the Dealmaker is all about

With the Dealmaker, Bayer Pharmaceuticals aims to find companies offering products related to specific challenges and where a mutual project is possible.

Companies that match the criteria application will receive quality face time with Bayer experts for the dealmaker day. If there is a match between the two parties, then the companies get the chance to discuss collaboration opportunities and even close a deal. All of this happens in Berlin and Bayer will take care of travel expenses.

Who can apply

Mature startups and virtually anyone with a ready solution for one of the stated challenges

How to apply

Applicants are asked to address one or multiple of challenges such as AI, nephrology, hemophilia, women’s health, ophthalmology, pulmonology, data analytics, and clinical trials. Find out more details here.

The program is also open to other solutions that help healthcare providers or patients, as well as products dedicated to preventing or diagnosing diseases or improving pharmaceutical processes.

The deadline for the Dealmaker is 30 June 2017. Apply now!

Key pointers

While applying for the Bayer Pharma Grants4Apps program, the Accelerator, and the Dealmaker, here is what you should keep in mind:

1)Weightage on numbers: use detailed numbers or use cases when describing the problem you are solving.

2) User application: when describing a solution you are developing, share how the solution is applied by the user as it helps people understand the product better.

3) What’s different: Make sure to share how your solution is different from the existing ones. Ensure that you point out the current market standard, and how your solution improves this market standard.

4) Key competencies: while introducing your team, include aspects that represent your team and its skill set better. References like LinkedIn profiles can be an advantage.

5) Precision matters: A business model needs precision. Be as precise as possible using examples on certain use cases to help demonstrate how the business model works in practice.

6) Be clear of the goals: when you are being asked for a project plan, it is not meant to be a super precise Gantt diagram but rather a few milestones you are planning to reach during this time frame. This is supposed to demonstrate in which stage you are and how the programs can support your business.

For startups in the digital healthcare space, this is a golden opportunity to connect with the global industry experts and talents and take your health care solutions and innovations across the globe. Don’t miss out on this opportunity. Three days to go!