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Pfizer Korea (President Oh Dong-wook) held the award ceremony for the 3rd 'Pfizer Digital Open Innovation' contest on the 13th at The Plaza Hotel in Seoul.

Hosted by the Established Medicines (EM) division of Pfizer Korea, this year's 3rd 'Pfizer Digital Open Innovation' contest aimed to explore improved health management and medical service environments based on digital technology and platforms, and to contribute to creating a healthier Korean society by providing innovative healthcare solutions.

Starting with the application process in September, the contest ran for about five months and saw participation from 115 teams, recording a high competition rate of 23 to 1. A variety of solutions were presented that innovatively address various health issues of the aging era, including geriatric diseases, chronic conditions, and menopause, through digital integration.

In particular, this contest provided an 'Idea Nurturing Session' with experts for participants who passed the document review and first-round interviews. A total of seven expert advisors from healthcare, social welfare, and startup investment fields were assigned to each team, facilitating in-depth discussions to refine participants' ideas through active two-way communication. Additionally, a lecture and Q&A session with Kang Sung-ji, CEO of healthcare wearable startup WELT, were conducted to discuss innovative healthcare solutions using digital technology.

Pfizer Korea selected a total of five teams as the final winners, including one grand prize, one gold, one silver, and two bronze teams, based on criteria such as innovation (40%), social contribution (30%), and feasibility (30%).

The grand prize was awarded to the 'Back Keeper' team, which proposed an idea to prevent chronic back pain by maintaining correct posture through an Internet of Things (IoT) service. The gold prize went to the 'Itchtector' team, which introduced an itching relief solution with an algorithm quantifying the body parts and behaviors of itching patients. The silver prize was awarded to the 'Heart Post Office' team, which suggested an SNS application that induces treatment for adolescent depression through the formation of a social network between parents and children. The bronze prizes were awarded to two teams: 'Kongdak', which introduced an application supporting health management by preemptively preventing musculoskeletal diseases and pain using big data and complementing existing treatments, and 'Ring of Ajou', which presented a band-type smoking detection sensor and application that analyzes smoking actions to convey the accumulated harmful information of smoking and encourage quitting.

The five winning teams, including the grand and gold prize winners, were awarded a total of 20 million won in prize money, and opportunities for summer internships at Pfizer Korea are also expected to be offered.

Lee Hye-young, Vice President of the Established Medicines (EM) division at Pfizer Korea, stated, "We were able to successfully conclude the 3rd 'Pfizer Digital Open Innovation Contest,' which lasted five months with enthusiastic interest and support. Pfizer Korea will continue to support the discovery of innovative solutions and the realization of valuable ideas through the Digital Open Innovation Contest, and will do our best to create a healthier Korean society in various health management areas, including chronic diseases."

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