The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH) has opened applications for the WISH Innovation Spark Competition and the WISH Innovation Booster Competition – two new innovation competitions that provide talented entrepreneurs a platform to promote ideas and products aimed at improving the delivery and quality of healthcare.
Applications to the competitions are open until July 31.
The WISH Innovation Spark Competition is aimed at entrepreneurs who seek to solve healthcare challenges by developing and validating a scalable project – typically early stage innovations or start-ups.
While, the WISH Innovation Booster Competition is aimed at exciting innovations looking to scale up and grow.
The competitions are open to local and international applicants, aligning with WISH's mission to build a healthier world through global collaboration.
WISH has removed the age limit for the Innovation Spark.
However, applicants for both competitions will be expected to meet other criteria, such as the market need for the proposed innovation and its potential for sustainable future growth.
Shortlisted innovations will be showcased to world-renowned health experts, policy makers and potential investors at the upcoming WISH 2020 summit, to be held at the Qatar National Convention Centre in Doha from November 16-18.
By providing entrepreneurs with a platform at a major global event, this year’s new competitions will allow significantly enhanced support that includes mentoring, media promotion, training sessions to help market ideas, and one-on-one meetings with potential investors.
Mahmoud El Achi, head of Innovation at WISH, an initiative of Qatar Foundation, said: “We have revamped existing WISH innovation competitions and removed previous age restrictions for entry to widen the field of applicants. This year, we’re keen to hear about innovations that promote sustainability while also being impactful.
“Having assessed previous WISH innovation competitions, we’ve identified a need to offer greater mentorship support and guidance to innovators with fledgling ideas, and to provide the tools and contacts for more established innovations to reach their potential.”
Since it was announced in 2012, WISH has showcased around 100 of the most exciting global healthcare innovations at previous WISH summits, each with the potential to transform global health, by reducing the costs of healthcare delivery and improving the quality of care for patients.
Details on the programme are available online at https://www.wish.org.qa/innovationaward.
