The idea of a Hackathon was borne of three AstraZeneca employees with a shared passion for tech, for Life Science and for doing the right thing for society! What started as a 15-minute pitch to some important stakeholders in the Tech and Life Science ecosystems is now turning into a reality. That vision to close the gender health gap has come to life in the form of the first HackHERhealth femtech innovation hackathon in April 2024.

It’s incredibly inspiring to see the genuine level of excitement and the sheer willingness of people to contribute with their time and expertise. It really highlights how dedicated the Swedish life science community is towards making the world a better place.

An initiative like this cannot be created in isolation. It is the collaborative spirit of the Life Science and Tech industries in West Sweden that have ensured the growth of the hackathon. Health Innovation West has been an invaluable platform for bringing the big players in life sciences to the table, and the link to tech networks such as Daya and AI Sweden has been seamless.

 think a hackathon is the perfect platform for crowdsourcing innovative solutions and tapping into diverse perspectives and expertise to accelerate the development of real life solutions to help bridge the gender health gap.

Why is the intersection between health and tech so important?

We believe technology is the tool that will allow us to create a more accessible and sustainable healthcare system for all. Everyday we make advances in research and increase our knowledge about good health. However, there are limiting factors for us as humans such as time, distance, language… technology can help bridge this gap.

The recent unprecedented breakthroughs in AI, for example, can create positive changes in people’s lives and tackle major health challenges. It is essential that we understand these technologies, explore their capabilities and use them wisely to make a tangible difference for those in need.

A shared vision

This is not just an issue for women, it’s for society. We believe in driving a more equitable and fair society, and we consider femtech as a way to do that. Our vision extends beyond this event, aspiring to ignite a broader movement dedicated to addressing and bridging the gender gap. It is truly inspiring to see so much passion and commitment to help make the world a better place in our own small ways.