DCB Newsletter #14/23: IT’S A WRAP! A Recap of the 2023 DCB Open Innovation Challenge

The DCB Open Innovation Challenge

The DCB Open Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for anyone with an innovative solution to change diabetes management. It only takes an idea to participate for anyone – whether a healthcare professional, a start-up, a person living with diabetes or others. Those who share their ideas receive sparring and feedback from experts. It all culminates in the DCB Start-Up night, where we award the winners for both categories. The DCB Open Innovation Challenge award is one of the world’s most generous and renowned diabetes-related awards.

This year, incredible 66 ideas were submitted to the challenge, with three finalists in each category. These six finalists from the U.S., the U.K., Switzerland, Ireland, South Africa and France pitched their projects live on stage in Bern in front of 300 guests and an international jury, who then chose the winner of each category.

But how exactly did we get here and what did the DCB Open Innovation Challenge look like? Read all about the journey below.

Our Top 20 in the Categories “Diabetes Devices” and “Digital Diabetes”

Before we were able to select our top 3 in each category to travel to our bootcamp and the much-anticipated DCB Start-Up Night, we selected our Top 20 per category:

Top 20 Diabetes Devices

Top 20 Digital Diabetes

The Top 20 of each category received mentoring from chosen experts of our network on various topics, ranging from co-creation experts to regulatory specialists. Additionally, we hosted a Pitch Training session before their big Pitch Day, where they could network and learn from our experts as well as their peers about how to improve their pitch and convince our jury. 

The Innovation Bootcamp – 4 intense days of learning and networking in the Swiss Alps 

To get ready for the DCB Start-Up Night with pitches and winners’ celebrations, we took all six finalists to a bootcamp in the Swiss Alps. Over the course of four days, we spent our time 1300 meters above sea level with a stunning view and mentoring, pitch training, 1:1 coaching, filming image videos (which were played during the Start-Up Night and we can’t wait to show you soon here on LinkedIn!) and of course, with many fruitful discussions and lots of networking.

But see for yourself! Our friends at Newsroom Communication were with us every step of the way and prepared a highlight clip to give you a glimpse behind the scenes:

The Winners of 2023

On November 9, this year’s DCB Start-Up Night and Award Ceremony of the Open Innovation Challenge 2023 took place. After an exciting evening of pitching, an international jury chose the winners of the third edition of the Open Innovation ChallengeThe first prizes of 100.000 USD in funding and in-kind support each went to MYNERVA (Switzerland) in the category Diabetes Devices and to Spotlight-AQ (U.K.) in the category Digital Diabetes.

MYNERVA, winner of the category Diabetes Devices, is developing a unique wearable device for people living with diabetic neuropathy. The device restores the sense of touch and decreases pain through a non-invasive electrical nerve stimulation driven by AI algorithms.

In her pitch, CEO Greta Preatoni emphasised the impact this can have on people’s quality of live, giving them back the ability to walk with more ease and without pain. After winning first place for Diabetes Devices, she shared:

“This was an amazing experience which brought us not only the win, but so many opportunities for development in the future. We are already thinking about how to implement not only the money that comes with the prize, but also the network that comes with it.”

Spotlight-AQ, winner of the category Digital Diabetes, is on a mission to improve routine visits by helping people with diabetes to feel heard and doctors feel empowered to care. It is a novel validated infographic assessment platform highlighting user priority concerns and immediate mapped resources to meet those unmet needs.

In her pitch, CSO Katharine Barnard-Kelly PhD emphasised the role this can play within the constraints of existing healthcare systems and structures, benefiting people with diabetes, while reducing burnout among treating physicians.  After winning first place for Digital Diabetes, she shared:

“Winning the DCB Open Innovation Challenge means everything to us! We were really surprised, we are thrilled and it is vindication for the fact that psychosocial aspects of diabetes are so important and can be delivered in routine care.”

While the winners of the challenge received 100,000 USD in funding and in-kind support, the four remaining finalists – Fada Medical, ECLYPIA, Gluroo Imaginations Inc. and Africa Diabetes Chat (by Sweet Life Diabetes Community) – received 20.000 USD each, consisting of 10.000 USD in funding and 10.000 USD in-kind support.

It’s been a wonderful few months with the cohort of this year’s DCB Open Innovation Challenge and we are already eagerly awaiting next year’s! As Katharine Barnard, winner of the category Digital Diabetes put it:

“My experience with the DCB Open Innovation Challenge was exciting, intense, terrifying and just so much fun! It’s been an absolute blast and I’ve learnt so much.”

Now it’s your turn – it’s never too early to start brainstorming ideas for the next challenge. We’re excited to see what you come up with!”

Thanks so much for reading and we’ll provide you with the next episode of this series soon!

This edition was authored by Svea Krutisch, Digital Communications Specialist at DCB.