German pharmaceutical Sandoz launches second Healthcare Access Challenge

German pharmaceutical company Sandoz has announced the launch of the second edition of its Sandoz Healthcare Access Challenge.

The Sandoz Hack is a global competition that invites entrepreneurs and innovators to submit ideas that can complement — or even disrupt — established approaches to driving access to healthcare.

Building on last year’s inaugural Sandoz Hack — which focused on mobile health — this year’s competition expands to seek broader digital solutions to local healthcare access challenges.

This year’s theme is “Leveraging digital technologies to solve healthcare access challenges”, encouraging ideas that can drive patient access or help healthcare providers to reach more people.

Applications close on 30 November.

The second edition of the Sandoz Healthcare Access Challenge will focus on digital solutions that drive patient access or help healthcare providers to reach more people

Three short-listed entrants, to be announced in January, will receive support from Sandoz experts to develop their ideas and transform potential into real impact.

In addition, the three finalists will be flown to Austin, Texas in March next year to attend South by Southwest (SXSW).

Following in-person selection, one winner will be chosen and awarded seed funding and support from Sandoz to help bring their idea to life.

In a statement last week, Sandoz CEO and division head Richard Francis pointed out that there are still two billion in the world who are not getting the medicines they need.

“This is why we are launching Sandoz Hack as we aim to inspire and embrace the brave and innovative thinking of entrepreneurs and visionaries to improve access to healthcare around the world,” explained Francis.

Francis said the pharmaceutical company has opened the competition to “anyone, anywhere” with an idea that uses digital technology to help address a local healthcare access challenge.

“By collaborating, we hope to create ambitious-yet-practical digital solutions that, with scale, could have a significant impact on people’s lives,” he added.