Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) is launching an open innovation challenge to encourage individuals and teams across the U.S. to identify and submit pioneering digital health solutions aimed at transforming inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) care. The challenge, “Transforming IBD Care: Better disease monitoring, management, and care for people with inflammatory bowel disease” focuses on innovation in IBD monitoring, condition management or care enhancements.
Impact of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), with the two main types being ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, is characterized by chronic inflammation of the digestive tract.1 According to the CDC, approximately 3 million Americans have reported IBD.2 IBD is an idiopathic disease caused by the immune system responding incorrectly to environmental triggers, leading to inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract.
Transforming IBD Care Innovation Challenge Overview
To help address the myriad challenges faced by IBD patients and their caregivers, the innovation challenge is a call for novel solutions that leverage today’s most innovative technologies and systems — mobile apps, sensors and wearables, connected drug delivery devices, real-time monitoring, algorithms, digital games, etc. — to enhance care and improve health and wellbeing for those struggling with IBD.
The Transforming IBD Care innovation challenge will be conducted in three phases:
(1) launch and open submissions
(2) round one judging of submissions and selection of up to five finalists from the applicable entries
(3) the live, in-person pitch event to take place at Lilly’s campus in Indianapolis with judging and the selection of a winner of the $50,000 (US) payment on November 21, 2019.
In addition, Lilly may choose to work with the winner to further develop their product or concepts.
Challenge Criteria
The Challenge is open to individuals, patients, caregivers, clinicians, advocates, students, researchers, and community members. Legal entities and organizations from across the innovation ecosystem, including startups, are also eligible to participate. Participants are invited to submit ideas as individuals or in teams. Teams should have a Team Representative and a Team name. An individual is permitted to be part of more than one team. Participants are welcome to submit more than one idea.
Selection Criteria
The challenge will consist of two round of judging. Round One will involve the selection of up to five Finalists and Entries will be evaluated according to the following criteria:
– Impact
– Novelty
– Technical Feasibility
– Commercial Viability
– Stability (Round One only)
In Round Two, at the pitch event, a panel of judges will select a winner from the Finalists based on the first four criteria above plus the criterion of “Usability,” which will replace “Stability.”
Challenge Timeline
The online portion of the Challenge will open for submissions at 9:00 am Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, August 12, 2019 and will close at 11:59 pm Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, September 30, 2019.
– Online Challenge Submission Period: August 12 – September 30, 2019
– Evaluation Period: October 1 – October 31, 2019
– Finalists Announced: on or before November 1, 2019
– Pitch Event and Winner Selected: November 21, 2019
Why It Matters
“Lilly is investing in digital solutions that can help empower people with chronic conditions, such as IBD, to better manage their own health. Innovation is happening everywhere, and this challenge is aimed at identifying bold ideas outside our walls and collaborating on ways to potentially deliver new solutions to those who need them most,” said Divakar Ramakrishnan, Ph.D., chief digital officer at Lilly. “Approximately 3 million Americans have reported being diagnosed with IBD, and Lilly is committed to tackling the challenge of this disease through science and innovation. We’re looking for digital innovators to join us.”
