Terms and Conditions of the Competition


The participation in the competition “Building Bridges, Beating Cancer” is subject to the acceptance of the following terms and conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”).

Organizer, object and timing

The competition called “Building Bridges, Beating Cancer” (the “Competition”) is being conducted by Novartis Pharma AG, registered in Switzerland and located at Lichtstrasse 35, CH-4056 Basel, Switzerland (hereinafter “Novartis”), together with [ScanBalt’s details] (hereinafter “ScanBalt”) through the website www.biome.novartis.com (the “Website”), hosted by Novartis.

Cancer is not one disease, but a constellation of diseases of immense complexity which manifests in many different forms and cannot be solved through a one-size-fits-all approach.  

Cancer is a policy priority for Europe, fast becoming N°1 killer, and it is a societal issue with profound human effect on patients, care givers, family and friends. It also has a profound social and economic impact as it takes people in the prime of their lives, while they are wage earners supporting their families, raising children, building toward their dreams and aspirations in life impacting with a domino effect on stability and future well-being. 

In 2020 alone, 2.7 million people in the EU were diagnosed with cancer and 1.3 million people lost their lives to it. If nothing changes as to how we prevent, diagnose and treat cancer, the number of cases is set to increase by 24% within 15 years, making it the leading cause of death in the EU1.

As cancer cases rise, inequalities in care and treatment will grow as well. The probability of receiving a timely diagnosis and surviving the disease differs greatly across Europe due to major inequities in access to cancer knowledge, prevention, diagnostics, treatments, and care. 

Cancer is a health crisis which must be addressed. As a result of the pandemic, we have witnessed the power collaboration and inclusion hold to overcome significant health challenges by approaching them as a social responsibility. Tackling the cancer crisis in Europe will require the same mindset shift towards trust and cooperation across all stakeholders, including institutions, industry, academia, and patient groups.

To identify and support the best practices to challenge the cancer crisis in Europe, ScanBalt and Novartis are co-organizing a hackathon which will focus on innovative solutions which bridge the differences and inequalities in access to treatment in the EU.

The Competition identifies and embraces projects and ideas that aim to improve the cancer care across Europe. Novartis and ScanBalt believe in this community and want to stimulate innovation and encourage new technologies, ideas and projects that can address some of the challenges faced by those living with cancer, caregivers, healthcare professionals, payers and healthcare systems. The Terms and Conditions govern the process of the Competition and the award of the Prizes to the Winners (capitalized terms as defined below). 

Participants can take part in the Competition from 09.00 CET on September 22nd, 2021 till 15.00 CET November 26th, 2021 both inclusive.

The Competition consists of two nominations:

  • Top Project: Present an existing initiative which has significantly contributed to breaking barriers towards access to therapies and care. The Top Projects Competition will start on September 22nd, 2021 09.00 CET and finish at 09.00 CET on November 22nd, 2021 when the winners will be announced during the Hackathon Week Opening Ceremony.
  • Hackathon: Register as an individual or as a team to collaborate and hack a challenge presented by the cancer crisis. The Hackathon Week Competition will start at 09.00 CET on November 22nd, 2021 and finish at 15.00 CET on November 26th, 2021 following the prize unveiling event and Closing Ceremony.

The Top Projects segment of the Competition will give visibility to initiatives which have contributed to breaking barriers towards access to therapies and can serve as inspiration to our sector and beyond.

The Hackathon segment of the Competition aims  to define new and effective ideas to reduce inequalities as defined in the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan: inequality in access to cancer knowledge, prevention, diagnosis and care; among and between states; inequalities associated to gender, socio-economical status and distance from main locations. 

The Hackathon segment of the Competition will occur over the course of several days, during which teams working together in virtual setting will hack one of the following challenges: 

  1. How can data & Digital tools help in bridging the gap of inequalities* in and among member states? 
  2. How can we strengthen Health Systems to lower barriers to healthcare delivery**beyond product affordability?
  3. How can we activate civil society to engage more effectively in prevention, early detection and treatment of cancer?

Teams can be made up of different people from different countries or groups. Individuals are also invited to register as solo Participants and will be matched with a team for participation.

Following the start of the Hackathon, teams will be paired with a mentor to help guide and develop the project before submission. Mentors will be available to the team during the hackathon leading up to submission deadlines to provide expert insight on content, strategy, and presentation techniques.

