OPENBRIDGE COVID-19: CALL PROVIDES UP TO $20 MILLION TO INNOVATIONS RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC

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 OPENBRIDGE COVID-19: CALL PROVIDES UP TO $20 MILLION TO INNOVATIONS RESPONDING TO THE PANDEMIC

The initiative is organized by Know Hub Chile, Open Beauchef and Santander X, and seeks to transfer technologies that solve problems identified by health institutions themselves. Applications until May 18.

«The pandemic forces us to look for new ways to deal with the day by day situation. First requirement is innovation to face it and to achieve a life quality standard», Dr. Pablo Gallardo, Director of the Geriatrics National Institute (INGER), states, the only Public Health Institution in Chile focused exclusively on elderly adults, the most severely hit population by the coronavirus. In that regard, ‘, OpenBridge Covid-19’ arises, an initiative organized by Know Hub Chile; Open Beauchef, of the University of Chile, and Santander X, which seeks to finance innovators able to provide solutions from this field in three thematic areas gathered by INGER and the University of Chile Clinical Hospital: Personal Protection Equipment; Cleaning, Asepsis and Disinfection Technologies, and Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) OpenBridge Covid-19 will finance with up to $20 million three initiatives developed by researchers, research teams and/or entrepreneurs linked to Know Hub Chile partner institutions, such as University of Bio-Bio. This programme aims at transferring technologies or research results which can solve problems defined in the thematic axes, within three months (four max.) «The call has three distinctive hallmarks, conceived to fight the COVID-19. First, we seek to respond to real, focused and concrete needs at front line health centres. Secondly, it´s about a collaborative effort, where we articulate 11 institutions devoted to research. And thirdly, the purpose of financing this call is particularly to transform research results into useful innovation for these health centres», Fernando Venegas, Know Hub Chile Technology Transfer Manager, explains. Besides, Open Bridge Covid19 is offering the ‘Santander X Award’: Three technologies or research results in their early development stages, coming exclusively from undergraduate and post graduate students from Know Hub partner institutions. The winners will get $2 million each. «Many innovators possess the training and the skills, the expertise to assess complex problems and offer technological resources and practical aid products to the society. That’s why we are inviting them to apply for OpenBridge Covid-2019», Dr. Rodrigo Cornejo, Head of the Critical Patient Unit at University of Chile Clinical Hospital, points out. Applications until May 18. Click here: https://santanderx.com/calls/openbridge-covid-19/5ea5dce204debb001432492b About Organising Institutions Know Hub Chile Associative entity which seeks to support development in Chile towards a society and an economy based on knowledge, collaborating with its 11 associates and the ecosystem in order to turn science and technology into innovation. In doing so, among other programmes, it is assisted by Know Hub Bridge, which supports maturity and introduction of new products or technology services into the market, derived from research results by Know Hub Chile partners: Universities of Los Lagos, Austral, Catholic of Temuco, Bio-Bio, Talca, Catholic of Maule, of Chile, and Metropolitan Technology, apart from Agricultural Research Institute (INIA), Processed Food Centre (CEAP) and the Biomedical Neuroscience Institute (BNI). OpenBeauchef OpenBeauchef mission, at University of Chile Faculty of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, is to generate meeting and collaborative spaces for academics, students, researchers and entrepreneurs where Science-Technology based innovation and entrepreneurship can be empowered on the support to projects and ventures, the generation of products based on a manufacturing culture and on innovation and technology transfer. Santander X Santander Bank owns the Higher Education Support Programme (PAES), which purpose is contributing to prepare future professionals in the globalisation context, and where entrepreneurship plays a key role. For this reason, this financial institution developed Santander X International Project, to support the development of new ideas, seeking to solve industrial and social issues.