Applications for Bupa’s 2024 eco-Disruptive program, which is open to start-ups in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, close next Monday, September 2.
The program gives selected startups with £25,000 (A$49,000) in initial funding and then £200,000 (A$390,000) if they win Bupa’s global eco-Disruptive competition.
That’s been done by Australian startup already – in 2022, Cassava Bags which is using plant-based materials to cut plastic waste with 100% natural biodegradable bags that dissolve in water in minutes, won the global prize and Bupa also became a key client of their product.
The program gives entrepreneurs a platform to showcase their solutions, offering the finalists a mix of financial support, marketing expertise and networking opportunities.
The theme this year is healthy societies, spanning three challenge areas, with two startups chosen for each one.
They are:
Challenge 1: Inclusive Health: Creating solutions for people with limited access or support for their healthcare needs.
Challenge 2: Supporting Disability: Creating solutions that consider the challenges of those living with a disability.
Challenge 3: Illness Prevention: Creating solutions aimed at preventing illness and reducing the need for unnecessary medical interventions.
The health insurer’s chief sustainability officer, Roger Sharp, said the eco-Disruptive program has supported 18 environmentally-focused startups across Asia Pacific since its launch in 2021. Here are the six local startups chosen for the program last year.
“This year we feel the time is right for a wider focus, to a program that not only brings opportunities for innovation and sustainability but also to engage startups that are focused on creating healthy societies through the themes of inclusive health, supporting disability and illness prevention,” Sharp said.
“By focusing on these areas, we can help improve peoples access to healthcare, when they need it. By doing so we can also help prevent the need for more significant health care in the future which in turn reduces the impact of the health sector on the environment.”
Earlier this year Bupa launched $20 million VC fund to back Australian healthcare startups from Seed to Series A.
More on the 2024 eco-Disruptive program here or apply to be a part of it here.
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