5-HT X-Linker 2023: Healthtech for Pharma enjoys outstanding feedback and praise from the healthcare industry

Under the motto "HEALTHTECH FOR PHARMA", 10 international start-ups presented their digital solutions for the pharmaceutical industry. 
The event focused on the following topics: digital therapy companion, early diagnosis of rare diseases and Alzheimer's, personalised medicine: digital twin, biomarker development.

The event was hosted by 5-HT Senior Ecosystem Manager Lisa Tschalenko. "The strongest and biggest matchmaking event in the healthcare industry - that's my claim for our 5-HT X-Linker and we proved it true again! Inspiring startup solutions and great corporate speeddaters," Lisa sums up the event.

Our corporate partner confirms this, Jörg Schaub, Marketing Capabilities & Operations of Lilly Deutschland GmbH "Thank you very much for the super organisation and implementation of the 5-HT X-Linker event! [...] [I] enjoyed it very much, once again great start-ups and a very good exchange."

Pfizer's Patient & Experience Lead - Sascha Lentfoehr opens the 5-HT X-Linker

Just one of many highlights was the keynote by Sascha Lentfoehr, Patient Healthcare & Experience Lead at Pfizer entitled: Digital Health - how startups and pharma companies are collaborating to create value for patients. "Pharmaceutical companies are in a position to effectively support startups in accessing and driving the market," Lentfoehr emphasised and went on to explain how Pfizer deals with this and effectively promotes startups.

Keynote Sascha Lentfoehr, Patient Healthcare & Experience Lead, Pfizer Healthcare Hub

10 Digital solutions to improve patients' quality of life

After the inspiring words of our speakers, it got serious. Now our ten selected start-ups were in the spotlight. In front of several hundred guests, the founders each presented their innovative solution in a 4-minute pitch. The audience was given an exciting insight into the innovative, international solutions from three focus topics: Digital Therapy Support Solutions, Personalised Medicine and Early Diagnosis of Rare Diseases and Alzheimer's.

But that was not all. Directly after each pitch, a Q&A session with the jury members took place. In this session, the founders were able to delve deeper into the topic and answer specific questions from Stefan B. Beerhalter, Vice President at German Entrepreneurship and Lisa Tschalenko from 5-HT.

These ten start-ups inspired the audience with their innovative digital solutions for the pharmaceutical industry:

- Cogthera | Germany

- ExactCure | France

- Impilo | Israel

- Neurotech | Portugal

- medicalvalues GmbH | Germany

- Noah Therapies | Germany

- REVIVO BioSystems | Singapore

- theblood | Germany

- VoiceMed | Luxembourg

- Wefight | France

Live audience chooses Cogthera as winner

Around 240 viewers cast their votes for the best pitched solution: The audience award went to Cogthera, the startup that takes a holistic view of dementia and Alzheimer's through their diagnostic as well as digital therapy app and brings it to market as SaMDs (Software as a Medical Device).

"We were delighted to be selected for this year's 5 HT X-linker final, given the great work 5HT has done and is doing to bring startups and companies together. Our expectations were definitely met! We felt very well guided and prepared by Lisa, Amelie and the team in the run-up to the actual event, which was impeccably organised and executed on the final day itself. It was very inspiring to meet and work with the other startups, and the speed dating rounds with the corporate partners were very interesting and indeed led to very fruitful connections for us. The great keynote did the rest to round off a great X-Linker event! Many thanks to Lisa, Amelie and the entire 5HT team," Hannes Funk, founder of Cogthera, emphasised the startup's motivation. We congratulate them and look forward to sending them to DMEA in Berlin as a prize!

Hannes Funk from Cogthera wins Audience Award, presented by Lisa Tschalenko

Exchange at eye level - start-ups meet industry giants at the Corporate Speed Dating.

The 10 pitches of the participating start-ups formed only the first half of the event. This was followed by the Corporate Speed Dating. In these 1:1 conversations, the startups were given the unique opportunity to exchange ideas with companies from the health and pharmaceutical sectors. We are proud that also for the X-Linker "HEALTHTECH FOR PHARMA" these following world-renowned corporations took their chance to participate:

- AbbVie

- Amazon Web Services (AWS)

- BASF

- BIX - the digital lab of Boehringer Ingelheim

- Chugai Pharma Europe

- Lilly Deutschland GmbH / Eli Lilly and Company

- LTS Lohmann Therapy Systems AG

- Pfizer Healthcare Hub

- Roche Diagnostics

- Wörwag Pharma GmbH & Co. KG.

 Corporate Speed-Dater

5-HT X-Linker: HEALTHTECH FOR PHARMA - a complete success

Dr. Frank Funke, Managing Director of 5-HT, looks back on the event with pride: "Once again a successful matchmaking event, this time to strengthen the exchange in the development of digital solutions for pharmaceutical companies. I hope all guests and participants enjoyed the event as much as I did. I wish all participating startups every success."

The feedback from the participating corporates and startups shows that the event was successful this time as well and that some follow-ups are already underway::

Timo Strohäker, Scouting & External Innovation Manager at Wörwag Pharma - "It was a great pleasure to participate in the event and meet so many innovative startups and experienced entrepreneurs under the hashtag digitalhealth. Special thanks to the whole team of the 5-HT Digital Hub - Chemistry & Health.

Stefan B. Beerhalter from German Entrepreneurship - Fantastic event and great pitches. Many thanks to Lisa Tschalenko for letting me sit on the jury!

Noam Alon, CEO of Stealth mode - Fantastic and impressive event. Many thanks to Lisa Tschalenko and the 5-HT team. Great pitches, great companies and innovative solutions. Thank you to the company participants. Big kudos to all.

Warren Moollan, Global Lead External Innovation at Wörwag Pharma - Many thanks to Lisa Tschalenko and her team. It was a very smooth and professionally run event.

Patricia Lopes, Product Developer & Medical Devices Analyst - This event was fantastic! Thank you, Lisa, and the rest of the 5-HT team as well as the speed dating companies. It was an excellent way to end the week.

Colleagues from the 5-HT team are also thrilled: Alexander Böser, Senior Ecosystem Manager Digital Chemistry - Great performance from all the startups and great moderation, Lisa! This sets the bar high for our next X-Linker in the second half of the year!

Thank you to all participants and guests for a successful event and positive feedback! See you next time when it's Build crosslinks now!

Behind the scenes with Lisa Tschalenko as presenter and Peter Kuhn and Alexander Böser for the technology