Put it to the Test: Design the Future of Point of Care Testing

This Challenge is open to adults from the ages of 18 to 34 years who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

What is this Challenge about?

Until recently, diagnostic tests could only be performed in laboratories.  But now devices have become smarter and increasingly portable, allowing tests to be performed almost anywhere: pharmacies, drive-through testing locations, or even in our own homes.

Easier access to testing is especially critical for America’s underserved populations, who face systemic and institutional obstacles that have historically prevented them from getting the care they need. Thermo Fisher Scientific is committed to closing this health disparities gap. We launched The Just Project to facilitate the safe reopening of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) by providing the instruments, kits and testing infrastructure to bring COVID-19 testing programs to all partner HBCUs at no cost. And this is just the beginning.

Base 11 and Thermo Fisher Scientific are inviting you to imagine how Point of Care testing can transform the future of American healthcare, while saving lives in our communities.

Why should you participate?

Participating in this challenge gives you a unique opportunity to develop a human-centered, equitable vision of the future of healthcare in America. The research you will perform and the critical thought process you will demonstrate in creating a winning submission will hone the skill sets that future employers want to see in the rising generation of talent.

Your submission may also lead to prizes and potential internship/employment opportunities from the sponsor. 

Thermo Fisher is committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace and wants this challenge to provide promising future scientists, statisticians, data analysts, and software developers a chance to get noticed.

Innovation is at the heart of progress. If you think your innovation can make a positive impact on society, then join the challenge!

What will you do?

This challenge asks you to consider how Point of Care technology could change the lives and health of people. You will envision a novel Point of Care solution that addresses a healthcare disparity, and share that vision with the judging team.

Your idea may be submitted to one of the following categories:

• Point of Care Products: how can we use existing or emerging Point of Care testing technology to address an unmet need?
• Point of Care Services: how can we better leverage organizations to deliver more consistent access to necessary healthcare services?

You don’t have to do this on your own! If you decide to form a team with up to two other competitors, you will get an opportunity to create a stronger submission through your teammates’ complementary skill sets and viewpoints. 

Up to 9 solutions will win prizes. Yours could be among them!

Intrigued? Then hop on over to the Guidelines Tab to learn more about participating!

This Challenge is open to adults from the ages of 18 to 34 years who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States.

Background

The Problem

In America, a person’s background and circumstances can directly impact their ability to receive quality healthcare. Tens of thousands of Americans die every year due to lack of health insurance. Many of the 28 million people currently without insurance live in underserved communities, and may be:

• Unable to afford health insurance or healthcare
• Unenrolled in coverage
• Living in poverty
• Lacking consistent access to healthcare providers
• Dealing with legal obstacles, like being undocumented
• Unable to get to medical appointments because of restrictive work schedules or lack of transportation
• Living in an area with no local healthcare providers
• Unable to access internet / technology
• Distrustful of government programs or nervous about disclosing personal information
• Facing cultural and language barriers

These systemic and institutional obstacles create a devastating domino effect. Affected populations get diagnosed late, postpone care, struggle to manage chronic conditions, and are at increased risk of poor health outcomes and additional health disparities. 

The Opportunity

Point of Care technology is a booming business. The global Point of Care Testing (POCT) market exceeded $24.2B in 2019 and is growing steadily. This growth has created exciting opportunities to increase access to testing, because tests can now be done less expensively, more accurately, and more quickly. They’ve also become much more convenient, which means they can be offered in locations like pharmacies or even in a patient’s own home.

Recent developments in Point of Care technology include:

• New technology: connected, cloud-based testing with remote monitoring
• New tests: cancer biomarker detection; cardio metabolic testing to address increasing diabetes and obesity rates
• Increased access: cheaper, faster / instant tests; at-home tests delivered via common shipping carriers

COVID-19 turbo-charged innovation in this space. The US FDA issued emergency-use authorizations for new tests that were widely available to consumers. One example is the Thermo Fisher Scientific Accula™, a palm-sized device which provides test results within 30 minutes.

Thermo Fisher Scientific believes now is the time to maximize the full potential of POCT for a wide range of more convenient medical testing, and is seeking diverse ideas to make POCT more accessible for underserved populations. 

The Challenge

You don’t need to be an expert to participate in this challenge. We’re looking for people who empathize deeply with this problem, want to explore it more thoroughly, believe that more access to medical testing can improve the future of healthcare, and can communicate a clear idea / vision.