Hackathon mentors are experienced individuals invited to volunteer a few hours of their time to help hackathon teams (hackers) have meaningful experiences. Mentors can be reached out directly from the teams during the event or can virtually circulate around the groups offering feedback and support. Mentors have clear areas of expertise (e.g. Data Analytics, Digital, Finance, Business Pitch...) so the teams can easily understand which help can be provided and from who.

Any question Participants may have regarding the Competition or these Terms and Conditions should be directed to [email protected] to participate in the Competition

Subject to the conditions specified herein, Participants who enter this Competition can be either individuals or legal entities (the “Participant(s)”). Individuals must be over 18 years old and legal entities must be duly incorporated under the applicable laws of their respective country.

Country of residence can be anywhere in European Economic Area, except where participation is prohibited by local law. Participants must enter the competition by completing all elements requested in the form hosted on www.biome.novartis.com in the English language.

Individuals cannot enter this Competition as a Participant if they are:

  • (i) an employee (or a first-degree relative of an employee) of Novartis, ScanBalt or any of their affiliates.
  • (ii) an employee (or a first-degree relative of an employee) of the companies, publicity agencies or promotion agencies involved in this Competition, or an employee of any of their affiliates.
  • (iii) involved (or are a first-degree relative of anyone involved) in the selection of the Finalists and Winners (as defined below).
  • (iv) public officials in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
  • (v) not fully owning the Proposal presented and/or do not have the right to use intellectual property rights that may be associated with the Proposal.

Legal entities cannot enter this Competition as a Participant if they are:

  • (i) under the Control of Novartis, ScanBalt, any of their affiliates or an employee (or a first-degree relative of an employee) of Novartis or ScanBalt. “Control” for the purpose of this section shall mean the direct or indirect ownership of more than fifty percent of the equity interest in such corporation or business entity, or the ability in fact to control the management decisions of such corporation or business entity.
  • (ii) Or under control of the multinational Pharmaceuticals corporations as the Competition is meant to bring broader visibility and opportunities to smaller realities such as Start Up or small/medium players in the healthcare field.
  • (iii) under the Control of the companies, publicity agencies or promotion agencies involved in this Competition, or any of their affiliates.
  • (iv) under the Control of anyone involved (or a first-degree relative of anyone involved) in the selection of the Competition Finalists and Winners (as defined below).
  • (v) under the Control of any individual or entities excluded per the exclusion criteria stated above or several such individuals or entities together.
  • (vi) not fully owning the Proposal and/or the right to use the intellectual property rights that may be associated with the Proposal.

Participant agrees to be subject to a background check as part of the selection process described below. Such background checks will be conducted to ensure Participant is not engaged in illegal activity or any activity that would cause reputational harm to Novartis, ScanBalt or any of their affiliates.

The Competitions allows the participation of the two special categories:

a Healthcare Professional (“HCP”): Any member, student, or researcher of the medical, dental, optometry, optician, pharmacy, or nursing profession or any other person, social workers, clinical psychologists, formulary committee members, and pharmacy & therapeutics (P&T) committee members who, in the course of his or her professional activities, provides medical services and may prescribe, order, dispense, recommend, purchase, supply, administer, lease, or use pharmaceutical products and/or medical technologies, and all members of their office staff;

a Healthcare Organization (“HCO”): Any legal entity (such as a company, partnership, or healthcare institution), whether public or private, that offer/provide medical services to patients and may prescribe, order, dispense, recommend, purchase, supply, administer, lease, and use Novartis products, and all members of their office staff, and medical associations or organizations.     

Participants falling under the definitions of HCP and HCO may take part in the Competition if they confirm and agree with the following:

HCP/HCO participation is pro bono and Novartis is not expected and will not pay a fee for the participation in the Competition and will not reimburse any out-of-pocket expenses that might be incurred in connection with the Competition;

HCP/HCO are subject to their employer’s policies, including policies concerning external speaking engagements, conflicts of interest and intellectual property. To the extent HCP/HCO must obtain the permission, consent or approval of any third party (including the employer) prior to participation in the Competition, by participating HCP/HCO confirm that such permission, consent or approval is obtained.  

