The Working with pharmaceuticals – selling cure in B2B and B2C workshop on 12 November of the V4 Healthcare programme of @Startup Campus financed by the @International Visegrad Fund in collaboration with @CIVITTA, @DEX Innovation Hub and @Startup Hub Poland offers information and useful skills on establishing meaningful relationships in the healthcare industry.
The first speaker, Sara Korchmaros is a proven commercial manager, healthcare consultant and serial entrepreneur. Sara has comprehensive accomplishments in business development, optimising business processes and increasing efficiency in life-sciences and technology sectors. As the CCO of Recash, Sara is leading the firm's marketing activities, branding and communication strategy. She has co-founded cLAB Ventures, the global network of oncology organisations and has a vast network in the pharmaceutical and startup ecosystem and an international background, having lived and worked in Scandinavia, Spain and the UK.
We asked a few questions to reflect on her opinions and experiences in the healthcare environment:
What do you think, what are the main challenges of the healthcare industry in the post-covid era?
" The pandemic raised more attention to health and healthcare than ever before, and I believe an "era of health" is coming as the acute demands of COVID-19 on our healthcare systems are decreasing. This might bring more funds, faster technological changes, digital transformation and attract more talents to the sector. The question is whether the industry is ready for these rapid changes and if the players can accelerate with the ecosystem."
How can innovation solve these issues?
" To face these challenges, we need to create more flexible healthcare systems that are able to adapt to changes in demand. Innovating and digitalising our current systems is at the crux of quick adaptation. Moreover, as we are shifting greater patient numbers to remote care globally, the rise of digital and telehealth solutions plays an important part in tackling the communication challenges in the post-covid era."
What is your best advice for the healthcare startups of the future?
"Flexibility and quick adaptation have been always important skills of a startup, and now they are even more crucial. Startups that are proactive and capable to adjust their operations to the everchanging demands will be the ones who can survive and thrive. Furthermore, as more funds and grants are flooding into the sector, I trust that savvy entrepreneurs will take advantage of the excess capital, talent, and opportunities."
Sarolta Szoke has been supporting oncology startups to succeed in business as a Global Project Manager of cLAB Ventures. She is a bioengineer by profession with a longstanding passion for life sciences and experience in genetics, oncology, and healthcare innovation.
We asked a few questions to understand her outlook on the future having a background in bioengineering:
What do you think, what are the main challenges of the healthcare industry in the post-covid era?
" The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted many aspects of the healthcare industry, hospitals became overloaded, clinical trials were suspended, and non-covid-related innovations suffered from the lack of funding. But the healthcare industry also needs to face the consequences of delayed treatments, surgeries, screening tests, as well as, long-covid and mental health issues."
How can innovation solve these issues?
" Radical and devastating changes fuel innovation and we can see a surge in not only COVID-related but also digital and AI-based solutions. Telemedicine is just one small slice of the pie; AI-based screening and diagnostics, home care, patient journey, and clinical trial optimisation solutions, and many more powerful tools are created to tackle the newly emerged issues."
What is your best advice for the healthcare startups of the future?
"My advice is to take the time for comprehensive market research, explore the available solutions, consult with field experts, potential users as I can guarantee that the market will be flooded with digital health solutions. Moreover, healthcare differs from other industries, so have someone in your team with extensive knowledge not only on the particular field but the healthcare system as a whole."
We are looking forward to meeting you both on 12 November, if interested you can register here!
The project is co-financed by the Governments of Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia through Visegrad Grants from International Visegrad Fund. The mission of the fund is to advance ideas for sustainable regional cooperation in Central Europe.