Challenge Categories:

Your idea may be submitted to one of the following categories:

• Point of Care Products: how can we use existing or emerging Point of Care testing technology to address an unmet need?
• Point of Care Services: how can we better leverage organizations to deliver more consistent access to necessary healthcare services?

Your submission should:

1. Identify and describe an underserved group of people in America who share a critical need.
   1. Products category: They might live in the same city / geographic location or they might not, but they share the same illness or medical concern.
   2. Services category: They should be a community in a specific geographic location that has access barriers due to location, ethnicity, or another common factor.
2. Summarize the online or in-person research you’ve done to more thoroughly understand this population and the problems they face.
   1. Explain why they are unable to access adequate healthcare.
   2. Describe how lack of care has affected them.
3. Describe a vision for using Point of Care Technology to solve a key problem for people in this population. Your vision should be attainable within 1-3 years.
   1. Products category: 
      1. Your idea should identify a new use of an existing product.
      2. If your idea involves the use of a product by non-medical personnel, make sure that anyone with limited technical knowledge or limited access to technology could still be successful.
   2. Services category:
      1. Your idea should identify a way to use existing community organizations and services to deliver Point of Care testing to people in this population.
         1. Identify specific groups and organizations within the community that share the goal of increasing access to necessary services.
         2. Discuss the services or resources these organizations offer which could be used in a new way to provide Point of Care Testing services to the community.
         3. Discuss how these organizations could help overcome existing attitudes or behaviors that cause people to be wary of medical testing.
         4. Think about the resources the organizations have (staff, other activities, physical space) and how those could help your idea without negatively impacting the important work they already do.
4. Explain the impact your idea will have on the population you’ve chosen to focus on, and describe how it will help them overcome their current lack of access to needed medical services.
   1. Try to quantify this impact, both for the target population and for the healthcare market.
   2. Optionally, share proof-of-concept data showing implementation and testing of your proposed solution.
5. Name a non-profit organization who currently helps this population. If you are selected as a winner, Thermo Fisher Scientific will donate to this group on your team’s behalf.
6. Include a 2-3 minute video.
   1. Clearly communicate your research, the people you are helping, the problem you chose to focus on, and your proposed solution.
   2. Be succinct! No more than 3 minutes.
   3. Have fun with this! Creativity and enthusiasm are highly encouraged.

Examples of successful product-related solutions might be:

• Using pre-existing Point of Care urinalysis devices at-home to predict UTIs in communities with children who do not have transportation to a doctor or clinic.
• Using smartphone EKG monitoring for cardiac patients in a remote location (But remember, you need to consider how the community you’re focusing on will access and use smartphones.)

Examples of successful service-related solutions might be:

• Repurposing pop-up COVID testing sites in a city to offer ongoing blood glucose testing and monitoring for people with diabetes.
• Using local churches in a neighborhood for community wellness visits, to conduct routine blood tests that will provide early detection of cancer, diabetes, and other health risks to people who currently delay their healthcare.

Prize

Giving back to the community
 

2 winning product solution teams

• 1st place: the team/individual will be awarded $1500; another $1500 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the team’s winning submission
• 2nd place: the team/individual will be awarded $750; another $750 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the team’s winning submission

2 winning service solution teams

• 1st place: the team/individual will be awarded $1500; another $1500 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the team’s winning submission
• 2nd place: the team/individual will be awarded $750; another $750 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the team’s winning submission

5 Honorable mentions 

• Up to 5 additional teams will receive $200 (per team) in Amazon gift cards. These will be distributed between product and service submissions at the judges’ discretion.

Teams may consist of up to 3 people; cash prizes awarded to a team will be divided evenly among its members.

Eligible members of the 1st and 2nd place teams in each category (the Challenge Winners) will also be guaranteed an interview with Thermo Fisher Scientific. Other entrants who submit exceptional entries may also be invited to meet with Thermo Fisher Scientific at the Sponsor’s discretion.

The nonprofit organizations nominated by the winning teams must be related to aiding the community (or communities) identified in the challenge submission. The nonprofit must also be a registered 501(c) organization, recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service. 

See the Official Rules section below for more information about eligibility, prizes, and restrictions.

Timeline

Open to submissions                July 6, 2021

Submission deadline                October 28, 2021 @ 5pm ET

Judging Process                        October 28 - November 22, 2021

Winners Announced                 November 23, 2021

How do I win?

To be eligible for an award, your proposal must, at minimum:

• Satisfy the Judging Criteria requirements
• Thoughtfully address the Submission Form questions
• Be scored higher than your competitors!

