FAQ:

StarFinder Lab is a first-of-its-kind digital health lab powered by Roche and aMoon. Established in 2020, it offers a unique early-stage program, aimed at identifying exceptional entrepreneurs who are addressing pressing global health diagnostics challenges. participants will receive assistance in the development of their “Proof of Concept” with access to data from HMOs, hospitals, and/or Roche. Participants will also benefit from mentoring, unparalleled access to leading global expertise from within Roche and aMoon, and additional support. StarFinder Lab introduces one cohort per year, each consisting of selected ventures focused on addressing the specific challenges published.

The program is open to any entrepreneur and start-up based in Israel, Australia, Boston (USA), Singapore, and South Korea (the “Designated Locations”) as further set forth in the call for proposals.

Some challenges may be centered around specific therapeutic areas, some may be centered around a technology platform with a defined use case for first validation. Those details will be provided in our call for proposals.

We are looking for outstanding entrepreneurs with disruptive solutions to our health challenges, able to demonstrate technological feasibility and reach a POC within 9 months, relying on the use of data and AI. We will evaluate the proposals based on additional parameters, including the quality of the team, interdisciplinary thinking, experience, commitment level, learning curve, clear intended use and benefit, technical, data, IP, and regulatory requirements.

Following initial application screening, selected applicants will be invited to a pitch day, where they will present their solution. Those who advance beyond this stage will be invited to a second round of presentations. There might be a request for additional information during the evaluation process.

The investment committee reserves the right to choose none, one or more ventures for a specific topic.

The program is open only for ventures with operations conducted at or a core team based in the Designated Locations. For more details, see our 4th cohort call for proposals.

We expect each venture to have the following: a valid clinical approach, together with a structured technological proposal detailed in a POC work plan level, defined IP, and a solid team that is willing to commit to the company-building process. Additional information shall include your business model and go-to-market strategy.

The program will include full support to execute “Proof of Concept” based on data from HMOs and/or hospitals and/or Roche, mentoring, lectures and workshops, unparalleled access to leading expertise from Roche and aMoon, and more.

The program is focused on early-stage start-ups but is open to all entrepreneurs and start-ups. The focus, however, is on the development of a novel solution, and the company will need to devote the required resources, including management attention, to that end. If you have raised funding in the past, your pre/post evaluation will be shared in the submission process and will be taken into consideration.

At the end of the program, participating companies will present their POC projects to the Roche and aMoon teams. Upon successful graduation from the program, Roche and/or aMoon may consider further partnership with the venture.

The challenges chosen all represent real-world needs identified mutually by Roche and aMoon, based on in-depth analysis.

• An opportunity for collaboration with Roche, a global pioneer in personalized healthcare and the leading in-vitro diagnostics company, and aMoon, a Global healthtech VC fund, which combine their in-depth experience, know-how, and diverse resources for the benefit of participants.
• Intimate and ongoing access to experts from business units, global partnering, and affiliates within Roche
• Support with access to relevant digital datasets from leading HMOs, hospitals, and/or Roche, allowing participants to focus on R&D and save valuable time otherwise spent on locating and gaining access to data.
• Insight into real-world market needs, providing access to experts within Roche and aMoon, who will act as design partners to aid in achieving a strong product-market fit.
• Intimate cohorts of startups, allowing customization for the needs of each
  participant and personal attention to significantly increase the chances of a
  successful POC.
• Potential for post-program investment and/or partnership with Roche and/or aMoon.

Absolutely. One of the key tenets of StarFinder Lab is our active support in finding the right talent to supplement your team. However, you should not rely only on our help and are encouraged to put together the strongest possible team, as this is an important aspect of our evaluation process.

You can hear more about the program and meet the team by attending one of our exclusive Q&A sessions. There are three sessions scheduled to provide in-depth insights into the program:

1. On January 15, at 11:00 AM (IST).
2. On January 17, at 10:00 AM (EST).
3. On January 18, at the following APAC countries local times:

• 2:00 PM (SFT).
• 3:00 PM (KST).
• 5:00 PM (AEST).

Registration will open on Jan 8, 2024, and close on Feb 8, 2024, at 1 AM  (EST) / 8 AM (IST)  / 2 PM (SST) / 3 PM (KST) / 6 PM (AEST).