Santander X Global Challenge

Together with Banco Santander and Philips, we have launched the Santander X Global Challenge | Reimagine Silver Age, an international call aimed at startups and scaleups from 11 countries that are developing solutions to improve the quality of life for older adults.

Six winners will share a prize of €120,000 and will become part of Santander X 100, the global community with the most outstanding startups and scaleups of Santander X, which offers them networking and the necessary resources to accelerate their growth, as well as other benefits.

Banco Santander is launching Santander X Global Challenge | Reimagine Silver Age, a new global challenge alongside Philips and the Oxentia Foundation, aimed at startups and scaleups in 11 countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Germany, Mexico, Poland, Portugal, Spain, the UK, Uruguay, and the US).

The aim of this contest is to uncover companies that provide innovative and disruptive solutions to address the fresh challenges that higher life expectancy and the needs of a society that is living longer pose, helping ensure healthy, active and safe ageing with independence and quality of life.

The startups and scaleups that wish to submit their solutions can do so in these four categories:

• Preventive health and early detection: Companies that use technology or artificial intelligence models and data to customize the prevention and early detection of age-related ailments, promote healthy lifestyle habits, or monitor health.
• Technology-based assistants for an independent life: Home automation, robotic assistance, remote monitoring and other systems that help senior citizens lead a more autonomous and safe life, gain more confidence, receive care services, and get emergency response.
• Planning and finances for a longer life: Proposals that support the financial well-being and security of senior citizens; help them plan their finances and encourage saving, prevention and smart financial management; and provide stability, protection against fraud and new ways for the elderly to form part of the economy.
• Social connection, mental well-being, and lifelong learning: Solutions that promote senior citizens’ inclusion and participation in the community, lifelong learning and emotional well-being through digital tools that reduce loneliness and stimulate cognitive health and cross-generational connections.

All budding participants have until 4 August to submit their projects on the Santander X website.

According to Antonio Suárez-Pumariega, Global Head of Digital businesses at Santander Universities, “We at Banco Santander believe in the power of innovation to enrich people’s lives. Through this global challenge, we want to drive solutions that help ensure healthier and more inclusive ageing with increased quality of life and financial security for everyone”.

“Philips offers this initiative our experience in technological innovation and healthcare. We’re in no doubt that a longer-lasting society should be built on foundations such as prevention and customization. We call on all startups and scaleups to join this challenge by submitting their projects to transform the way we live and grow old”, says Juan Carmona, Solutions Leader Spain & Portugal | Innovative & Strategic projects at Philips Ibérica.

“Philips has joined the Santander X challenge because we believe that together we can drive solutions that help society live longer, healthier and connected lives. We’re doing this in line with our purpose of improving people’s lives and are convinced that innovation and entrepreneurship are key to addressing health challenges“, says Miguel de Foronda, Managing Director of Philips Ibérica.

An expert panel will choose the six winners, who will share EUR 120,000 in prize money: EUR 30,000 for the three winning startups (EUR 10,000 to each one) and EUR 90,000 for the three winning scaleups (EUR 30,000 to each one). They will also get access to Santander X 100, an exclusive community of Santander X’s most successful startups and scaleups; and Fintech Station, Banco Santander’s open innovation programme.