Workshop Entrepreneurship in healthcare, the valley of death – Revisited.English
Innovation Office Garage, Kreuzstrasse 4, 4123 Allschwil
The Digital Health Nation Innovation Booster, in partnership with Innosuisse, fosters radical innovation in Swiss healthcare by transforming ideas into solutions that deliver real value to patients and healthcare professionals.
Our open innovation bring experts, patients and entrepreneurs together to identify challenges and explore innovative solutions that blend health and technology. Our accelerator programs provide funding and support to develop winning ideas into minimum viable products (MVPs).
The call for applications closed on 31 May. Top 20 teams will be informed on 11 June.
Did you miss the deadline? Express interest and stay informed about our next open call for applications.
From problem to idea
Through our public event series, such as Health Hack (17-26 April, 2024) we collaborate with patients, clinicians, healthcare professionals and entrepreneurs to explore solutions to healthcare challenges, such as: Patient engagement and empowerment; Healthcare information quality, access, and interoperability; Value based healthcare (VBHC); Healthcare Professional (HCP) education and adoption of digital tools.
From idea to MVP
Our accelerator program offers guidance and support, with experts providing customized coaching on feasibility, prototyping and market readiness. Plus, we provide non-dilutive funding of up to CHF 22,500 per idea.
We ensure success at every stage of your project, from ideation to MVP launch.
Connect with digital health leaders and end users through our extensive network.
Realize your idea with 30+ hours of personalized mentoring from leading experts.
Funding up to CHF 22,500 to develop and validate your MVP.
Pitch your digital health startup to investors, partners and users at Day One events.
Collaborate and elevate your skills in our Switzerland Innovation Parks Basel Area workspace.
Co-create your product with patient champions and users for guaranteed success.
”With the Innovation Boosters, Innosuisse wants to help Swiss thematic communities develop towards a culture of open innovation, to imagine and test radical solutions needed to tackle the societal problems of today
Emile DupontInnosuisse
”Digital Health Nation is a vibrant, future-oriented community of bright minds with shared goals and a deep desire to improve patients' and HCP's everyday life through health innovation. Be in - as health is our most precious gift in life.
Ekaterina KarpuzovaBayer Consumer Care
”Digital Health Nation is important to me, because it is a chance to materialize ideas in digital health into impact in real life.
Bram StiltjesUniversity Hospital Basel
”In my first workshop in March I was really touched to see the collaboration of smart people who have one common goal: Put patients to the center and improve patients’ quality of life. As a team, I am convinced, we will find solutions that will even let patients forget about their disease for some time.
Michèle KunzTakeda
”Digital Health Nation is creating the ecosystem and culture to enable open innovation in the healthcare sector. I am really looking forward to seeing and supporting radical solutions that will solve real patient needs and contribute to the sustainability of the healthcare system in Switzerland.
Ursula CostaManager, Patient-Centered Initiatives – DayOne | Lead, Digital Health Nation
”DayOne Accelerator has been a game changer for our early-stage startup. It has offered top quality advice and guidance on understanding our customer, building our prototype and much more. It has also supported our startup financially at a very crucial time.
Ieva PaludneviciuteCEO & Cofounder - WakeUp Pelvic
Innovation Office Garage, Kreuzstrasse 4, 4123 Allschwil
Switzerland Innovation Park Basel Area Main Campus, MC3 Main Campus Convention Center, Hegenheimermattweg 167D, 4123 Allschwil
Novartis Pavillon, St. Johanns-Hafen-Weg, 5, 4056 Basel
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. Our call for applications is now closed, but you can still express interest.
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:
Follow our LinkedIn page to be informed of the news about this program.
Manager Innovation Projects, DayOne / Lead, Digital Health Nation IB