The seventh edition of Innomakers4health is seeking 100 participants to solve this challenge in 48 hours: accelerating the adoption of biomarkers through technological solutions that make them more accessible, understandable, and useful for clinical decision-making. The event will be held at the Telefónica Foundation's 42 Madrid campus on October 24 and 25, where the winners will also be announced. And registration is now open until October 17. The winners can receive a prize of €3,000 and the opportunity to accelerate their project at InnomakersLAB, Pfizer's hub, together with Wayra. Madrid, September 15, 2025. Wayra, Telefónica's corporate venture capital arm, Pfizer, and the Pfizer Foundation are joining forces to launch the 7th edition of Innomakers4Health, a program where innovation and technology meet healthcare to address the challenges of the health sector by designing solutions and prototypes that improve the population's quality of life. Only 100 candidates will be selected to join Innomakers4health, which will be held on October 24 and 25 at the Telefónica Foundation's 42 Madrid campus. They will develop their proposals in groups of five, with support from professionals at Wayra, Pfizer, and the Pfizer Foundation. This year, two distinct categories are being launched. The first, Early Innovators, focuses on students, professionals with or without experience in STEM fields and an interest in the healthcare sector, and individuals with a background in social sciences. The second category seeks startups whose activity is related to the development of innovative solutions in the healthcare sector. The challenge will focus on the use of technology to accelerate the adoption of biomarkers—measurable biological indicators that allow the detection, prediction, or monitoring of disease progression and response to treatments—through technological solutions that make them more accessible, understandable, and useful for clinical decision-making. “At Wayra, we are very proud to strengthen our alliance with Pfizer and the Pfizer Foundation as key partners in our firm commitment to the healthcare sector. We want to contribute all our knowledge and experience in entrepreneurship and disruptive technologies to drive its transformation. We also encourage students, professionals, and innovative startups to register for this initiative so that, together, we can accelerate the evolution of the Spanish healthcare system and develop solutions that generate a lasting impact on our society,” says Irene Gómez, CEO of Wayra. For his part, José Chaves, Medical Director of Pfizer Spain, affirms that “the challenge of this edition is very ambitious, as the adoption of biomarkers in clinical practice is a complex but fundamental process for advancing towards more personalized and precise medicine. We are confident that with the talent in our country, we will find technological solutions that will be of interest for the early detection of diseases, more precise diagnoses, and the selection of personalized treatments.” Finally, Sergio Rodríguez, President of the Pfizer Foundation, points out that “the Pfizer Foundation has been promoting entrepreneurship in health and the transfer of technology to the healthcare system for years with this and other programs, as we are convinced that they contribute to improving the healthcare system and the quality of life of patients.” Awards: For each category, there will be one winning team that will receive a cash prize of €3,000. In addition, the winners will have the opportunity to accelerate their project at InnomakersLAB, Pfizer's hub, together with Wayra, who, in turn, will provide access to a mentoring program for 6 months and a workspace in their Madrid offices. Finally, thanks to the Pfizer Foundation, the winners in the startup category will have the opportunity to participate in the selection process for a two-week stay at the Richi Social Entrepreneurs program in Boston. Candidates can register until October 17th, inclusive. About Wayra: Wayra is Telefónica's Corporate Venture Capital arm, through which it invests in startups with the capacity to bring innovation to Telefónica and provides innovation services to third parties, helping them take their open innovation initiatives to the next level. With a global team, Wayra has a presence and operates in nine countries across Europe and Latin America, including Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. Through its funds, it also has a presence in Silicon Valley and Israel. Since its creation more than 15 years ago, Wayra has invested €245 million in over 1,100 startups and currently has over 530 startups in its portfolio, of which more than 200 work with Telefónica. We also have a network of over 150 partners and clients, and two innovation platforms (Alaian and Open Future) open to third parties. More information is available at www.wayra.es
About the Pfizer Foundation
The Pfizer Foundation has been committed for 25 years to promoting science, technology, and innovation and bringing them closer to society. To this end, each year it renews its strategic commitment to scientific, technological, and social innovation by building bridges between research and society, with the goal of translating scientific advances into practical applications that benefit people. For more information: www.fundacionpfizer.org
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 spanning more than 175 years, Pfizer maintains its commitment to society and invests in R&D to address the medical needs of today and tomorrow. The advancement of science and technology, as well as their medical application, requires collaboration among all stakeholders to maximize the drug portfolio 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