di , 29/11/2019

Ferrer launches Ferrer4Future, a collaborative initiative between start-ups and corporate to leverage digital health as a means to build healthier and more sustainable societies.

Ferrer is a global medium-sized pharmaceutical company headquartered out of Barcelona with a presence in over 110 countries.

The vision is to enable more personalized, effective and responsive care to patients through a connected ecosystem facilitated by digital technologies.

Gemma Estrada, Director of Digital Health in Ferrer comments: We understand that in order to generate and implement patient-driven solutions using digital technologies successfully and sustainably, we need to balance the knowledge and experience of pharma companies with the creativity and agility of start-ups.

Ferrer4Future is all about that!

What is Ferrer4Future program?

Ferrer’s program is bespoke to each individual start-up collaboration which means that it is flexible in time and form. There are no pre-set training dates in batches that all startups have to engage in, there are not CVC like investments preceded by heavy due diligence, there are not a large number of start-ups competing for attention, support, and resources… Instead, Ferrer looks at conducting short term pilots, licenses the technology for markets that are out of the start-up’s reach, or co-create a new market or a new business model…
Ferrer does not expect the start-up to give equity. The agreement is that Ferrer will put in place the mechanisms to advance the solution proposed by the start-up and this will be formalized in an agreement in exchange for commercial rights in certain territories.
Start-ups who join our program may leverage Ferrer’s knowledge, reach our expertise in specific therapeutic areas, geographies or business networks.

Through Ferrer4Future program, start-ups are invited to respond to 3 meaningful challenges:

  • Enhance care for chronic patients (ie. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension)
  • Improve patient engagement and adherence (ie. in the field of cardio-metabolism)
  • Reduce Chronic Pain.

The first batch of challenges were launched at the beginning of October and the application period will remain open until the 20th of December 2019 at noon. Nevertheless, there will be an on-going screening of the applications in order to guarantee swift feedback to the participating start-ups.

If the solution proposed by the start-up is a “match” with Ferrer’s interests, Ferrer will either partner with the start-up right away or enroll the start-up in the mentoring program, depending on the maturity of the solution proposed.

The program offered is not only bespoke but also personalized for each startup. The duration is flexible between 6 & 18 months during which access is guaranteed to Ferrer mentors, to experts from the various business units, and to internal resources for piloting and developing the solution further.