Over 90 Total Lots Up For Auction at One Location - WA 04/08

With launch of annual App Competition, MEDICA remains the hotspot for start-ups in the health sector

Press releases may be edited for formatting or style | July 08, 2019
MEDICA, the world’s leading medical trade fair, is also the world’s number 1 when it comes to start-ups in the health sector. Several hundred start-ups will once again be among the more than 5,000 exhibitors bringing their innovations for inpatient and outpatient healthcare to MEDICA 2019 from November 18 – 21 at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany. These companies will be at the numerous international country group exhibits including Israel, France and Finland. However, MEDICA also offers creative young companies special event formats to present their products and enter into target-oriented dialogues with potential business partners. Examples of these are the MEDICA START-UP PARK, the daily MEDICA DISRUPT pitches at the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM as well as the MEDICA App COMPETITION and the INNOVATION WORLD CUP (all in Hall 13).

The schedule for the first two days of MEDICA 2019 includes the final rounds of the MEDICA App COMPETITION and the INNOVATION WORLD CUP (in the Healthcare category). On Tuesday, November 19, the developer teams will present the best international healthcare app solutions at the pitch of the eighth MEDICA App COMPETITION (MAC), taking place in Hall 13. The prizes will be awarded on the same day. Companies can apply until September 18. The competition aims to drive the development of innovations for the daily use of patients, doctors and hospitals. The MEDICA App COMPETITION jury rates entries according to the following criteria: Degree of innovation, commercial potential, technological feasibility, marketing approach, time required until launch and required investments.

The most important MAC award for all finalists is the global awareness that MEDICA provides with its international professional visitors from around 170 countries. In addition, this year’s first place winner will be honored with EUR 2,000, the second place will be awarded EUR 1,000 and the third place will receive EUR 500. For information on the competition and registration: http://www.medica-tradefair.com/mac2.

A creative idea becomes practical reality

Last year’s winner FibriCheck is a good example of potential topics. The Belgian winning app has already been approved by the FDA. The app recognizes various cardiac arrhythmias with a smartphone camera and creates a report for both doctor and patient. However, contestants are not required to comply with the Medical Device Directive or have FDA Approval to enter the MAC.

Incidentally, FibriCheck is among the first start-ups funded by the Digital Health Accelerator program, initiated by Roche. The company is one of the partners of this year’s MEDICA App COMPETITION, as are Bayer G4A. In 2013, Bayer G4A launched their first accelerator program for digital health initiatives. Since then, their requirements for start-ups have become stricter, with longer-term co-operations and financing opportunities offered in return. The start-ups receive a lump sum payment of the initial start-up funding. Once they reach certain milestones, the young companies can claim further payments. Since its launch, Bayer G4A has funded more than 149 teams of founders with its start-up program, resulting in 29 concrete co-operations.

You Must Be Logged In To Post A Comment