Ophtha Innovation Challenge (OIC) 2026: Expanding what’s possible in eyecare
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Part of seriesOphthalmology Network
Ready to transform sight? At Roche, we keep expanding what’s possible in vision care. We created the Ophtha Innovation Challenge (OIC) to foster creativity and novel solutions that address specific challenges within the field of ophthalmology.
Within the Roche Ophthalmology Network, we focus our healthcare innovation on resolving the respective challenges experienced by every actor in the treatment journey: Fostering creativity and novel solutions.
What is the Ophtha Innovation Challenge 2026?
An open call for external proposals to solve specific unmet needs in Ophthalmology, with successful solutions eligible for grant funding.
Objectives:
Encourage innovation to solve unmet needs that will positively contribute to the Ophthalmology community
Bring the Ophthalmology community together to collaborate and innovate to advance outcomes
Challenge Tracks:
The 2026 OIC Call offers two distinct Challenge Tracks. Submit your proposal to address one or both of the following areas:
Challenge 1
Improving Access to DME Care in Underserved Regions
Care gaps in underserved regions make DME a leading cause of preventable vision loss.
We are seeking scalable, real-world solutions that address critical system gaps:
Accelerating Diagnosis: Expanding early screening capabilities through community-level workflows, task-sharing, or accessible diagnostic tools.
Integrating Care Pathways: Creating shared accountability and streamlined referral networks between diabetology and eye care to deliver timely therapy.
Expanding Care Access: Overcoming geographical and logistical bottlenecks to connect patients in under-resourced areas with sight-saving treatments.
Funding: Up to 100,000 CHF*
Challenge 2:
Optimising Data & Real World Data Ecosystems
The fragmentation and inconsistency across RWD ecosystems in Ophthalmology present critical barriers.
We are seeking scalable, real-world solutions that address critical evidence gaps:
Standardising Data Capture: Establishing consistent methods to capture and interpret real-world vision data, overcoming isolated electronic health record (EHR) silos.
Enabling Data Interoperability: Creating connected data environments that allow different clinical platforms and registry systems to exchange information smoothly.
Unlocking Meaningful Insights: Transforming real-world data into actionable evidence faster, helping clinicians evaluate treatment effectiveness across diverse patient populations to improve care decisions.
Funding: Up to 50,000 CHF*
*Disclaimer: Subject to applicable terms and conditions. The availability, timing, and allocation of funding are subject to final approval and provided at the sole discretion of Roche.
The OIC call is open now until December 31. Have an idea? We're funding innovative concepts. Join the journey today!
Who can participate?
Collaborative working across the ophthalmology community is encouraged.
Proposals may be submitted by:
Ophthalmologists and Clinicians
Academic and Research Institutions
Patient Advocacy Groups
Healthcare Technology and Digital Health Developers
Industry Partners (including AI and software development firms)
Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs)
Evaluation criteria: All submissions are evaluated against seven key criteria: relevance to the challenge, readiness for implementation, technical and innovative merit, project personnel qualifications, patient-centricity, stakeholder engagement, and measuring impact. See our FAQ section below to learn more.
Submission guidelines
Applicants should include the following:
Step 1:
Applicants can submit a full PDF proposal and a two-minute video recording via the pharma.ophthalmology_network@roche.com (September–end of December 2026).
Step 2:
Proposal submissions will be reviewed by Roche on a rolling basis to create a shortlist of up to 10 proposals (final shortlist confirmed in January 2027). A master spreadsheet will capture all proposals submitted and rationale for inclusion in / exclusion from the shortlist (which the Steering Committee will also have access to).
Step 3:
Shortlisted proposals (and supporting video recordings) will be reviewed by the Steering Committee independently offline, with each member providing scoring against the 7 key criteria—captured in the master spreadsheet. Opportunity for offline Q&A.
Step 4:
Steering Committee members attend final selection meeting and agree on projects for funding.
Committee and governance
The Ophtha Innovation Challenge will be overseen by a multidisciplinary steering committee composed of leaders in ophthalmology, technology and healthcare innovation.
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Nancy Holekamp
Principal Global Medical Science Leader at Roche
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Insaf Saffar
Global Medical Science Leader Ophthalmology at Roche
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Ignacio Fernández García
Global Medical Science Leader Ophthalmology at Roche
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Alexey Tretyak
Medical Leader - Ophthalmology at Roche
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Helene Karcher
PDMA Evidence Solution Leader at Roche
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Dominic Heinrich
Global Medical Science Leader Ophthalmology
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Natalee James
Medical Affairs Partner
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Dr. Kelvin Teo
Associate Professor, Duke NUS Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences Academic Clinical Programme, Senior Consultant at the Singapore National Eye Centre & Clinical Director for the SNEC Ocular Reading Centre
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Prof. Francine Behar Cohen
Researcher, Professor of Ophthalmology and a vitreoretinal surgeon at Cochin Hospital, Paris
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Chris Brittain
Senior Vice President, Global Head of Ophthalmology, Product Development at Genentech
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Prof. Pearse Keane
Professor of Artificial Medical Intelligence at UCL Institute of Ophthalmology
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Nilesh Mehta
Therapeutic Area Head, Ophthalmology at Roche
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Nick Parker
Director of Development and Operations for the IAPB
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Stefan Scheidl
VP, Global Head of Ophthalmology Medical Affairs at Roche
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Prof. Kai Januschowski
Medical Director & Department Head at Mount St. Peter Eye Clinic, Trier
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Joanna McCulloch
Clinical Nurse Consultant (CN)
Submit your solution
If you have innovative ideas for scalable solutions to improve DME care in underserved regions, and/or global initiatives to optimize Real-World Evidence (RWE) ecosystems, we'd love to hear from you!
Proposals should be submitted in PDF format, with a supporting 2-min video. Please review the submission guidelines above prior to submission to ensure your proposal meets all requirements.
Submissions should be sent to: pharma.ophthalmology_network@roche.com Please note that this initiative is specifically tailored to engage only participants outside the US and UK.
Disclaimer:
* Subject to applicable terms and conditions. The availability, timing, and allocation of funding are subject to final approval and provided at the sole discretion of Roche.
** All proposals must originate solely from the eligible participant types listed above and must not involve co-creation or collaboration with Roche employees. This is to ensure impartiality and avoid any potential conflicts of interest or bias. There is no requirement for Roche affiliates to endorse or filter proposals prior to participant submission.
*** This initiative is specifically tailored to engage only participants outside the US and UK.
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