Startups

Applications now being accepted for Spring 2022!

PharmStars Spring 2024 cohort begins September 10, 2024

**Participation terms updated to accommodate Covid restrictions**

Deadline extended to 23:59 EST Wednesday Feb 9, 2020

Applications close in:
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DAYS
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Our Startups' In The News

The Clinician has secured a partnership with Israel’s largest healthcare organization, Clalit Health Services, to drive digital care pathway implementation across their 4.8 million patients, 20,000 clinicians, 1,500 community clinics, and 14 hospitals.
Read more about it
here

BeCareLink won the INVEST PharmaTech Pitch Perfect contest at the INVEST annual conference.  BeCareLink was selected from the 5 finalists who each shared their vision for how they are seeking to reinvent clinical trials.
Read more about it
here

Longenesis was selected as one of the finalists of the Export Innovation prize 2021, organized by the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA), Ekonomikas ministrija/Ministry of Economics, The Red Jackets, and ALTUM.
Read more about it
here

SmartTab CEO, Robert Niichel was named most innovative CEO of the year by Tycoon Success.
Read more about it
here

The Clinician, has been chosen to join the highly selective Amazon Web Services (AWS) Independent Software Vendor (ISV) Accelerate program.
Read more about it
here

Nori Health raises new investment from Healthy.Capital as they fight for better care for chronic intestinal diseases.
Read more about it
here

SmartTab have been granted a new patent for their ingestible capsule drug delivery platform. This is a major step in strengthening their intellectual property position as leaders in the patient-centered drug delivery space.
Read more about it
here

SmartTab was selected as a finalist in the Health, Wearables & Wellbeing category for the 14th annual @SXSW Pitch. SmartTab is the only company from Colorado selected for this pitch!
Read more about it
here

The Clinician has partnered with Singapore's health tech agency to deploy the ZEDOC platform across the island state's public healthcare system.
Read more about it
here

The Clinician was one of the winners of the Medtronic APAC Innovation Challenge. One of the key challenge objectives was to find companies that Medtronic could collaborate with to leverage their infrastructure and scale across the APAC region.
Read more about it
here
EVOCAL Health has been awarded the prestigious Founder Award “Digital Innovations” (Gründungspreis Digitale Innovationen) of the Federal Ministry of Economics in Germany.

Read more about it
here
nQ Medical had their study of digital biomarkers for subdomain analysis of cognition published in Brain Communications. This novel work was done in done in collaboration with UTHealth Houston School of Biomedical Informatics and the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health.
Read more about it
here
PharmStars provides unique access for startups to our global pharmaceutical member firms:
AriseHealth logoAriseHealth logoOE logo2020INC logoThe Paak logoAriseHealth logoOE logo2020INC logo2020INC logo
“PharmStars is a fast-track MBA in pharma.”
David van Zuydam, CEO
Head Diagnostics - PharmStars Spring 2022 Cohort

Having been there ourselves, we know that partnering with, and selling into the pharma industry is tough! For first timers, pharma can feel like a black box, and even experienced startups end up learning mostly through trial and error.

PharmStars is here to shed light on the pharma industry and help build successful digital health-pharma collaborations. We do this by:

  1. Equipping startups with the right knowledge;
  2. Helping startups build direct, strong relationships with our pharma members; and
  3. Providing a unique, high-quality forum for engagement with pharma business contacts focused on digital health innovation

Key Benefits For Startups

We strive to help startups build successful, scalable digital health-pharma partnerships.

Knowledge

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Pharma Education

Learn how pharma is organized, how it functions, and what its needs are

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One-on-One Mentoring

Receive high-touch, personalized coaching to create a high-impact pharma pitch

Learn more

Relationships

Behind the Scenes Access

Have open conversations and interactions with key internal pharma stakeholders

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Global PharmStars Network

Share and learn with other pharma-focused digital health startups

Learn more

Engagement

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Private Showcase Event

Pitch to an audience of pharma innovation leaders

Private Business Meetings

Have in-depth, one-one-one partnership conversations with pharma stakeholders and domain experts

Learn more
Hear alumni companies discuss the value of PharmStars to them:

Program Overview

PharmStars is a global accelerator for digital health startups seeking pharma (including biotech) clients or partners.
Our 10-week accelerator program blends pharma-specific education with personalized mentoring to help startups experience greater success when engaging with pharma.

In-person Launch Event

The accelerator kicks off with an in-person Launch Event in Boston, MA where the startups meet each other, hear from our pharma members, and begin classes and mentoring.