HCP/HCO are welcome to participate in the Competition as a result of their expertise, reputation, knowledge and experience regarding a particular area. Nothing in this Competition (including awarding the Prizes) should be interpreted as constituting an inducement or reward for actions taken and/or to be taken by HCP/HCO including prescribing or recommending a particular medicine or course of treatment. Participation in the Competition and the relationship created by it will not influence HCP/HCO decision making including recommending a specific product without clear and objective medical indication based on their expertise, knowledge and clinical evidence. 

At and during the Competition, HCP/HCO shall not recommend or discuss any “off label” uses for any products of Novartis or any of its affiliates, i.e. HCP/HCO will not recommend or discuss any use of a product made by Novartis or any of its affiliates other than for such indications that are approved by the competent authorities, such as without limitation the United States Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency or any other competent authority, agency, administration or body as the case may be.

Any statement HCP/HCO makes in course of the Competition reflects their personal view or opinion. HCP/HCO statements are supported by their personal background and knowledge on the subject. HCP/HCO are not forced by Novartis to say, state or express opinions that are not theirs.

Novartis is committed to comply with the EFPIA HCP/HCO Disclosure Code (“Code”) and related transparency obligations. The EFPIA disclosure requirements will only apply if HCP/HCO primary place of practice or place of incorporation is located in an EFPIA country. According to the Code, pharmaceutical companies are required to publicly disclose transfers of value it makes, directly or indirectly, to or for the benefit of HCP/HCO related to the following categories: fees for service and consultancy and related expenses, contributions to costs related to events (e.g. registration fees, travel and accommodation etc.) and, in the case of HCOs only, donations and grants to HCOs (“Transfers of Value”).  

Personal information, such as HCP name, together with Transfers of Value made by or on behalf of Novartis or its affiliates (as defined below), and the services performed in connection with the Transfer of Value, may be transferred to, stored or otherwise processed by Novartis, its affiliates, their third party service providers and their authorized agents, located in countries world-wide, including outside Switzerland and European Economic Area, as necessary and in accordance with the purposes of administration and compliance with applicable laws and industry codes, including the Code. Third party service providers and authorized agents are bound by data privacy and confidentiality or non-disclosure clauses in order to guarantee privacy rights and at least the same level of security as per applicable laws. They will process personal information only based on the instructions they will receive from Novartis.

HCP/HCO name, together with the Transfers of Value HCP/HCO receives from any Novartis Affiliate, will be publicly disclosed in the country where HCP/HCO has its primary place of practice or place of incorporation.  Such publication will be in a manner consistent with the Code as transposed in such country and its applicable laws and regulations. Any transfers of value for research and development will be disclosed on an anonymous basis. This public disclosure will be made on an annual basis for a full calendar year on the public website of the Novartis Affiliate in HCP/HCO country and/or on a central platform (e.g. the public website of the local EFPIA association of HCP/HCO country). 

This disclosure is for HCP/HCO information only, and not a request for consent to disclose any personal information. HCP/HCO consent for disclosure, if required in HCP/HCO country, will be requested separately according to the Code as transposed in HCP/HCO country and according to HCP/HCO country’s applicable laws and regulations

Novartis and ScanBalt reserve the right to exclude, at any time during the Competition, and in its sole discretion, any Participant who is not in compliance with these Terms and Conditions and/or any applicable laws and guidelines. Novartis shall be entitled to request from the Participant and, particularly, from the Finalists and Winners (both as defined below), any information and documentation needed in order to verify compliance with the Terms and Conditions.

How to participate in this competition

Participant must complete a form hosted on www.biome.novartis.com with information about (i) the Participant(s), (ii) the healthcare access challenge they seek to address, and (iii) a description of their proposal to tackle the identified healthcare access challenge (the “Proposal” and/or the “Project”). This complete submission, including (i), (ii) and (iii), shall hereinafter be referred to collectively as “Submission”.

Participant also has the opportunity to upload media such as an image, video or .pdf file that represents the Participant’s Proposal (the “Picture(s)”), which can be used for promotional purposes throughout and at the conclusion of the competition. By accepting these Terms & Conditions, Participant authorizes Novartis, ScanBalt and their affiliates to publicly use their Proposal information and Pictures free of charge in any media which may include, among others, Internet and Social Media activities, including internal and external channels (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), webpages, printed magazines, etc., for any purpose related to the Competition.

