Wayra and AstraZeneca will promote innovative initiatives in the healthcare sector by supporting startups working on solutions applicable to the main challenges facing healthcare. The ‘CKD Challenge’ (Chronic Kidney Disease) is one of the first actions being carried out by both companies with the aim of achieving early diagnosis of CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease). Wayra, Telefónica's open innovation initiative, and the pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca have signed a collaboration agreement to jointly promote innovation initiatives within the healthcare sector. Through this alliance, Wayra will provide AstraZeneca with access to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and its investor network, while also identifying startups whose solutions can be applied to the main healthcare challenges the pharmaceutical company aims to address. The companies will be able to test their solutions in real-world settings, with a special focus on the areas of oncology, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, respiratory, and vaccines and immunotherapies. For its part, AstraZeneca is intensifying its commitment to innovation to improve patients' lives through science and technology. The company is undergoing a digital transformation process to maximize the reach of all its activities, and one of its priorities is to engage with the innovation ecosystem. In this regard, last year it reached a significant milestone with the creation of the A.Catalyst Network, AstraZeneca's interconnected global network that aims to catalyze all the innovation being developed worldwide and already has more than 20 hubs, 500 agreements, 100 solutions in development, 300 startups involved, and 20 scaled solutions.
One of the main activities that both companies are already working on is the ‘CKD Challenge’ (Chronic Kidney Disease). The initiative aims to boost the development of innovative technological solutions to expedite diagnosis and reduce the burden of chronic kidney disease (CKD), a serious, progressive, and little-known condition that affects 1 in 7 adults in Spain, 15% of the total population. To achieve this challenge, both Wayra and AstraZeneca are seeking to identify innovative solutions that contribute to early CKD diagnosis, leveraging disruptive technologies such as digital biomarkers, artificial intelligence and machine learning, Big Data and data science, wearables, medical devices, connected care, and the Internet of Things (IoT/IoMT). Candidates wishing to participate in this initiative must complete a form before September 8th through the platform ckdchallenge.astrazeneca.es, where they will also find the application requirements. The projects will be evaluated by a panel of experts based on six dimensions: the use of technology, the value proposition in addressing an unmet need, the potential to improve healthcare and quality of life, the project's maturity level, its feasibility for implementation, and its degree of innovation. “For Wayra, collaboration is everything. In an Open Innovation ecosystem, it is essential to build strong collaborative ties with third parties who also believe in innovation and digital transformation. In this way, we will maximize our joint efforts to scale the best startups. We are very pleased to be able to support AstraZeneca in its commitment to working together with entrepreneurs,” explains Paloma Castellano, director of Wayra Madrid. “At AstraZeneca, we believe that these types of agreements are fundamental to accelerating the arrival of innovation in people's lives. Connecting with startups and the innovative ecosystem through platforms like Wayra helps us work collaboratively, seeking synergies and leveraging each other's strengths with a common goal: improving diagnoses and processes through technology,” declares Rick Suárez, President of AstraZeneca Spain. “This agreement with AstraZeneca is key to finding differentiated solutions that go beyond traditional products and services and, in turn, reflects Telefónica's commitment to bringing the benefits of technology to people's daily lives,” explains Micaela Martelli, Director of eHealth at Telefónica. About Wayra (Telefónica)
Wayra is the entrepreneurship initiative that is part of Telefónica's Open Innovation program, the most global, technological, and connected in the world. It has seven Wayra Hubs, spaces in nine countries across Latin America and Europe through which it invests in and supports startups; Wayra X, a digital hub for investing in 100% digital startups; Wayra Builder, a corporate venture builder to create innovative startups born from Telefónica's internal technology projects alongside other investors; and Wayra Next Trend, a window into digital innovation on trends and innovative applications. In addition, through the Wayra Activation Programme, it offers entrepreneurs exclusive and free access to new technologies through Telefónica's own platforms. More than 500 of the startups in which we have a stake are part of Telefónica's Open Innovation program, and more than 130 are doing business with the company. More information is available at www.wayra.com.
AstraZeneca
AstraZeneca is a global, innovative pharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of prescription medicines, primarily for the treatment of diseases in four therapeutic areas: oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular, renal and metabolic, and respiratory and immunology. Headquartered in Cambridge, UK, AstraZeneca operates in more than 100 countries and its innovative medicines are used by millions of patients worldwide. AstraZeneca is a Top Employer in Spain and Europe and has been awarded the EFR (Family-Friendly Company) certificate. For more information: astrazeneca.es / Twitter: @AstraZenecaES / Instagram: @AstraZenecaEs 1. 2018 data provided by the Spanish Society of Nephrology