Astellas Pharma Inc. recently opened the C3 Prize grant challenge to applicants who want to develop non-medicine innovations to enhance the cancer care experience.
The innovation should improve cancer care for caregivers, loved ones and patients.
Applications for the challenge will be accepted through Aug. 8. The finalists in the competition will pitch their ideas before a panel of judges, including Robert Herjavec, a technology entrepreneur, and a cancer caregiver who appears on ABC’s Shark Tank television show.
The three winners of the competition will earn a cumulative amount of $100,000 in grants from Astellas. The winners will also gain a membership to health care technology incubator MATTER, where they can make their ideas a reality.
"As the number of people diagnosed with cancer rises, so does the need for innovative tools and resources to help patients and those that care for them navigate the journey from diagnosis to hopefully survivorship," Mark Reisenauer, senior vice president of oncology sales and marketing at Astellas, said. "We're launching the C3 Prize because we want to hear fresh ideas and perspectives from people who want to make a difference in the lives of those living with cancer."
The challenge was first introduced at the World Medical Innovation Forum where approximately 1,100 worldwide leaders in the cancer care industry were gathered.
