
First 1000 Days QuickFire Challenge
Up to $250,000 + Mentorship
Winners
Bloomlife's vision is to design the future of prenatal care to improve the health of moms and babies. CEO Eric Dy explains, “Through the most advanced combination of technology, medical expertise, and data science, we are bringing long overdue innovation to better understand pregnancy and its complications to improve birth outcomes for every mom and child.”
Read morehere.
The Challenge

A first heartbeat. First smile. First step. The First 1000 Days of life are the most critical in human development. This unique window immensely impacts the trajectory of health.
As the overall approach to healthcaretransitions away from treating chronic diseaseafterit manifests and moves towards preventing diseasebeforeit begins, Janssen Research & Development, LLC and Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS are calling on innovators to turn their attention to those crucial first years for mom and baby.In the First 1000 Days QuickFire Challenge,we’re seeking game-changing ideas, with an emphasis on health technologies, which will lead to theprevention and interception of childhood disease and disorders at the earliest stages.
Submit solutions to impact the First 1000 Days to help every mother and child get their healthiest start possible.
Awards
- Mentoring from experts at Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Areas of Interest
We’re interested in submissions addressing disease prevention and interception throughout the complete spectrum of the First 1000 Days.
Due to the exponential uptake of technologies such as smart phones and wearables, there is a growing opportunity to amass a myriad of types of data from the individual, family, and community to better detect disease risk. An emphasis on innovations incorporating health technologies will be considered.
Specific areas of focus include:
Healthy Development of the Vulnerable Child
Factors such as nutrition, environment and quality care are important for healthy growth and thriving.The vulnerable child can have health disparities that lead to differences in mortality and disease risk related to behaviors, access to health care and social determinants of health.
Priorities:
Approaches to predict trajectory for health/disease
Smoking Cessation/smoking and nicotine exposure
Optimal Sleep: Mother and Infant
Stress and Mental Health, including anxiety, depression, and mood disorders
Breast milk quality
Childhood Food Allergy and Allergic Disease
The incidence and prevalence of food allergy, eczema, hay fever, and asthma have increased dramatically in children in recent decades. According toFoodAllergy.org, 1 in 13 children in the United States has a food allergy, and there is an increased prevalence in both developed and developing countries in recent decades.
Priorities include:
Novel approaches to detect risk of food allergy and/or atopy (e.g. eczema)
Novel decision support tools for food allergy and/or atopy
Novel approaches to prevent or intercept food allergy and/or atopy prior to its symptomatic state
Preterm birth
The world’s number one killer of young children is preterm birth (prematurity), with over 1 million children dying annually from direct complications of birth before completing 37 weeks of pregnancy, affecting 1 in 10 pregnancies both in the United States and worldwide, and increasing in incidence globally. Beyond direct complications, preterm birth is also associated with significant long-term morbidity and increases susceptibility for multiple childhood and adult diseases. Among African-American mothers, the rate of preterm birth is 50% higher than the rate among white mothers in the United States.
Priorities include:
Novel approaches for earlier detection of risk of preterm birth
Novel approaches to prevent microbiome or infection-related preterm birth
Novel approaches to detect and prevent stress-induced preterm birth arising from maternal health behaviors including anxiety and depression, non-optimal sleep duration and quality, smoking, obesity and socio-demographic factors
Novel devices to prevent preterm birth
Childhood Obesity
Childhood obesity is an increasing public health issue.Worldwide ~ 340 million children are obese. It has been projected that ~60% of current two-year old children in the US will be obese by age 35 years. Childhood obesity predisposes to childhood-onset type 2 diabetes and adult obesity, which is associated with significant morbidity and mortality.
The First 1000 Days is recognized as a critical period for the development of childhood obesity that is conferred by genetics, epigenetics, and environment by influencing expression of specific genes regulating metabolism, immune responses, and adipogenesis.