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PharmaU

Pharma Education

Our engaging, virtual classes cover pharma's internal structure and functions, business models, the regulatory environment, and industry drivers.

Personalized Mentoring Program

PharmStars' professional staff provide each startup with individualized guidance to enhance their business case and prepare to engage with pharma.

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Showcase "Pitch" Event

The accelerator culminates in a private Showcase Event during which startups pitch to PharmStars' pharma members.

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One-on-One Startup-Pharma Meetings

On day 2 and 3 of the Showcase Event, PharmStars' pharma members hold private, one-on-one meetings with startups. Pharma stakeholders and domain experts often attend, and speed up the partnership process.

10
Startups
per PharmStars cohort
~40%
International startups per cohort
<16%
Startup
acceptance rate
8
Global pharma
members
>60
Private startup-pharma meetings per cohort

Program Details

Knowledge

Pharma Education
It seems obvious that understanding how pharma organizations work is foundational to creating successful startup-pharma partnerships. Yet most startups, even those that have previously sold to pharma, see pharma companies as black boxes. To shed light on the world of pharma, we have developed a 10-week, in-depth educational program called PharmaUTM that uses interactive classes, workshops, and seminars to equip startups with everything they need to know to feel comfortable negotiating and working with pharma.

Our curriculum covers essential topics including:

  • How pharma firms are structured
  • How drugs are developed
  • Understanding the regulatory environment in which pharma operates
  • How to find the right contact(s) inside a pharma firm
  • How to structure successful digital health-pharma partnerships

By understanding the pharma business, startups can develop a value proposition that resonates with pharma leaders. Startups can also better navigate areas that are traditionally friction points between startups and pharma.

Personalized Mentoring
PharmStars expert staff provides each startup with high-touch, individualized guidance on enhancing their business case and engaging with pharma. We do not rely on an ad-hoc network of volunteer mentors. Mentoring topics include:

  • Defining your custom pharma value proposition
  • Your pharma business model
  • Recommended pharma deal structures
  • Presentation preparation and refinement
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"Every mentoring meeting focused on nuances... pitching, tone, visuals, words, jargon etc. This kind of meticulous mentoring is incredibly valuable."

Mansa Shroff, Head of Business Development
WKD.SMRT - Spring 2022 Cohort

Relationships

Behind the Scenes Access
To enhance what startups learn during PharmaU classes, we also provide direct access to our pharma members’ digital health champions through scheduled "Fireside Chats." Through these candid conversations, startups gain a unique understanding of each pharma member company, hearing about the company’s priorities, culture, and individual style of engaging startups.

Global PharmStars Network
Each PharmStars cohort consists of 10 startups that typically form strong bonds during the program. Unlike most accelerator programs, PharmStars is stage agnostic, creating a unique setting where both large and small startups can interact with and learn from each other. Following graduation from the program, startups join our growing group of alumni companies

"The fireside chats were one of the best parts of the program - they allowed us access, and to ask lots of questions you can't normally ask when you are trying to pitch and impress potential clients."

Matt Wilson, CEO
uMed - Fall 2022 Cohort

Engagement

Showcase Event
The PharmStars members-only Showcase Event is the culmination of the work done by the startups during PharmaU. At this special event, each startup presents their refined pitches to an exclusive audience of pharma members. In addition to the formal pitch presentations, the Showcase Event provides ample time for networking between the startups and key stakeholders at the pharma member companies.

Private Business Meetings
On day 2 and 3 of the Showcase Event, PharmStars’ pharma members host one-on-one meetings with startups. These meetings typically go into depth and focus on partnership opportunities. Typically, the champions from the pharma companies invite stakeholders and domain experts from their companies to also attend these meetings, making the one-on-one meeting incredibly high impact. Many pharma-startup deals are under negotiation as a result of these initial meetings.

“The Showcase was a remarkable experience. The one-on-one meetings during the PharmStars Showcase were a highlight for us. They provided a unique platform to discuss our solution with pharma stakeholders.”

Philip Wilkins, Co-Founder + President
KEEP Health - Fall 2023 Cohort

Some of the extraordinary startups that have graduated from the PharmStars accelerator
AriseHealth logo2020INC logoThe Paak logoEphicient logoToogether logoToogether logoToogether logoToogether logoToogether logoToogether logo
Are You Ready?

Apply today to join the PharmStars program!

Deadline: July 15, 2024