Background
Walgreens Boots Alliance is the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. WBA is the largest retail pharmacy, health and daily-living destination across the USA and Europe, with a growing Asian presence. Their vision is to be the first choice for pharmacy, wellbeing and beauty – caring for people and communities around the world and helping everyone to lead healthier and happier lives. We live in a time of incredible challenge and opportunities for our health and wellbeing – the world of pharmacy and healthcare is constantly changing. WBA’s ambitions are to continue to grow their research and innovation partnerships and search for innovative technologies and products in consumer Healthcare (OTC) and Wellbeing categories such as Incontinence.
Challenge
Incontinence is widespread; almost half of the adult population experience some level of incontinence, whether it’s a small drop to a complete emptying of the bladder. Ageing, pregnancy/childbirth and weight gain are the most commonly mentioned triggers. For the majority, dealing with bladder leakage generates strong negative emotions, most often characterized by anxiety, and these negative feelings are more dominant in women. Getting people to talk about incontinence is vital due to negative emotions associated with the category.
How can consumers be enabled to feel normal and feel confident that they will have enough dryness, comfort and discretion to live their lives without compromise. WBA are looking for technologies that will allow the management of incontinence without absorbent pads or pants. The technologies / services should be relevant to consumers globally and suitable for sale through WBA’s retail channels. WBA has the opportunity to help consumers to help them regain the life that they led prior to the onset of their incontinence.
What's in it for you?
The opportunity to work with and partner WBA, who can offer their knowledge, expertise and networks in research, development and retail. WBA can provide global market and consumer insight, and the capability, to take an idea or innovation and develop it into a consumer relevant proposition to sell in their retail stores or online.
WBA are open to propositions from individuals, consultants, universities, spinout companies and SMEs. A successful application could lead to partnerships/joint ventures to co-develop and bring an idea to market, exclusive licensing of technologies or IP, or potentially the opportunity to become a part of the wider WBA business.
Ideally solutions will have some proof of concept evidence. However, WBA are open to solutions at any stage if the opportunity is great enough.
If you have or are developing technologies / solutions, or if you have expertise in the above, please click "Apply" to submit your solution/expertise to the Network.