A Participant cannot enter the Competition more than once. If a Participant submits more than one Proposal, only the first Proposal will be considered for the Competition. Participants may withdraw from the Competition at any time by e-mailing to [email protected]

The deadline for Proposal submissions and Hackathon registration is 23.59 CET November 10th, 2021

Entry Rules

The Participant must respect the following rules regarding their Submission and participation in the Competition:

  • (i) The Participant will not post or share any comments violating the Terms and Conditions of the Competition or any law or regulation, or comments which induce such violation (in particular, any regulation protecting the honor, privacy, image, personal data and/or intellectual or industrial property rights);
  • (ii) the Participant will not reveal or disclose any confidential or personal information of third parties or of minors;
  • (iii) the Participant will not include anything illegal within their Proposal;
  • (iv) the Participant will not provide information based on rumors or speculations instead of proved facts;
  • (v) the Participant will not impersonate the identity of third parties or manifest opinions on behalf of third parties without due authorization;
  • (vi) the Participant will not include texts, graphics, audiovisuals, logos, links or materials of any kind owned by third parties without due authorization.

Participant is responsible for the information, opinions, and Pictures they submit in their Proposal and information they post online. Participant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Novartis, ScanBalt, their affiliates and any third parties from and against any loss, damages, liabilities, reasonable costs incurred in connection with any claim or proceeding arising from Participant’s actions, comments, and/or breach of these Terms and Conditions and which might be associated with the Competition and/or Novartis, ScanBalt and their affiliates.

Use of the Website

Participant expressly acknowledges and agrees that Participant’s use of the Website is Participant’s sole and exclusive responsibility and must be in compliance with any terms and conditions provided.

By using the Website, Participant agrees not to engage in any conduct that might breach the law and/or the Terms and Conditions of the Competition, or damage the image, interests and rights of Novartis, ScanBalt, their affiliates or third parties. 

Novartis, ScanBalt or their affiliates will not be held liable for any (i) interferences, omissions, interruptions, viruses, telephone failures or disconnections in the operative functioning of the electronic system; or (ii) delays or blockings in the operative functioning of the electronic system caused by deficiencies or overload of the telephone lines or in the internet, as well as damaged caused by third parties; which could be derived from causes external to Novartis, ScanBalt and its affiliates.

Selection of the Winners of the Competition

The selection of the Winners will be conducted in four phases as follows:

In phase one, all Proposals will be reviewed by Novartis representatives, filtering out any Proposals which are incomplete, do not comply with these Terms & Conditions or fit within the exclusion criteria set forth herein. 

In phase two, Novartis and ScanBalt representatives together will evaluate projects for generated value and impact, in addition to considering the possibility to scale across regions and borders and will narrow down the eligible Participants to those best matching the purpose of the Competition.

In phase three, The Sounding Board and Challenge Owners will conduct conference calls guided by a chairing member and create a ranking according to previously defined judging criteria, and shortlist the Proposals to the top ten (10) Participants (the “Finalist(s)”).

The Sounding Board is an advisory body whose members contribute their knowledge, experience and expertise adding perspective and deeper examination for the successful of the initiative. The Sounding Board provides feedback on the implementation of project activities and thematic issues to the organizers.

Challenge Owners are experienced individuals who have a deep understanding of the subject/s covered by the hackathon challenges. Their role is to explain what “good looks like” and answer questions Teams can have to support them in choosing the best path for their ideas.

All Finalists may be subject to a background check, ensuring the Participants are not engaged in illegal activity or any activity that would harm the reputation of Novartis, ScanBalt and their affiliates.

In phase four, a judging panel (hereinafter “Jury”) comprised of individuals who are knowledgeable and recognized influencers in the areas covered by the Competition with a solid mix of experience and forward-looking approach, who are also in a position to support the winning Project and Idea to further develop their concepts to bring tangible value. The Jury guided by a chairing member will decide on the three winners of each nomination of the Competition (the “Winner(s)”) using the previously defined judging criteria.

There will be two Juries: one dedicated to define the winner of the Top Project segment; one to define the Hackathon winning ideas

The Winners of the Top Projects nomination will be notified and announced on November 22nd, 2021 during the opening of the Hackathon week. 