Priorities include:
Improved detection of risk of childhood obesity
Preconception, first trimester, neonatal/infant interventions for prevention or interception of childhood obesity
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
ASD is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder affecting communication and behavior with symptoms usually beginning in early childhood.CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring(ADDM) Network estimates that about 1 in 59 children are identified with autism spectrum disorder in the United States and occurs in all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic groups. Diagnosis is often delayed until after age 4 years though symptoms are often present in the first year of life and a diagnosis can be made usually by two years of age. Early detection and diagnosis allows earlier intervention, which can greatly improve a child’s development.7
Priorities include:
Earlier detection of ASD
Population screening for detection of ASD
Please keep in mind that no idea is too big nor too early for consideration. Applications that clearly describe a concept or path forward to achieve these goals will also be considered during evaluation.
-------------------------------------
Hanson MA, Gluckman PD. Early developmental conditioning of later health and disease: physiology or pathophysiology? Physiol Rev. 2014;94:1027-76.
Hanson MA, Gluckman PD. Early developmental conditioning of later health and disease: physiology or pathophysiology? Physiol Rev. 2014;94:1027-76.
Child Health Disparities: What Can a Clinician Do? Cheng TL, Emmanuel MA, Levy DJ, Jenkins RR. Pediatrics. 2015 Nov;136(5):961-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-4126
RubensCE, Sadovsky Y, Muglia L, Gravett MG, Lackritz E, Gravett C.Prevention of preterm birth: harnessing science to address the global epidemic.Sci Transl医学。2014;262年。Epub 2014。
Romero R, Dey SK, Fisher SJ.Preterm labor: one syndrome, many causes.Science. 2014;345:760-5
https://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/maternalinfanthealth/pretermbirth.htm
Lancet 2017;390:2627-42
N Engl J Med 2017; 377:2145-2153
Nestle Nutr Inst Workshop Ser.2017;87:183-196.
Lancet. 2018 Aug 2. pii: S0140-6736
Application Process
Each baby has his or her own unique risk factor determined by both genetics and environmental risks. Socioeconomic factors may further increase risk and disease susceptibility. We’re specifically interested in technologies that monitor, assess, and provide insights to improve a mother and baby’s unique risk profile.
Solutions will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers and judges on their ability to meet the following criteria:
- Novelty
- Potential Impact
- Feasibility/Practicality
- Perceived Commercialization Potential
- When applicable, use of health technologies to best monitor, analyze, and identify opportunities for disease interception during the first 1000 days.
-------------------------------------------
Hanson MA, Gluckman PD.Early developmental conditioning of later health and disease: physiology or pathophysiology?Physiol Rev. 2014;94:1027-76.
Child Health Disparities: What Can a Clinician Do? Cheng TL, Emmanuel MA, Levy DJ, Jenkins RR.
Pediatrics. 2015 Nov;136(5):961-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-4126
Timeline
Why this challenge matters to us
Through its World Without Disease Accelerator group, Janssen is working toward a vision of creating a world without disease. By bringing together distinct enabling capabilities in areas including the microbiome, immunosciences, predictive analytics and behavioral science, a team of experts is focused on seeding and accelerating transformative growth opportunities to catalyze a paradigm shift in health care through prevention, interception and cure strategies and solutions. Science indicates that some of these root causes may be initiated during the First 1000 Days.
FAQs
What if I’m having trouble accessing the portal/website?
Make sure your browser is up to date and accepting cookies. You can contact customer service at[email protected]if you are having technical difficulties as well.
Can I submit supporting documents (for example a video) as part of my application?
You will have the opportunity and are encouraged to upload supporting materials such as slide decks, research papers, and videos as part of your application. You may submit a video along with your typed responses. Maximum length is 2 minutes.
Is it ok if some of the information I submit is confidential?
Do not submit confidential information. Only non-confidential information should be submitted and anything you submit will be treated as non-confidential.
What happens with IP (Intellectual Property)?