Judging Criteria

Tips 

• Stretch your thinking! Finding new uses for existing products and services is a fundamental part of successful innovation. Show how original you can be.
• Make sure your video is fun to watch and helps the judges understand why you care about this challenge.
• Keep an eye on the 2-3 minute time limit. Videos longer than 3 minutes will not be considered for judging.

Put it to the Test: Design the Future of Point of Care Testing Challenge 

Official Rules

1. How to apply: 

The Put it to the Test: Design the Future of Point of Care Testing Challenge (the “Challenge”) is void wherever prohibited or where registration or bonding is required, and is subject to all applicable laws. To participate in the Challenge, you must submit your application  (“Application”) at www.HeroX.com. All required information on the Application form must be completed. All Applications must be submitted in English. The Application must be received by Sponsor before 5:00 PM US Eastern Time on August 24, 2021 October 28, 2021 (“Application Period”). No late submissions will be accepted. This challenge allows only one submission per individual/team. By applying, you represent that you are not prohibited by employment, law, regulation, or the policies or practices of your institution or employer from participating. No purchase or payment of any kind is necessary to enter or win the competition

2. Participation Eligibility:

This Challenge is only open to adults who are at least 18 years of age and no more than 34 years of age, who are also citizens or permanent residents of the United States (“Applicant” or “Applicants”). Applications can be made by individuals, private teams, public teams, and collegiate teams. Applications by a Team can consist of up to 3 individuals and must designate a Team Captain in the submission form.  Submissions must be made in English. All challenge-related communication will be in English. Each Application must be an Applicant’s original idea. Any indication of copying or plagiarism is grounds for disqualification. Applicant warrants that they have obtained any necessary permission to submit an Application to this Program and authorization from their employer or responsible supervisor.

No specific qualifications or expertise in the field of Point of Care Testing is required. Prize organizers encourage outside individuals and non-expert teams to compete and propose new solutions. 

Determination of eligibility is at Sponsor’s sole discretion. Affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising, promotion, and fulfillment agencies of Sponsor, and immediate family members and employees, officers and directors of Sponsor or those living in their same household, are not eligible to participate. By entering, Applicants give permission to Sponsor to contact them about its products and services, whether or not Applicant is selected to receive an award. 

Individual Healthcare Professionals (HCPs) may not participate in this promotion. The term Healthcare Professionals or HCPs includes individuals (clinical or non-clinical physicians, physician assistants, nurses, technicians, research coordinators, administrators and purchasing personnel) and entities (including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, nursing facilities, home health agencies, clinics and group purchasing organizations, managed care organizations, physician group practices, medical directors for health insurance organizations) and their employees and representatives who are involved in the actual provision of health care services. 

Government Officials outside of North America may not participate in this promotion.  The Term Government Official includes anyone who acts in an official capacity for or on behalf of a government entity, department or agency.  

Void in Quebec, Australia, India, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, in any country as listed on this webpage,  and where prohibited, licensed, or restricted by federal, state, provincial, or local laws, regulations, or agency/institutional policy. 

3. Challenge Cancellation:

There must be a minimum of ten (10) eligible submissions received by the close of the Application Period in order for this Challenge to proceed to the stage where Applications will be reviewed by a panel of judges. If a minimum of ten (10) eligible applications are not received by the close of the Application Period, this Challenge will be cancelled. Should the Challenge be cancelled, an announcement will be posted in the Updates Tab of the Challenge Page and an email will be sent to each Applicant to notify them that the Challenge has been cancelled, in which case there shall be no Winner.

In the event that none of the submissions meet the Judging Criteria, the Sponsor will award the following consolation prizes to the Applicants that score the highest:

• Consolation Prize 1: $500
• Consolation Prize 2: $500

4. Notification and Obligations:

The winning Applicants or, if submitting as a team, the Team Captain designated in the Application, of the Challenge (“Winners”) will be notified before the Winners Announcement date. By participating, Winners and Applicants agree to the Official Rules, and the determination of each Winner by Sponsor, which shall be final and binding in all respects. The winning Applicants will be required to execute and return a Shared IP Agreement, Affidavit of Eligibility, Release of Liability, and Publicity Release (as applicable and where permitted by applicable law). Each document must be signed and returned to the Sponsor within 14 days of notification attempt. If a Winner fails to return these documents or provide any other reasonably requested information necessary to award the prize, administer these Official Rules or comply with applicable laws by the deadline, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate recipient will be determined, based on the criteria set forth below. 

