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Accelerating successful digital health startup-pharma partnerships
Watch this space!
Deadline extended to 23:59 EST Wednesday Feb 9, 2020
Apply Now!PharmStars is the pharma-focused accelerator for digital health startups, dedicated to driving digital health adoption to improve patient outcomes. We educate and mentor digital health startups seeking engagement with pharma and biotech firms. We are supported by our pharma members who are committed to working with startups that graduate from our accelerator.
PharmStars’ mission is to facilitate and accelerate successful partnerships between digital health startups and pharma, leading to greater success for each and faster adoption of digital health to improve patient outcomes.
7
Cohorts
completed
79
Startups
graduated
98.8%
Graduation
rate
$900M+
Cumulative
funding
raised by alumni
100+
Pharma Deals
Among first 35 graduates
17%
Acceptance
rate
Digital health has the potential to transform the pharmaceutical industry and the patient experience. Digital health and pharma firms are eager to engage with one another. Yet both have found it challenging to create successful partnerships.
PharmStars is the only digital health accelerator aimed at bridging the pharma-startup gap to drive greater adoption of digital health. Our 10-week accelerator is designed to prepare startups for more productive engagements with pharma, teaching them how drugs are developed, how pharma is organized, and about the biopharma industry. The program culminates with the Showcase Event. Startups present their solutions to our pharma members and then have the opportunity to meet individually with them.
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According to the National Organization for Rare Disorders, a rare disease is a condition affecting fewer than 200,000 Americans1. Globally, it is estimated that over 400 million people2 (more than 5% of the population) have a rare disease or condition, with 30 million in the US alone suffering from one of over 10,000 rare diseases.
Individuals living with a rare disease face numerous challenges, including limited awareness, prolonged delays in diagnosis, limited access to care, insufficient therapies, and emotional distress. Given the significant unmet needs in this area, pharma firms are increasingly prioritizing the development of therapies for rare diseases. Additionally, the US government is incentivizing rare disease drug development through financial and regulatory support.
Digital health innovations have the potential to transform every aspect of rare diseases, from drug development and clinical trials to patient care and patient, family, and provider support.
PharmStars’ Spring 2025 cohort theme is “Digital Innovations in Rare Disease,” addressing the unique challenges associated with rare diseases. We invite applications from startups with digital innovations relating to any rare disease. Areas of interest include but are not limited to:
Identifying individuals with rare disease
Diagnosing rare disease
Designing and executing rare disease clinical trials
Enhancing rare disease care
Digital health startups with a product or prototype addressing any aspect of the theme are invited to apply by January 26, 2025. For more details and program requirements, please refer to the Accelerator Terms.
January 2
January 26
March 4
March 18 - 19
March 24 - May 15
May 2025
The centerpiece of the PharmStars accelerator is PharmaU: a unique, comprehensive educational program. Its three components are a curriculum for startups, mentoring for startups, and "Executive Ed" courses for pharma. PharmaU’s courses are developed and led by PharmStars’ experienced team of former pharma executives with deep expertise in digital health, innovation, and startups.
Courses for startups about how to engage pharma successfully include topics such as:
Individualized coaching from our PharmStars staff on how startups can successfully engage pharma. We guide startups through the process, from building a compelling value proposition through crafting an effective pitch.
Workshops and seminars for pharma members, providing insight and peer-to-peer discussions on how to successfully implement digital health programs and partnerships.
