Calling Bright Minds in Southeast Asia, Bio Farma and MIT Hacking Medicine is Set to Revolutionize Healthcare with a 4-Day Hackathon

JAKARTA, Indonesia, July 10, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bio Farma, Indonesia's state-owned Pharmaceutical company, is collaborating with MIT Hacking Medicine to address urgent healthcare challenges in the region by holding the first-ever Bio Farma x MIT Hacking Medicine Hackathon. The 4-day event from August 24 to 27, 2023, in Bali, Indonesia, will have 200 participants consisting of students, startups, and health professionals from G20 countries and ASEAN member states.

In conjunction, an online press conference will be held on July 11, 2023, at 8:30 AM (GMT+7) via Zoom. The press conference will offer an exclusive opportunity for media representatives to engage with key stakeholders, including Bio Farma executives, MIT representatives, and healthcare experts. The speakers of the press conference include: Soleh Udin Al Ayubi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Bio Farma, Tito Daniswara, Chief Operating Officer of SBU Bio Farma, Zahra Kanji, Director of MIT Hacking Medicine, and; Dilla Ibtida, Hub Manager of Innovation Factory.

To register for the media press conference, please visit https://bit.ly/bioxmit-amasession.

The healthcare markets in Southeast Asia encompass diverse variations across the region. However, there are four major challenges that will be addressed in 2023, which include the adoption of digital solutions, implementation of cost-effective and accessible healthcare, emphasis on home care and services, and the need for sustainable financing.

"With the increasing complexities faced by the healthcare industry, it is paramount that we find solutions to preempt any problems before they grow too big to solve. By bringing in fresh perspectives that can be further refined by the leading experts in our industry, it is our hope that the hackathon will usher in a new era of medical excellence that will bring benefits to all," said Soleh Udin Al Ayubi, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Bio Farma.

Creating Comprehensive Solutions for End-to-End Healthcare Ecosystem

The Bio Farma x MIT Hacking Medicine hackathon is open to the public, students, and professionals with technological and healthcare backgrounds within the Southeast Asia region. The event aims to create innovative solutions derived from the expertise of business strategists, designers, health Professionals, patients, entrepreneurs, and developers.

Participants and their projects will be judged on the general health impact, innovation, business model, and overall presentation by the MIT team, Bio Farma, healthcare industry leaders, and seasoned professionals in the field.

"We encourage participants to form teams that include individuals from diverse backgrounds, including gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. This promotes a more inclusive environment and fosters collaboration among participants with different perspectives and experiences," added Zahra Kanji, Director of MIT Hacking Medicine.

A Competitive Platform for Healthcare Innovation

The top three winning teams will be rewarded prizes worth US$16,000 in total, including a trip to MIT Boston, sponsorship for the pilot implementation of their projects, additional funding, and even cloud vouchers.

The Bio Farma X MIT Hacking Medicine hackathon is a dynamic and collaborative initiative that creates a highly competitive platform for innovative ideation. This program is designed to encourage conceptualization, formulation, and early-stage implementation of cutting-edge ideas that have the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry. Throughout the competition, participants can count on the assistance of industry mentors and related workshops, as well as access pertinent data and information to help with their projects.

Those interested in being part of history, can find out more information and join the Bio Farma x MIT Hacking Medicine hackathon at hackathon.biofarma.co.id.

About Bio Farma

PT Bio Farma (Persero) is the largest pharmaceutical holding company in Indonesia, which offer end-to-end services in the health industry, starting from pharmaceutical-related research and development, manufacturing, distribution to the operation of pharmacy, health clinics to clinical laboratories. Bio Farma's headquarter is sitting on a 91,058 square meter of land in Bandung, West Java, which comprises office buildings and factory facilities. The company also operates a representative office in Jakarta, Indonesia's capital city. Bio Farma is capable of producing more than 3.2 billion doses of vaccines per year. The company has exported its vaccine to more than 150 countries in the world. Bio Farma became a holding company after a merger of three listed state-owned pharmaceutical companies in Indonesia. The three companies PT Bio Farma (Persero), PT Kimia Farma Tbk (KAEF), PT Indofarma Tbk (INAF), merged into Bio Farma today. For further information, please visit www.biofarma.co.id.

About MIT Hacking Medicine

MIT Hacking Medicine is a non-profit organization part of Massachusetts Institute of Technology that empowers students, healthcare professionals, and entrepreneurs to solve healthcare challenges using technology and research-based design methodology. The company hosts hackathons, workshops, and other events in Boston and around the world to bring together people from different backgrounds to collaborate, innovate, and focus on relevant challenges to implement impactful healthcare solutions.

Media Contact

Feni Febriani Hastuti, Digital Marketing Officer of Bio Farma ([email protected])
Melati Hendaryani, Community Manager of Innovation Factory, BLOCK71 Bandung ([email protected])

SOURCE Bio Farma