Health & Biotech

National Bio Entrepreneurship Competition (NBEC), India’s largest and the most prestigious national competition for bio entrepreneurs, a flagship event of Bengaluru-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms (C-CAMP), has kicked off its 7th edition.

NBEC aims to attract, identify and nurture deep science driven business ideas that address India’s most pressing societal challenges in new, innovative, and commercially viable ways. 

NBEC 2024 has in store Rs 15 crore in cash prizes and investment opportunities for winners, making it one of the biggest and most high-stakes platforms, in India’s bio startup domain. The competition was launched formally on 1st March, 2024 by opening call for applications. Deadline is 30th April.

Focus areas: include- Healthcare, Therapeutics, Vaccines, Medical Devices, Diagnostics, Digital Health including AI & ML, Maternal & Child Nutrition, Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), Agritech & Mol Bio, Al & ML in Agri, Food & Nutraceuticals, Environmental Biotech, Clean & Renewable Energy, Water & Sanitation, Industrial Biotechnology, Personal Care Products.

There will be 2 parallel tracks, one for startups, individuals and entrepreneurs in India and an exclusive one for aspiring student teams. Shortlisted finalists in both startup and student tracks will participate in a specially designed Entrepreneurship Development Boot Camp to inculcate important entrepreneurship development skills from top-of-the-line industry and academic mentors.

NBEC in the last six editions has created a steady pipeline of innovative technologies with demonstrated commercial potential, that address India’s most formidable challenges in healthcare, agriculture and environment.

FORCE Communications, a leading provider of innovative medical communication solutions, is proud to announce its recent accolade as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana. This prestigious recognition underscores the company's commitment to fostering a positive and rewarding work environment for its employees.

The Best Places to Work in Indiana award is a testament to FORCE Communications' dedication to creating a workplace culture that promotes employee well-being, professional growth, and inclusivity. This honor reflects the company's ongoing efforts to prioritize the happiness and success of its team members.

"We are thrilled to be recognized as one of the Best Places to Work in Indiana," said Tiffany Shaw, Chief Operating Officer of FORCE Communications. "At FORCE, we believe that our employees are our most valuable asset, and this award validates our unwavering commitment to providing a supportive and enriching workplace environment."

Dan Renick, CEO of Petauri, the parent company of FORCE Communications, also shared his thoughts on this accomplishment, remarking, "This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our entire team. At Petauri, we prioritize a culture of collaboration, innovation, and respect, and it's incredibly rewarding to see our collective efforts acknowledged with this prestigious award."

A new report finds a majority of employers expect annual cancer spend to rise by up to 9% each year over the next three years, adding up to a nearly 30% jump, while some think it could increase by up to three times that amount annually. Cancer already represents 16% of their total healthcare spend, so these findings speak to why employers are seriously worried about the increased incidence of cancer and soaring cancer costs, and why it's become their top benefit priority.

To better understand the challenges they face, the specific drivers of spend, types of solutions they seek and barriers to adopting them, Carrum Health commissioned PwC to survey benefits managers across the U.S. at randomly selected self-insured employers with 5,000+ employees. The survey, conducted over several months in fall 2023, uncovered revealing data insights.

Anonymized results found a majority of their spend has been via the traditional fee-for-service model, and 83% stated they could not assess the return on investment (ROI) with their current oncology point solutions.

The survey revealed high interest and growing adoption of COE programs – 91% favor the bundled rate COE model that aligns incentives for providers to offer appropriate, high-quality care and assume risk. However, they are struggling to navigate the marketplace and find solutions that match all of their needs. So employers are settling on familiar but ineffective, disconnected point solutions, despite a preference for one-stop shop solutions that offer cost-effective treatment, mental health support, care navigation and early detection screening.

Reflective of the types of cancer incidences occurring in their employee population, 91% named breast cancer as a top three driver of cancer costs, followed by lung, colorectal and prostate cancers. Outpatient treatment for chemotherapy and radiation and the cost of drugs were the top areas of spend, findings that align with trends in the Medicare population. Nine out of ten employers stated they will seek an oncology benefit solution in the next two years.

"This report delves deep into the specific cancer challenges employers face, and why they continue to fall back on standalone or legacy solutions that fall short on delivering the member experience, improved health outcomes and cost savings they seek," said Sach Jain, Carrum Health founder and CEO. "Their preference for a solution that offers bundled payments which align provider incentives with cost-effective care and addresses suboptimal employee experiences is loud and clear."

Marathon Health, a national leader in delivering advanced primary care solutions for employers, announced its selection as 2024 Best in KLAS in the employer-sponsored healthcare services category in the 2024 Best in KLAS Awards: Software & Services report. For employers and unions of all sizes who struggle with how to contain the ever-rising cost of providing healthcare for their teams, Marathon Health is a proven solution that delivers cost savings and better health outcomes.

This award marks the fourth time that Marathon Health has earned Best in KLAS (2024; 2023; 2021; 2020). The company recently announced its merger with Everside Health, which was awarded 'Best in KLAS' in '22 and '19 (as legacy Activate Health). The merger resulted in six consecutive years of 'Best in KLAS' recognition.

"To be acknowledged in this way for so many years is a testament to our dedicated team of healthcare professionals who are committed to delivering high-quality care," said Jeff Wells, MD, CEO of Marathon Health. "Our goal is to support individuals to take control of their health, leading to improved outcomes and a healthier workforce for all. We are honored to be trusted by employers and unions across the country to support the health and wellness of their employees."

To arrive at the rankings, KLAS validated experiences with more than 100 employers. Marathon Health achieved a score of 90.4 against a category average of 88.2 and earned particularly high marks for loyalty and relationship.

"At KLAS, we firmly believe that the voice of healthcare providers and payers is paramount," said Adam Gale, KLAS Research CEO. "The Best in KLAS awards are based on extensive feedback and evaluations from healthcare professionals across the nation. Winning a Best in KLAS award, therefore, is not just about recognition; it shows the trust and confidence that healthcare providers place in the winning vendors. It also helps validate each vendor's commitment to innovation, quality and customer satisfaction. We are proud to recognize 2024's Best in KLAS award winners! Their unwavering dedication to improving patient outcomes is wonderfully inspiring."

Marathon Health's independent primary care model gives providers extra time to build relationships with their patients. Patients have better access to care and see improved health outcomes, from lowering their blood pressure to improving their A1C and gaining the confidence they need to reach their weight-loss goals.

"Our care teams deserve the credit for this award. Every day they go above and beyond helping patients to improve their lives and consistently deliver results, including lowering healthcare costs for employers and unions by over 25%," Wells said. "To be considered a trusted partner by our clients and receive this recognition is immensely fulfilling for our entire team at Marathon Health."