The Winners of the Top Projects nomination will be notified and invited to attend the prize unveiling event on November 26th, 2021. The event will include a panel discussion, during which Winners will have an opportunity to present their Proposals.

No recourse is available for those Participants whose Proposal is not shortlisted or not chosen as the winning application. Novartis reserves the right, in its sole discretion, not to select any Winners if Novartis and/or the judging panel find that no Submission meets the judging criteria. The judging panel’s decision is final and Participants shall not have any legal recourse whatsoever on the process described above or on the final decision.

Participants will be invited to share the news of their participation in the Competition through their social media profiles. However, sharing on social media that they have participated in this Competition does not increase a Participant’s chances of becoming a Finalist or a Winner.

Publication of the list of Finalists and the Winners

The list of Finalists will be published on [date] on www.biome.novartis.com and on Novartis’ social media channels. The Winners of the Best Projects nomination will be announced on November 22nd, 2021 during Hackathon Week Opening Ceremony. The Winners of the Best Ideas nomination will be announced on November 26th, 2021 during the Competition Closing Ceremony consisting of a prize unveiling event and panel discussion amongst experts in the field, on www.biome.novartis.com and on Novartis’ social media channels.

Prizes

Three best Top Projects will be selected by the Jury and a.

The prize to commemorate the achievement of the winning projects will consist of 

  1. A total financial donation of EUR 15,000 (Fifteen thousand Euro) made by Novartis to 3 (three) non-governmental organizations (hereinafter NGOs) in the field of fighting cancer (EUR 5,000 each). The Winners of the nomination may suggest NGO of their choice or choose amongst those proposed by Novartis. Novartis reserves the right to replace the NGO chosen by the Winner in case the chosen NGO does not pass reputational check and due diligence procedure. 
  2. Mentorship from ScanBalt and Novartis to discuss how to further scale the implementation of the Top Project 
  3. A virtual badge which can be used on Social Media and virtual networks, to show the achievement  

Three Best Ideas will be selected by the Jury.

The first-place Winner will be awarded EUR 5,000 (Five thousands Euro), (the “First Prize”).

The second-place Winner will be awarded EUR 3,000 (Three thousands Euro), (the “Second Prize”). 

The third-place Winner will be awarded EUR 2,000 (Two thousands Euro), (the “Third Prize”).

Payment of the First Prize, Second Prize  and Third Prize (collectively the “Prize(s)”) will be made by Novartis in accordance with the conditions stated in the below section “Delivery of the Prize”. 

Apart from monetary Prizes the Winners will be awarded with:

  • (a) Mentorship from the innovation network ScanBalt to further refine and shape the project for submission to funding opportunities to materialize it and pilot it;
  • (b) A virtual badge which can be used on Social Media and virtual networks, to show the achievement.

Under no circumstances will the Prizes be subject to exchange, alteration or reimbursement. The Winners will be entitled to the exclusive Prize obtained as such, without the possibility to, in any case, apply for economic reimbursement in case they choose to give up the Prizes, or to endorse the Prizes to third parties. Novartis and affiliates will be exempt from any obligation or compensation to the Participants if due to force majeure, legal imperative, or any other cause not attributable to Novartis, the Competition were suspended, or partially or totally cancelled. Any suspension or cancellation would be duly communicated to the Winners affected by such suspension or cancellation.

Delivery of the Prize

Once the Winners have been selected, Novartis will contact them in writing or by phone in order to arrange the provision of the necessary data and to enter into an agreement to receive the Prize. Novartis will develop a plan in collaboration with each Winner, determining the milestones at which the Prize shall be paid out and defining the further collaboration between Novartis and the Winner (“Plan”) if necessary, based on each Winner’s Proposal and its status of development. The Prizes will be paid out over the course of, at a maximum, two (2) months after the execution of the agreement with each Winner. 

It is the responsibility of the Winners to have all the necessary documentation and to fulfill all requirements set forth herein to be able to collect and use their respective Prize. Winners are solely responsible for any taxes that may apply to the Prizes, as required by applicable law. Prize amounts are exclusive of any taxes that may be applicable.