As this is a no strings attached arrangement, JLABS does not acquire any IP. Any IP creation and/or protection remains the sole responsibility of the inventors.
Is a patent required to apply?
No, a patent is not required to apply. However, you should not submit any information that you wish to keep confidential or that may negatively impact upon the future patentability of your invention.
What kind of science / technology is appropriate for the Challenges?
We encourage all to apply. Find out more about what areas we desire to explore here:https://www.jnjinnovation.com/partnering
Who is eligible to apply?
Each Challenge has its own terms & conditions that can be found prior to filling out the application.
What are the specific criteria for application?
Solutions will be evaluated by a panel of reviewers and judges on their ability to meet the following criteria:
- Potential impact
- Uniqueness of solution & level of competition in current market
- Quality & feasibility of technology
- Team credibility & capabilities
如果我有问题,我可以和谁联系Challenge or the application process?
Please contact[email protected]with any questions
Where do I apply? And do I have to complete the application in one sitting?
You can setup an account at https://jnj-quickfire.smapply.io. You are able to save your work and log back in to finish at a later time if needed.
About the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson
At the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, we are working to create a world without disease. Transforming lives by finding new and better ways to prevent, intercept, treat and cure disease inspires us. We bring together the best minds and pursue the most promising science. We are Janssen. We collaborate with the world for the health of everyone in it. Learn more atwww.janssen.com. Follow us atTwitter.com/JanssenGlobal.
About Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS
Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS (JLABS) is a global network of open innovation ecosystems, enabling and empowering innovators to create and accelerate the delivery of life-saving, life-enhancing health and wellness solutions to patients around the world. JLABS achieves this by providing the optimal environment for emerging companies to catalyze growth and optimize their research and development by opening them to vital industry connections, delivering entrepreneurial programs and providing a capital-efficient, flexible platform where they can transform the scientific discoveries of today into the breakthrough healthcare solutions of tomorrow. At JLABS we value great ideas and are passionate about removing obstacles to success to help innovators unleash the potential of their early scientific discoveries. JLABS is a no-strings-attached model, which means entrepreneurs are free to develop their science while holding on to their intellectual property. JLABS is open to entrepreneurs across a broad healthcare spectrum including pharmaceutical, medical device, consumer and digital health sectors.
JLABS currently has locations in innovation hot spots across the world and produces entrepreneurial programs and campaigns to seek out the best science, like the QuickFire Challenges around the globe. The JLABS flagship opened in 2012 in San Diego at Janssen's West Coast Research Center, and since then, has established two locations in San Francisco - one through a collaboration with the California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences (QB3) and a second standalone facility in South San Francisco. JLABS is also located in Boston through a collaboration with LabCentral, in Lowell, Massachusetts through a collaboration with UMass, in Houston through a collaboration with the Texas Medical Center (TMC), in Toronto through a collaboration with the Ontario Government and the University of Toronto, and in NYC in collaboration with the New York Genome Center. Recently, the Belgium-based JLINX incubator began transitioning into a JLABS, making this the first JLABS in Europe and JLABS @ Shanghai will open in 2019. For more information about JLABS, please visitwww.www.2574design.com.
About Johnson & Johnson Innovation
ld乐动强生公司创新有限责任公司专注于加速rating all stages of innovation worldwide and forming collaborations between entrepreneurs and Johnson & Johnson’s global healthcare businesses. Johnson & Johnson Innovation provides scientists, entrepreneurs and emerging companies with one stop access to science and technology experts who can facilitate collaborations across the pharmaceutical, medical device and consumer companies of Johnson & Johnson. Under the Johnson & Johnson Innovation umbrella of businesses, we connect with innovators through our regional Innovation Centers, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, JLABS (JLABS), Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc. and our Business Development teams to create customized deals and novel collaborations that speed development of innovations to solve unmet needs in patients. For more information, visit www.jnjinnovation.com or follow @JNJInnovation.