Bluedrop Medical wins the 2021 Roche Diabetes Care innovation challenge
Solutions focused on managing diabetes comorbidities complete accelerator
Chicago and Indianapolis, September 24, 2021 — Roche Diabetes Care, a global leader in integrated Personalized Diabetes Management (iPDM), and MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, announced Bluedrop Medical as the winner of the 2021 Roche Diabetes Care innovation challenge today. As an award, Bluedrop Medical will receive $20,000, a one-year membership to MATTER and the opportunity to pilot their solution.
In its second year, the focus of the 2021 challenge was on solutions that monitor and limit diabetes-related comorbidities and complications. The program included an incubation phase where seven teams refined their value propositions for managing diabetes comorbidities. Three finalist teams — Bluedrop Medical, Cliexa and HelloBetter — moved forward to the accelerator phase during which they developed and presented a pilot proposal. Throughout the entire program, Roche mentors and experts from the MATTER community helped the teams refine their solutions.
Final presentations and winner selection at the 2021 Roche Diabetes Care innovation challenge
“Diabetes is one of the most pervasive health problems in the world, and comorbidities such as depression, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and neuropathy complicate an already challenging condition. By collaborating with startups that are working on novel approaches for these comorbidities, Roche Diabetes Care is able to accelerate solutions that address unmet needs for people living with diabetes,” said Stephen Ranjan, vice president and lead for the health and digital solutions franchise at Roche Diabetes Care.
“By collaborating with startups that are working on novel approaches for these comorbidities, Roche Diabetes Care is able to accelerate solutions that address unmet needs for people living with diabetes.” – Stephen Ranjan, Roche Diabetes Care
Bluedrop Medical, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, was selected as the winner from over 50 global applicants, seven semifinalists and three finalists. Their patented technology is the world’s first home use device to enable a thermal and visual assessment from a single daily scan that identifies potential diabetic foot ulcers and creates an early intervention.
“Diabetic foot ulcers are a debilitating complication for people living with diabetes. Sadly, this preventable complication can lead to amputation and eventually death. We believe that Bluedrop Medical’s technology combined with Roche Diabetes Care’s deep market knowledge is a combination for meaningful change. We are excited about our collaboration opportunities,” said Chris Murphy, CEO of Bluedrop Medical.
“Diabetic foot ulcers are a debilitating complication for people living with diabetes….We believe that Bluedrop Medical’s technology combined with Roche Diabetes Care’s deep market knowledge is a combination for meaningful change.” – Chris Murphy, Bluedrop Medical
Bluedrop Medical’s winning device
“This innovation challenge is part of Roche Diabetes Care’s ongoing commitment to pair cutting-edge solutions with our long-standing expertise in the field of diabetes care,” said Marco De Polo, head of open innovation at Roche Diabetes Care. “The innovation challenge enables us to move startups with strong value creation opportunities through a rigorous incubation and acceleration phase and then on to pilot, with a strong focus on demonstrating how we create value together for people living with diabetes as well as for the healthcare system.”
“This innovation challenge is part of Roche Diabetes Care’s ongoing commitment to pair cutting-edge solutions with our long-standing expertise in the field of diabetes care.” – Marco De Polo, Roche Diabetes Care
While Bluedrop Medical will move on to pilot, collaborations with the other finalist and semifinalist teams are also underway. The next iteration of the program will continue in early 2022.
About Roche Diabetes Care
Roche Diabetes Care has been pioneering innovative diabetes technologies and services for more than 40 years. More than 5,500 employees in over 100 markets worldwide work every day to support people with diabetes and those at risk to achieve more time in their target ranges and experience true relief from the daily therapy routines.
Being a global leader in integrated Personalized Diabetes Management (iPDM), Roche Diabetes Care collaborates with thought leaders around the globe, including people with diabetes, caregivers, healthcare providers and payers. Roche Diabetes Care aims to transform and advance care provision and foster sustainable care structures. Under the brands RocheDiabetes, Accu-Chek and mySugr, comprising glucose monitoring, insulin delivery systems and digital solutions, Roche Diabetes Care unites with its partners to create patient-centred value. By building and collaborating in an open ecosystem, connecting devices and digital solutions as well as contextualising relevant data points, Roche Diabetes Care enables deeper insights and a better understanding of the disease, leading to personalised and effective therapy adjustments. For better outcomes and true relief.
For more information, please visit www.rochediabetes.com, www.accu-chek.com and www.mysugr.com.
About MATTER
At MATTER, we believe collaboration is the best way to improve healthcare. The MATTER collaborative includes more than 300 cutting-edge startups from around the world, working together with dozens of hospitals and health systems, universities and industry-leading companies to build the future of healthcare. Together we are accelerating innovation, advancing care and improving lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.