Novartis has unveiled its latest initiative to accelerate digital innovation in healthcare with the launch of the Novartis Biome, a network of digital health innovation labs. The first facility, located in San Francisco, marks a significant step in the pharmaceutical giant's commitment to digital transformation and collaborative innovation.
The initiative is spearheaded by co-founders Mohanad Fors, Shwen Gwee, and Robin Roberts, who serve as head of the program, head of open innovation, and head of innovation and strategy, respectively.
"The idea is to give the health tech ecosystem a boost and clear 'on-ramp' to work with Novartis," explains Roberts. "It's clear to anyone who works in digital health that the vast majority of disruptive technologies are not going to come from big pharma companies. But we can engage and work with startups and innovators, and together make something bold, sustainable and scalable."
Strategic Innovation Through Collaboration
The Novartis Biome addresses a critical gap in the healthcare innovation ecosystem where emerging technologies often lack support from established pharmaceutical companies that could potentially implement them. The program actively scouts for promising technologies through referrals and structured challenges, including the HealthX World Series.
The inaugural HealthX World Series challenge, hosted at TechCrunch Disrupt SF, attracted over 30 entries focused on heart failure solutions. Veta Health secured the established start-up prize, while Wavy emerged victorious in the virtual hackathon category. Novartis plans to conduct several such global innovation challenges annually, incorporating various formats such as hackathons, virtual challenges, and pitch competitions.
Comprehensive Support for Startups
The Novartis Biome offers a comprehensive support package for participating startups, including:
- Dedicated workspace
- Professional mentorship
- Access to extensive Novartis datasets
- Opportunities for validation studies in clinical settings
- Resources for proof-of-concept studies
Notably, Novartis has adopted a startup-friendly approach by not requiring entrepreneurs to surrender equity as a condition for participation, though the company maintains the option to invest after evaluating results.
Leadership Commitment to Digital Innovation
Vas Narasimhan, Novartis CEO and a longtime advocate for digital technology, emphasizes the company's commitment to this initiative: "Passionate start-ups and entrepreneurs are the vanguard of health tech. We want to work together to translate that innovation into real solutions for patients."
This launch builds upon Novartis's existing digital initiatives, including the implementation of AI in R&D, elevation of digital leadership to the executive committee, and expansion of virtual clinical trials. The Biome represents a more coordinated and scalable approach to harnessing digital innovation, bringing together internal expertise with external entrepreneurial talent.
