J&J launches Philadelphia incubator to accelerate region's healthcare innovation

Johnson & Johnson has launched a life sciences networking hub in Philadelphia to help accelerate healthcare innovation in the region.

The company’s innovation division (JLABS) is working in collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania to launch its JPOD @ Philadelphia hub. Located within the University of Pennsylvania’s Pennovation Center, the JPOD is a networking hub designed to identify and accelerate the development of early-stage healthcare solutions.

The collaboration hopes that by identifying early-stage life science companies, unmet patient and consumer needs can be addressed with medical devices, pharmaceuticals, consumer and health technologies.

Training, mentoring and networking programmes will also be available to equip innovators with a mix of resources to help enable their success. More so, to help foster the next-generation of breakthroughs in healthcare innovation, JLABS and the University is launching the QuickFire Challenge.

Applicants who submit the most promising solution will be given an award to help further accelerate their innovation. Winners will also have access to educational programmes and mentoring from Johnson & Johnson experts.

Melinda Richter, global head, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS, said: “Healthcare innovators are mission driven, smart and ambitious, but their game-changing ideas have a long, risky and expensive journey to reach the patients and consumers. By providing access to the expertise and resources of the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies, we hope the innovators in Philadelphia and across Pennsylvania will increase their probability of making a difference for all of us.”

Penn vice provost for Research, Dawn Bonnell said: “This new regional resource will help translate and advance science and discovery, while lowering business, financial and operational obstacles, so that companies in the Greater Philadelphia Region can do what they do best, focus on science and bringing innovative solutions to patients.”