If within 15 (fifteen) days of being contacted by Novartis, any of the Winners fail(s) to provide Novartis with their necessary data or expressly waive(s) the award, the Winners will hereby be considered to have waived the Prize and Novartis will contact the next-ranked Finalist (or Finalists) in writing or by phone. The next-ranked Finalist (or Finalists) will then be asked to provide the necessary data and to enter into an agreement in order to receive the Prize.

Intellectual and industrial property rights

Participation in this Competition does not grant the Participant any right of any nature, including but not limited to the intellectual and industrial property of the Website. The Participant shall refrain from obtaining, or trying to obtain any intellectual or industrial rights associated with the Website, or using the Website by means or procedures different from those provided to such effect. The Participant shall at all times respect all the intellectual and industrial rights of the Website.

Participant represents and warrants that he/she owns or has the right to use any and all information, including the Picture, any visual asset, the Proposal, data, methods and any intellectual property rights which it uses to participate in the Competition and develop the Proposal. Participant represents and warrants that he/she is aware of the publication of the Proposal as set out as set forth herein.

Novartis does not, unless it is agreed in writing with Participant, claim any rights of ownership in the Proposal or any intellectual property rights covering the Proposal. As such, Participant retains ownership and copyright on the Proposal, although Novartis and its affiliates are entitled to publish and use the Proposal as set out in these Terms and Conditions.

Authorization for the use of image rights

By participating in the Competition, Participant expressly consents for their image to be used externally in any manner.

Participant hereby grants a perpetual, worldwide, sublicensable license to Novartis and its affiliates to disclose the identity  of the Finalists, publish their respective Proposal and use their images in any media which may include, among others, Internet and Social Media activities, including internal and external channels (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc.), webpages, printed magazines, etc., for any purpose related with the Competition. Any such use or publication will be made with no compensation to Participant.

Participant hereby warrants to Novartis that the person or persons whose image is shown in the Picture have provided their unequivocal and express consent for the capture of their image, as well as its public reproduction and broadcasting. In case the person appearing in the Picture is a minor, the Participant guarantees that he or she has obtained the appropriate express and unequivocal consent for the collection and public reproduction and broadcasting of the image from the parents or legal guardians of the minor.

Data Privacy

Novartis, as the data controller, will collect, process and retain Participant’s personal data which they have provided via the Website, for the sole purpose of running the Competition. Personal data will be kept as long as needed for the purposes of running the Competition and complying with legal or regulatory requirements.

Participant may contact Novartis by email to [email protected] and/or [email protected] for questions relating to the use of their data or if they wish to exercise their privacy rights. They may request access to their personal data as processed by Novartis, withdraw their consent at any time or ask for correction or deletion of their personal data.

Assignment

The rights and obligations of Novartis under these Terms and Conditions may be assigned by Novartis to its affiliates or third parties without the consent of the Participant.

Acceptance of Terms and Conditions 

By participating in the Competition, Participant agrees to be bound by these Terms and Conditions, as well as by Novartis’ interpretation of these Terms and Conditions. For anything not regulated by these Terms and Conditions, the Competition will be subject to applicable laws and regulations current at the time of the Competition.

Novartis, ScanBalt or their affiliates will not be liable for any events of any kind (e.g., interruption or loss of internet connection at the moment of the participation) which might be caused by a breakdown of the IT systems due to force majeure); or any incidences with origin in force majeure events derived from causes such as a breakdown of the telephone, IT, electricity, or postal networks, or provoked by natural external agents (atmospheric, climate-related, etc.), or by a deficient functioning of the companies providing such services.

Novartis, ScanBalt or affiliates will not be held liable for any mistakes, incidents or damages that might arise during this Competition and that are attributable to third parties managing it.

Novartis, ScanBalt or affiliates will not be held liable for any losses, damage, thefts, delays or any other circumstance attributable to third parties which could affect the running of this Competition, including the enjoyment of the Prizes.

This Amendment shall be construed by and enforced in accordance with the laws of Switzerland, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws. Legal recourse against Novartis, ScanBalt and their affiliates for any matter related to this Competition is excluded.

Other matters

Novartis reserves its right to modify, if necessary, the Terms and Conditions of the Competition. Any delay or cancellation of this Competition caused by force majeure will be announced on the Website and Participants are encouraged to consult the Website after participating.

These Terms and Conditions are also available at the Website: www.biome.novartis.com.