GSK Consumer Healthcare’s disruptive innovation arm, GSK NEXT, invites emerging consumer health and tech startups to apply by June 15 to participate
Brentford, Middlesex – 9 May, 2022 – Following the success of its initial cohort, Re/Wire Health Studio is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the Studio’s second cohort. Designed by GSK NEXT, the disruptive innovation arm of GSK Consumer Healthcare (GSK CH), and R/GA Ventures, the investment group of R/GA, a global leader in communications and brand design, the Studio serves as a nine-week program to discover and help scale early-stage businesses focused on helping consumers to tackle their everyday health.
Now in its second year, Re/Wire Health Studio is seeking to grow its ecosystem of healthcare innovators who are focused on the intersection of digital, physical and personalized diagnostics. In line with a global ambition, applications must be dedicated to providing better access to everyday healthcare, creating seamless health experiences, and improving health outcomes.
The Studio is positioned to focus on emerging everyday health issues that are most prevalent amongst global consumers today:
- Oral Health
- Women’s Health & Wellness
- Mental Resilience
“Amazing solutions happen with the right collaborative spark – it starts with getting the right people in the room. We’re seeing significant disruption and partnership opportunities in the everyday health space, but competition is intense, people’s expectations are changing so we must evolve to new ways to collaborate. We’re excited about fusing the trusted science and global scale of GSK Consumer Healthcare with brilliant new thinkers and makers across Everyday Health. The Re/Wire Health Studio continues to be excited to invite like-minded entrepreneurs with disruptive ideas into the GSK NEXT ecosystem and beyond, fostering healthcare innovation and innovators that put people and technology at the heart of reimagining a better standard of everyday health,” said GSK Vice President and Head of Next, Nick Tate.
The Studio invites applications from innovative growth- and early-stage companies with disruptive technologies that will shape the future of consumer health. GSK CH welcomes startups from around the world to apply but must be capable and prepared to launch in the U.S. and EMEA-markets with a minimum viable product or service in development or in-market delivery. Partnering closely with the companies, the Studio will identify strategic opportunities for startups to partner with GSK CH and provide the selected Studio companies with new avenues, market opportunities, insights, guidance, and potential partnerships to build momentum towards global scale.
R/GA Ventures will support the Studio and the six startups selected will have access to R/GA’s global network of creative capital services, including award-winning strategists, technologists, designers, and consultants to help them develop their businesses and prepare them for future milestones. Throughout the program, R/GA’s experts will provide consulting, strategy, design, copywriting, business development, brand transformation, and more.
The Studio’s inaugural cohort, launched in November 2021, comprised six innovative startups selected for their groundbreaking solutions that improve everyday healthcare by enabling people to make better daily choices about their health and well-being. During their time, GSK and R/GA provided mentorship, partnership, and access to creative resources that were tailored to each business’ needs and future milestones.
“The Re/Wire Health studio has by far been the most valuable program I’ve participated in as a founder. The services we received were tailored to our specific needs as a business and helped us make significant progress,” said Ashlee Wisdom, the CEO & co-founder of Health In Her HUE, a digital platform that connects Black women and women of color to culturally competent and sensitive healthcare providers, health content, and community. “It has also been incredibly valuable to have access to GSK leadership for both mentorship and to explore partnership opportunities.”
Hannah Samano, the founder & CEO of Unfabled, the first e-commerce marketplace for menstrual wellbeing, adds “Re/Wire Health Studio has been an immensely valuable experience – we’ve been able to tap into world-class knowledge across the GSK CH business – from product, to tech, to marketing and brand – which has helped shape our thinking and strategy.” She confirms “working with R/GA as a part of the Creative Services stream has taken our business to the next level, leaving us with a working prototype of our future product development which brings our vision to life.”
Startup applications to participate in the Studio are now open through June 15, 2022. The final cohort will be selected by July 8, 2022. The Studio will kick off late July 2022 and run through September 2022. A third Studio will kick off in Q4 2022.
For more information about the Re/Wire Health Studio and to submit your application, please visit: rewirehealthstudio.com and follow @GSK and @rgaventures on Twitter.
About GSK NEXT
GSK NEXT is the strategic commercial growth engine for GSK Consumer Healthcare, focused on the creation and scaling of net-new product, service and platform businesses across Everyday Health.
About R/GA Ventures
R/GA Ventures helps industry leaders embrace disruption, connecting them with emerging startups, technologies and consumer behaviors to drive their businesses forward. Since 2013, R/GA Ventures has run 15 programs to date and has a portfolio of more than 90 companies across a variety of verticals. R/GA Ventures and R/GA are part of the Interpublic Group of Companies (NYSE: IPG), one of the world’s largest advertising and marketing services organizations. Learn more at ventures.rga.com and by following @rgaventures.
Media Contact:
R/GA
Melanie Mahaffey
Global Executive Director
Melanie.Mahaffey@rga.com