Innovation Booster Digital Health Nation

Application requirements: ​​ ​
1. Be a team including a research partner and an implementation partner ​​ ​
2. Be legal entity registered in Switzerland​​ ​
3. Have an idea that fits under one of the Innovation Booster thematic priorities.

If you have any questions about the requirements, please refer to our FAQ section or contact us via email.​ ​ Our program manager  yana.yoncheva@baselarea.swiss  will be happy to support you.

Ready for the next step? Your success is only three steps away.
Optional – You can submit your application and express your interest in the program at any time throughout the year.​​

Application process: ​​
1. Refine your idea and find partners by attending our events, where you can meet potential collaborators and gain insight into the challenges in healthcare Innovation Booster addresses.
2. Submit your application between 11 April and 31 May, 2024.
3. We’ll contact the 20 selected ideas on 11 June, 2024.

​To be eligible for the Innovation Booster program, teams must have at least one research partner and one implementation partner. Research partners can be university research institutes, non-commercial research centers, departmental research institutions or federal research institutes. Implementation partners can be start-ups, SMEs, larger companies, non-profit organizations or others with the potential to contribute to the innovation process.​ The definition of implementation partners is flexible and depends on the nature of the idea being explored. For ideas that are further away from the final customer or B2B projects, research or non-commercial organizations can serve as implementation partners, conducting initial tests with a limited number of users or testing the idea in a limited field. However, for ideas that are closer to the market or B2C products and services, implementation partners must have the capability to offer industrialization or mass production, commercialization and product or service support, depending on the specific case. It’s the responsibility of each Innovation Booster to assess the implementation partners of the supported innovation teams according to this definition.​

Innovation boosters aim to promote the economical and societal development of Switzerland, and the ideas must directly contribute to this goal. While international partners can be included in innovation teams, the primary benefit should be for the Swiss economy and society.

The following conditions apply: ​ ​ ​
1. IBs must award and release the innovation team funding to a Swiss beneficiary ​
2. Swiss implementation partner required in every innovation team and value creation must be in Switzerland

To fully benefit from the program, we ask for your full dedication to developing your idea. This includes attending workshops and coaching sessions with our team, as well as participating in internal pitch days and demos. It’s mandatory for at least one team member to participate in the designated bootcamps (feasibility, prototyping, readiness) and pitch sessions (selection of best10, selection of best5) to receive the funding. We also require that you meet your milestones and show commitment to the program throughout its duration.

Individuals can participate in the program as long as they are part of an innovation team. Great opportunity to find or form your project team is to participate at the Health Hack: Digital Health Nation, 17 – 26 April, 2024.
However, only legal entities are eligible for funding, and individuals cannot claim expenses directly from the program. If you have an idea but are not yet incorporated as a legal entity, you can contact DayOne  yana.yoncheva@baselarea.swiss  or attend one of our program events to learn how we can support you in the process.

If you’re looking for partners to form an innovation team for your idea, we’re here to help. Great opportunity is to participate at the Health Hack: Digital Health Nation, 17 – 26 April, 2024 and find new partners there. You can also join our other events or contact our program manager  yana.yoncheva@baselarea.swiss  to connect with potential partners and explore your idea.

1. Every year, we will have an active call for applications (in 2024, it will be from 11 April to 31 May). During this time, all applications received will be reviewed. Application form takes about an hour to complete.
2. Our panel of experts will assess each eligible application based on its innovation level, feasibility and potential impact on the Swiss economy and society, among other criteria aligned with the annual priorities.
3. The 20 selected ideas will be notified by email at the end of the selection process (June 2024) to confirm their participation in the program.

Optional: Express your interest to stay updated about upcoming open calls and opportunities in DayOne Accelerator program by filling out the form on our website, which is available year-round.
Follow this link:  Apply – Day One

Once selected, you’ll receive an invitation to sign the program agreement, which includes funding limits and conditions, requirements and benefits, as well as details about the innovation team members.​

The program will run in 3 stages, with two selection points:​​
Stage 1. Feasibility – 20 ideas will get CHF 3,000 and participate in a 2-day feasibility bootcamp (26-27 June, 2024)
Stage 2. Prototyping – 10 ideas will get up to CHF 10,000 for their idea plus CHF 5,000 for coaching and participate in a 2-day prototyping bootcamp (4-5 September, 2024)
Stage 3. Readiness & Go to market – 5 ideas will receive special prizes and CHF 4500 for further testing and validation of go to market and readiness, participate in a readiness bootcamp (7 November, 2024) and be invited to the final pitching event (21 November, 2024)

The ideas are selected in pitch sessions by the evaluation committee at the end of each phase.

11 April to 31 May – Open call for applications ​ 
11 June – Confirmation of ideas selected ​ 
26 – 27 June, onsite Feasibility bootcamp, Basel​ 
28 August – onsite selection of Best10​, Basel 
3 – 4 September – Onsite Prototyping bootcamp, Basel​ 
22 October – Selection of Best5, virtual​ 
7 November – Onsite Readiness bootcamp, Basel​ 
21 November – Onsite pitching event, Basel 

The Innovation Booster supports selected innovation teams with dedicated innovation team funding. ​​Innovation teams can use this support exclusively for necessary expenses connected to the exploration of their idea for a radical solution.  ​​

Eligible expenses can include expenses for: ​

• feasibility, user or market studies
• the development of explorative models and prototypes to illustrate innovation ideas and test potential solutions
•  the methodological support provided to the innovation teams by specialists, for example using design thinking methods

​Follow our LinkedIn page to be informed of the news about this program.