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Thea, Microbuddy, and Coda by Ateraid were the three winning projects of the fifth edition of Innomakers4Health, held this past weekend in Madrid. The event was organized in collaboration between Wayra, Telefónica's main open innovation program, Pfizer, and the Pfizer Foundation, to find innovative solutions based on cutting-edge technology to address current healthcare challenges. This edition saw the participation of over 100 aspiring entrepreneurs, divided into 22 teams. All the projects contributed disruptive solutions using the latest technology available on the market for the management of cardiovascular diseases. The first prize has been awarded to Thea, who received €3,000 for designing a bracelet capable of measuring blood pressure in real time and uploading this data to a tracking app. The second prize, of €2,000, has been awarded to Microbuddy for its patch-type device for measuring different biomarkers related to cardiovascular diseases. This non-invasive device requires minimal sample collection and uses a disruptive, low-cost, customizable technology, with data reporting to a smartphone. Third place has been awarded to Coda by Ateraid, who designed a patch for continuous monitoring of atherosclerosis risk for the early detection of atherosclerotic plaques, and received €1,000.
Thea, the winner of this fifth edition, will also have the opportunity to accelerate her project thanks to InnomakersLAB, Pfizer's hub together with Wayra, through which she will have access to a mentoring program for 6 months at Wayra, the possibility of workspace in its offices, access to Telefónica's business units and the opportunity to be invested by Wayra in the future. In addition, participants will have the opportunity to compete for a three-week scholarship at the Richi Social Entrepreneurs program in Boston, USA, thanks to the collaboration between the Pfizer Foundation and the Richi Foundation. Irene Gómez Luque, Global Director of Open Innovation at Telefónica and CEO of Wayra, states: “Wayra is very proud to support the participants of this hackathon focused on challenges related to healthcare, a key pillar for innovation in our society. Contributing our knowledge of disruptive technologies and entrepreneurship with partners like Pfizer and the Pfizer Foundation is very enriching.” Sergio Rodríguez, President of the Pfizer Foundation, comments: “Being able to connect with over 100 participants with so much talent, ideas, and enthusiasm is an additional motivation to continue supporting programs like this.” Innomakers4Health because we are convinced that innovation in healthcare is the vehicle for improving people's quality of life.”
Over the weekend, participants received help and support from experts at Wayra and Pfizer to develop their solutions to the challenges presented through mentorship and the various checkpoints established in the project development process. In addition to the search for these solutions, the event featured healthcare experts, such as José Chaves, Medical Director of Pfizer Spain, and innovation experts from the Wayra ecosystem, such as José María Lillo, Co-founder of Idoven, and Ignacio Alonso Ferreiro, Head of Product Design at Shakers, who gave presentations on entrepreneurship and an overview of the cardiovascular sector.
About Wayra
Since 2011, Wayra has been Telefónica's main program connecting with the entrepreneurial ecosystem around the world. It has seven locations covering nine countries in Latin America and Europe, through which it invests in and supports startups. Wayra invests in startups with the potential to generate business with Telefónica, ready to scale, preferably in one of the following sectors: Entertainment (Gaming and Video), IoT, Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, eHealth, Fintech, Energy, Metaverse, and Web3. Wayra always invests in partnership with other VCs in founder-controlled startups with a ticket of up to €350k.
Since 2022, we have been managing capital for Telefónica Group companies through Vivo Ventures and Íope Ventures.
In these eleven years, Wayra has invested €68M in 870 startups and currently has more than 400 startups in its portfolio, of which more than 170 work with Telefónica.
More information available at www.wayra.es
About the Pfizer Foundation
The Pfizer Foundation has been committed for more than 20 years to promoting science, technology, and innovation and bringing them closer to society. To this end, it has reinforced its strategic commitment to scientific and technological innovation by building bridges between research activity and society, with the aim of translating scientific advances into practical applications for the benefit of people. For more information: www.fundacionpfizer.org
About Pfizer, Innovations that Change Patients' Lives®
Pfizer, as a biomedical company working to improve people's health, is dedicated to developing innovative therapies and vaccines to cure and prevent diseases or alleviate their symptoms. With a history of more than 170 years, Pfizer maintains its commitment to society and invests in R&D to meet the medical needs of today and tomorrow. The advancement of science and technology, as well as its medical application, requires collaboration with all stakeholders to maximize the portfolio of medicines and ensure that pharmaceutical innovation reaches all those who need it quickly, affordably, reliably, and transparently, in accordance with the highest standards of quality and safety. For more information www.pfizer.es