5.   Selection of Winners:

All applications will be judged per the Judging Criteria as set forth below, for a total maximum of 100 points. In the case of a tie, the Winner(s) will be selected based on an additional round of voting from the Judges. No information regarding judging or selections will be disclosed.

Judging Criteria

6.   Prize:

Up to 9 total Winners will be selected to receive Prizes as set forth below:

Winning Point of Care Products Applicants:

• 1st place: $1500 and $1500 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the Applicant’s submission
• 2nd place: $750 and $750 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the Applicant’s submission

Winning Point of Care Services Applicants:

• 1st place: $1500 another $1500 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in Applicant’s submission
• 2nd place: $750 and $750 will be donated to the nonprofit organization named in the Applicant’s submission

5 Honorable mentions 

• Up to 5 additional teams will receive $200 (per team) in Amazon gift cards. These will be distributed between product and service submissions at the judges’ discretion.

Eligible members of the 1st and 2nd place teams in each category (the Challenge Winners) will also be guaranteed an interview with Thermo Fisher Scientific. Other entrants who submit exceptional entries may also be invited to meet with Thermo Fisher Scientific at the Sponsor’s discretion.

For a winning team/individual’s nominated nonprofit organization to be eligible for the prize-donation, the nominee must be a registered 501(c) organization, recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service. The Challenge Sponsor reserves the right to approve and/or deny any nonprofit organization nominated by a winning competitor. In the event that a winning team’s nonprofit organization is not approved by the Challenge Sponsor, a comparable organization will be found to receive the donation in its stead.

The Applicants or, if submitting as a team, the Team Captain as designated in the Application will be the Recipient of the prize monies. The Applicant’s or Team Captain’s name must also match the Authorized Person on the receiving Bank Account or email account. No changes are permitted to the prize Recipient after the Submission Deadline date. It is the Team Captain’s sole responsibility to distribute and split the Prize among team members. If you wish to change who would receive the prize monies, those changes must be completed prior to the Submission Deadline. View our Knowledge Base article here for how to change Team Captains.

TAXES, INCLUDING SALES, FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL TAX, IF ANY, RELATED TO THE AWARD ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNERS AND SPONSOR WILL, IF APPLICABLE, ISSUE A 1099-MISC TO THE WINNER. The prize is not transferable; no substitutions or cash equivalents are allowed except by Sponsor. The Sponsor will be responsible for customs clearance and any related charges. No responsibility or liability is assumed for damages, losses or injury resulting from participation in the acceptance or use of any prize. All other expenses and costs not expressly listed above are the Applicant’s sole responsibility.

7.   General Rules:

By participating in the Challenge or submitting an Application, every participant agrees to these Official Rules. The determination of the Winner by Sponsor shall be final and binding in all respects. No information regarding judging or selection will be disclosed.

Every Applicant and the Winner must ensure full transparency within its employer and institution.

Return of any Prize or Prize notification as undeliverable may result in disqualification and alternate determination. By participating in this Challenge, participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, and that information provided is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy, available here.  Sponsor is not responsible for technical, hardware, software or telephone malfunctions of any kind; lost or unavailable network connections; or failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled or delayed electronic communications caused by the participant or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in this Challenge, or by any human error that may occur in the processing of the online Application in this Challenge. 

Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any participant who tampers or attempts to tamper with the Application process or the operation of the Challenge or website; violates the Official Rules; engages in activities that would reflect poorly on the Sponsor or the Challenge at the Sponsor’s sole discretion; or acts in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Challenge may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. 

Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Challenge if it is not capable of running as planned due to circumstances including, but not limited to, infection by computer virus, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures or any other problems beyond the control of Sponsor. Sponsor and each of its respective affiliates, officers, directors, agents and employees will have no liability or responsibility for any claim arising in connection with participation in this Challenge or any prize. Every participant assumes all liability and responsibility for any injury or damage caused, or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Challenge, use or redemption of any prize, or the performance of any activities outlined in any Application. Sponsor has no liability for any costs incurred by participants in entering this Challenge.

8.   Choice Of Law; Venue:

Any ambiguity regarding these Official Rules shall be resolved by Sponsor at its sole discretion. Any legal disputes in connection with this Program will be resolved in the appropriate courts in San Diego, California, and will be subject to the laws of California, exclusive of its conflicts of laws principles.

9.   Sponsor:

The Sponsor of the Program is Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.