Registration for the second edition of the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge is now open. The goal is to develop a scientific breakthrough in the field of drug repurposing into a solid plan for bringing the drug to market and to patients within three months. During this challenge, researchers will develop a venture plan under supervision. The Venture Challenge is intended for researchers and/or early-stage entrepreneurs in the life sciences. Teams can register until April 7.

From idea to patient
Drug repurposing is one of the priorities of FAST and ZonMw (Good Use of Medicines). Drug repurposing promises faster and more affordable therapy development, including for (rare) diseases for which there are currently no treatments. To get repurposed drugs to patients in a socially responsible manner, ZonMw and FAST facilitate various initiatives. For example, ZonMw facilitates the drug repurposing funding round and is a consortium partner in the European drug repurposing initiative REMEDi4ALL.

With this Venture Challenge, ZonMw and FAST want to demonstrate in practice that drug repurposing can deliver on its promise of being ‘faster, more affordable, and available to patients’ in a socially responsible manner. This is done by operating on the basis of the principles of socially responsible licensing.

What is the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge?
In this Venture Challenge, experts from various fields, including industry, challenge participants to develop a viable commercial strategy for bringing a drug repurposing idea to patients in a socially responsible manner, under supervision.

The Venture Challenge consists of two 3-day boot camps, coaching sessions, a final day, and an award ceremony. The teams are supervised by GameChanger Challenge BV, which consists of a team of experienced entrepreneurs. Once the venture plan has been finalized, a jury of seasoned entrepreneurs and investors will decide who wins the €20,000 prize money, which must be spent on the further development of drug repurposing concepts.

Who is it for?
The Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge is intended for researchers and/or budding entrepreneurs in the life sciences who want to create a spin-off. The program focuses specifically on the repurposing of pharmaceutical products. This involves existing drugs that are being investigated for their effectiveness in a promising new indication for which the drug is not (yet) registered.

The team must complete the entire process together and attend all meetings. Time is also required for coaching sessions and developing the venture plan. This time investment will take place between June and October 2026.

Registration and selection
Registration is open until April 7, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. and can be completed via the registration form. From the registrations, a selection will be made of the teams that best fit the intended program. A maximum of 6 teams can participate.

Participation in the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge is open to teams of 3 to 4 people. The cost of participating in the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge is €2,000 per team of 3 (plus €500 for 1 additional team member).

More information

Detailed information about the Drug Repurposing Venture Challenge, the criteria, and the timeline can be found on this webpage.