skip to content

The innovation challenges behind Startup Creasphere

A woman with short hair and glasses actively draws on a large board filled with colorful, illustrated notes and diagrams, focused on visual storytelling in a workshop setting.

Part of series

Startup Creasphere
View series overview

Our innovation challenges aim to promote bold ideas and solutions in digital health in specific technology areas and therapeutic domains.

They offer an ideal environment for participating startups, health systems, and Roche experts to come together and imagine new solutions to address the challenges selected by our teams, over a short period of time (a few days to a few weeks).

Innovation challenges structure

[Icon] Rocket launch
Open call

Open call for startups and health systems that meet participation requirements and the scope of the selected innovation challenges.

[Icon Search
Selection day

Selected startups and health systems pitch their solution to an experts committee who will select those progressing to the next phase.

[Icon] Meeting
Innovation challenges

Co-creation phase with the objective of supporting the development of projects pitched by selected startups and health systems through mentoring and workshops, including Roche representatives and external partners.

[Icon] Award
Closing event

At the end of the program, the startups and health systems present the progress they achieved throughout the innovation challenges.

Facts and figures

[Icon] Focus
2 Indications

Including ophthalmology and oncology.

[Icon] Safety
10 Focus topics

Covering the full patient journey.

[Icon] Educate and Learn
4 Alumni startups

Involved in previous editions.

[Icon] Process
4 Projects

Run with partner hospitals.

The content of this page is continuously updated, and future calls for applications will be posted here and potentially as well on our local websites managed by affiliates. These will also be relayed through additional external communication efforts, so stay posted!

What we look for in participating startups

[Icon] Quality
Product maturity

Startups and hospitals need to propose solutions ready to be tested.

[Icon] Key
Challenge fit

Proposed solutions need to address the challenges selected by our teams.

[Icon] Data
Technology areas

Focus on innovative technologies incorporating AI, IoT, XR, among others.

[Icon] Team
Multidisciplinary teams

Including a mix of engineering and medical expertise.

Stories of

Startup Creasphere

See more stories
Two people are engaged in a discussion at a table, one with a sticker-covered laptop. A screen behind them displays radar to health signal data.
Series

Startup Creasphere: Our global open innovation platform

Main page for Startup Creasphere, the global open innovation platform from Roche.

A diverse group of people in a bright meeting room, with one smiling man in focus, surrounded by bottles, notepads, and a whiteboard with notes.
Series

The integrated innovation program behind Startup Creasphere

Through Startup Creasphere, Roche engages with digital health startups worldwide to pilot their technology and co-create new solutions. Over time, it has developed from a program within specific locations to a globally integrated program, offering participating startups a well-organized co-creation framework for a time-boxed collaboration (typically three to four months) with Roche, as well as mentoring and networking opportunities around the world.

A man in a light blue shirt captures a photo with his smartphone during a presentation, with a blurred speaker and audience seated in the background.
Series

Our Startup Creasphere alumni

Details about companies having taken part in Startup Creasphere

STARTUP CREASPHERE is a trademark of Roche.