AsianScientist (Sep. 6, 2016) – Korean startup Vital Smith was selected as one of the four final winners from Bayer’s global open innovation program, Grants4Apps Accelerator 2016, thanks to their saliva-based smart ovulation tester, b bless.
The winning teams will receive EUR50,000 (~US$55,770) and mentoring by Bayer managers and external entrepreneurs at the Bayer Pharmaceuticals headquarters in Berlin, Germany.
b bless is designed for women to provide an easier and more accurate way of measuring their ovulation periods through a smartphone application. According to Bayer, the device has a high degree of accuracy, convenience and sanitation compared to other existing alternatives, such as urine tests. b bless users merely need to place their saliva on the film of the tester and insert the film onto the camera lens of their personal mobile phone.
Bayer’s Grants4Apps Accelerator, now in its third year, is a global open innovation program that identifies and supports innovative digital health projects and startups. This year, four startups from Korea, Ghana, Germany and Hungary were selected from more than 400 projects submitted from 170 cities in 66 countries.
“We are excited that the Grants4Apps Accelerator program is so well accepted around the world and we welcome the first startup from Korea this year,” said Mr. Kemal Malik, a member of Bayer AG’s board of management.
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Source: Bayer AG.
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