Spring's here, and so is something exciting at Bayer: the start of the G4A 2024 Program. Kicking off on 14 March 2024, with an onboarding event, Bayer G4A 2024 - is a 100-day open innovation program for entrepreneurs who focus on growing their business in consumer health, crop science, and pharmaceutical sector. The program is all set to bring significant benefits to startups. These include Proof of Concept (POC) and partnership opportunities within Bayer's global network, access to more than 250 mentors from 30 countries, and startup perks worth up to $300,000. Three of the selected startups will receive a ₺300,000 grant. Furthermore, the startups also will gain valuable insights into new markets, access to funding and VC, connections with global partners and accelerators, and a robust mentorship structure.

As we welcomed the newest group of thinkers and doers to the program this year, it felt like a fresh start—a new group of people with big dreams ready to roll up their sleeves and get to work. So, what's this all about? It's simple: innovation, growth, and making a difference. As we progress with the G4A 2024 Program, we're excited to see where these ideas will go and how they'll improve things.

Getting to Know the Family: The Onboarding Event

Bayer G4A 2024 officially started on 14 March 2024 with an onboarding event. Zeynep Yıldırım and İlayda Akın from Hackquarters by Tenity, set the stage with a warm, welcoming speech, outlining the role of Hackquarters by Tenity and the tangible benefits that the selected startups could expect to receive. She also delved into the program's specifics. Her talk provided a detailed roadmap of the program's processes, setting clear expectations for the startups and preparing them for the journey ahead.

Following this, Melis Soylu, G4A Program Manager at Bayer Turkiye, took center stage. She underscored the significance of the Bayer G4A Program, reiterating the welcome to the selected startups and highlighting the numerous benefits they would receive throughout the program's duration.

The mentors came next, sharing their industry experiences and enthusiasm for the program. Their insights served as an invaluable resource for the startups, painting a picture of what they could expect and how they could maximize their engagement with the program.

Since 2018, Bayer G4A has received over 1400 applications, 43 selected to the program, and provided over 130 hours of training along with 500+ mentorship sessions. The program has also facilitated approximately ₺4 million of Bayer ecosystem support.

This year, Program team screened 217 startups, with 14 in the pipeline and 5 selected for the program.

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Setting the Stage for Success: Goals and Focus for 2024

This year, Bayer G4A has set its sights high, not just in terms of what we want to achieve but how we plan to get there. The heart of the program is about more than just growth; it's about meaningful impact. It's about fostering connections that aren't just beneficial but transformative for the startups involved.

Exploring the Right Connections

A big part of this journey is encouraging startups to dive deep into the innovation ecosystems. But it's about more than just making any connection; it's about finding the right ones. The ones that open doors offer new perspectives and even challenge the status quo. These connections can come from anywhere – other startups in the program, mentors, industry experts, or potential partners. The aim is to build a network that supports, inspires, and pushes each startup to achieve more.

The Power of Proof of Concept (PoC)

A specific focus area this year is the potential for PoC with Bayer. It's a chance for startups to test their solutions in real-world scenarios, get feedback, and refine their approach. It's about proving that their idea doesn't just work in theory but can make a real difference in practice.

₺300,000 Grant

In a move to further empower the participant startups, three of the selected startups will receive a ₺300,000 grant, underscoring our belief in their potential to create meaningful change. This support is designed to accelerate their growth, enabling them to scale their solutions and make an even greater impact.

Workshops, Training, and Beyond

The workshops and training sessions are meticulously designed to cover every base – from technical skills to business acumen, from understanding market needs to mastering the art of the pitch. Each session is a building block, helping startups construct a solid foundation for their future growth.

But it's the mentorship that often makes the most significant impact. Access to a mentor who has been there, done that, and is willing to share their wisdom is invaluable. It's a relationship that can change a startup's trajectory, offering insights you can't find anywhere else.

Next up, we're shining a spotlight on the startups themselves. These five companies are at the heart of everything we're doing this year. Their innovation, passion, and drive are what Bayer G4A 2024 is all about. Let's get to know them.

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Meet the selected startups for Bayer G4A 2023:

Afara: provides productivity-based field data that can be autonomously controlled by detecting the cotton spilled on the ground after cotton harvesting with image processing method and collecting it with vacuum collection systems with its agricultural robot.

CorPal Health: brings the artificial intelligence-supported holistic rehabilitation platform specially developed for diseases that require long-term follow-up to patients' mobile devices, enabling them to access personalized content and psychological support, and to do the right exercises whenever and wherever they want.

Eczita: is a digital wallet application aims to make the customer shopping experience of brands and pharmacies more efficient. It enables users to access the right product at a more affordable price from pharmacies in the categories of mother & baby, personal care, dermocosmetics and food supplements by bringing the campaigns created by brands through their panels to the end user in pharmacies where they are valid.

O- Asistan: facilitates the monitoring, tracking and management of the treatment process through the mobile application with its smart chemotherapy calendar, medication reminders, side effect management and second expert opinion features for patients, patient relatives and doctors in the field of oncology and hematology, and provides faster access to doctors.

Relate: offers personalized solutions with scientific content prepared by expert psychologists, habit and emotion tracking features, enabling users to feel better and improve themselves.

Congratulations to all the startups on their selection!

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Connect With Us for More

To dive deeper into the Bayer G4A 2024 adventure and to keep up with the exciting developments, visit our program website. Here, you'll find detailed information about the program, our mission, and the incredible startups that are part of this year's journey. It's also your gateway to resources, insights, and stories of innovation that are shaping the future of health and agriculture.

Let's Connect and Collaborate

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned innovator, or simply someone who believes in the power of technology to transform lives, there's a place for you in our community.

So, take the step. Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, and be part of the conversation that's driving real change in the world. Together, we can achieve the extraordinary.