The Grants4Apps Accelerator Program kicked off a new round in August – already the fourth. This year, too, the official start was marked by the G4A Kickoff Event, supported by Schaltzeit.
Grants4Apps is a program that supports startups in the field of digital health (eHealth). Each year, 4–5 selected startups are invited to Berlin for 100 days, receive €50,000 in funding, and undergo intensive training.
Together with Schaltzeit, the Grants4Apps team developed the concept under the motto “Fantastic Four!” – four startups from four countries in four health areas – all in the fourth year of Grants4Apps. With more than 600 participants, the G4A Kickoff Event on August 22, 2016, was Europe’s largest MedTech event.
What program and which highlights should the startup event offer? How can the startups be properly welcomed and introduced? How can the eHealth scene be involved beyond that? How can communication and media design be carried out creatively and attractively? And of course, organizational questions had to be planned too – venue, VIPs to invite, program… Working with the G4A team, we developed the program in a participatory way, contributed ideas, drew up the schedule, coordinated the development and production of materials, posters, banners, etc. with the designer, and took over event management.
“Get shit done” was the watchword, and under this motto we planned with the G4A team and prepared the event in record time. We particularly enjoyed coaching the startups and the hosts for the stage – and of course the evening itself, which went off to everyone’s great satisfaction.
The stage program, the startups’ booths, table tennis, lots of chatting, drinking and eating together, and smashing the piñata at midnight – the evening had plenty of highlights to offer!
If you’d like to know more about the Grants4Apps Kickoff Event, you can read the following articles, for example:
- Deutsche Welle: http://www.dw.com/de/was-will-ein-pharmariese-mit-start-ups/a-19498313
- The Star: http://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2016/09/06/berlin-notebook-2016-on-the-origins-and-long-term-significance-of-the_c1413643
- Asian Scientist: http://www.asianscientist.com/2016/09/academia/bayer-vital-smith-bless-grants4apps-accelerator/
- Handelsblatt: http://www.handelsblatt.com/unternehmen/beruf-und-buero/leaderin/bayer-netzexpertin-jessica-federer-in-zwei-jahren-spricht-keiner-mehr-ueber-digital-leadership/14430196.html
A nice statement about Grants4Apps came from Jessica Federer – Head of Digital Development at Bayer – in an interview with Handelsblatt: “The Grants4Apps project is changing the way people look at Bayer.” Innovations in health care and startups come up again and again in our daily work, which is why we are delighted to have been accompanying Grants4Apps for 4 years now.
Our heartfelt thanks go above all to Grants4Apps initiator Dr. Jesus de Valle for the long and excellent collaboration! We’re keeping our fingers crossed that this year’s startups, too, will shine on the market with their important products and improve health.
If you’re interested in the accelerator, you can meet the startups and their further developed products and solutions at Demo Day on November 28, 2016. Of course, there will again be plenty of opportunities for networking!
By the way, on September 30, 2016, we’ll be at the Bayer beach volleyball play-off – #TeamBiothech vs. #TeamDigitalHealth, organized by G4A and the CoLaborator. Startups will also have the chance to pitch there. Maybe we’ll see you there: https://www.meetup.com/STEM4health-Berlin/events/233610596/.
