Boehringer Ingelheim joins Rockstart's New Health Leadership Program

Europe’s leading startup accelerator, Rockstart, is proud to announce the fruitful new collaboration with the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim for the new Rockstart Health program. Boehringer Ingelheim has signed on as Health Leadership Sponsor.

Boehringer Ingelheim, a family-owned pharmaceutical company, is driven by the desire to serve mankind by improving human and animal health. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention. As they are family owned, they can plan in generations and build long term collaborations. They are powered by 50.000 employees around the world who nurture a diverse, collaborative and inclusive culture.

“We are seeking strong digital health startups around Europe,” says Julian Righetti, Medical Director at Boehringer Ingelheim. “Preferably startups that can contribute to innovative healthcare solutions. For example projects related to the early detection and diagnosis of rare diseases based on patterns & images. Last but not least, we are interested to find patient-focused solutions that address the emotional and psychological dimensions that come along with a disease for both patients and their caregivers”.

By joining forces with Rockstart, Boehringer Ingelheim offers a wealth of access and intelligence into the healthcare sector that prospective startups are eager to disrupt — and this new partnership is fit to be the cornerstone of such disruption. Though this is not Rockstart’s first foray into the health landscape, having previously offered Digital Health programs to ambitious startups, they have revamped their structure to make a profound impact in healthcare by providing solutions to both startups and the partners involved. The new structure takes a two-fold approach: it offers the only year-long program in the world for healthcare startups while simultaneously coordinating a Health Leadership program to benefit the involved healthcare partners. Rockstart is fortunate to have experience in running a healthcare accelerator, as the previous three years of health programs highlighted the importance of corporate leadership and their influence on startups. Whether through investment, mentorship or partnership, the startups are projected to scale radically with established and experienced organizations at their helm.

The marriage of seasoned corporates and hungry startups in an industry as delicate and labyrinthine as healthcare is a surefire way to kickstart a rewarding program. With the ultimate goal of making healthcare more accessible to those in need, Rockstart is excited to merge tenacious innovation with insider wisdom. Since 2011, Rockstart has been dedicated to helping startups meet their potential and solve real-world problems. If you’d like to get involved in the Rockstart Health program, you can find

more information here.

About Boehringer Ingelheim

Improving the health of humans and animals is the goal of the research-driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company therefore concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.

Family-owned since it was established in 1885, Boehringer Ingelheim is one of the pharmaceutical industry’s top 20 companies. Some 50,000 employees create value through innovation daily for the three business areas human pharmaceuticals, animal health and biopharmaceuticals. In 2018, Boehringer Ingelheim achieved net sales of around 17.5 billion euros. R&D expenditure of almost 3.2 billion euros corresponded to 18.1 per cent of net sales.

As a family-owned company, Boehringer Ingelheim plans in generations and focuses on long-term success. The company therefore aims at organic growth from its own resources with simultaneous openness to partnerships and strategic alliances in research. In everything it does, Boehringer Ingelheim naturally adopts responsibility towards humankind and the environment.

More information about Boehringer Ingelheim can be found on www.boehringer-ingelheim.com or in our annual report: http://annualreport.boehringer-ingelheim.com.