Co-authored Samuel Hollis - Novartis
In the ever-evolving healthcare landscape, collaboration between pharmaceutical companies and healthtech innovators is crucial for driving meaningful advancements in patient care. However, not all collaborations are created equal. According to Samuel Hollis, Country President at Novartis, in our recent ‘Transforming Healthcare’ podcast, successful partnerships are grounded in a shared purpose and mutual trust—a concept he calls "purpose-led collaboration."
Defining Purpose-Led Collaboration
Purpose-led collaboration is not just a buzzword; it is a strategic approach where all stakeholders come together with a clear, aligned goal. For the goal to be meaningful in healthcare it should revolve around improving patient outcomes, advancing medical science, or addressing a specific healthcare challenge. What distinguishes purpose-led collaboration from other forms of partnership is its foundation in active listening, shared intent, and transparency.
As Hollis explains, a purpose-led collaboration starts with understanding the needs of each party involved. Whether it’s pharmaceutical companies, healthcare systems, or healthtech startups, the key is to find common ground. “It starts with really listening and working towards that common goal together,” Hollis emphasises, that healthcare collaborations should be driven by a clear mission that benefits both patients and the organisations involved. This ‘benefiting’ of the organisations, like the pharmaceutical company or healthtech startup is often not talked or written about enough, but this level of transparency is needed to best keep the collaborations sustainable and build the mutual trust needed.
The Hallmarks of Successful Collaboration
The pharmaceutical industry is no stranger to partnerships, but the difference between a successful and unsuccessful collaboration often boils down to whether the parties involved are genuinely aligned. Historically, some collaborations were more about optics—what Hollis refers to as "vanity projects"—where the partnership might be mentioned on websites or in press releases without really collaborating to deliver impact. When you dig a little deeper, these types of initiatives may have had a couple of meetings but lacked the deep, sustained joint efforts and alignment required for transformative results.
In contrast, a purpose-led collaboration should be deeply rooted in a mission. For example, Hollis recalls previous examples working with the NHS in the UK, where Novartis collaborated with NHS England to aid the delivery of objectives laid out in the NHS Long Term Plan. In this partnership, the goals of both organisations were aligned: the NHS aimed to improve public health outcomes, while Novartis sought to support this mission through their expertise and innovation in an area that was a public health priority for the NHS and government. This alignment of objectives and awareness of the capabilities from those working within the collaboration enabled all parties to work towards shared patient outcomes, leveraging their unique strengths in a meaningful way.
This kind of collaboration is also about sharing resources, whether it's time, skills, or expertise, not just finances. As a generalisation, pharmaceutical companies like Novartis have vast experience in clinical development, regulatory compliance and communications, while healthtech startups bring agility and innovation. Healthcare systems and governments bring scale and policy. When all parties contribute and gain from the partnership, the collaboration is far more likely to succeed for patients and leave a legacy.
Trust as the Foundation
Central to purpose-led collaboration is trust. Building trust in the pharmaceutical industry, particularly when collaborating with external partners, is critical. As Hollis notes, trust is built through transparency, consistent communication, and ethical behavior. He stresses that partnerships should not be transactional but transformational, transparently benefiting all stakeholders and ultimately serving the greater good of patient care.
In healthcare, trust is even more crucial because the stakes are incredibly high. Lives depend on the outcomes of these collaborations, and if one party fails to uphold their end of the agreement, the entire mission can falter. Therefore, building trust through honesty and transparency is a non-negotiable aspect of any collaboration, especially in an industry like pharma, where patient safety and working with integrity are paramount.
What HealthTech Startups Need to Know
For healthtech startups specifically, looking to partner with pharmaceutical companies, understanding this principle of purpose-led collaboration is key. Hollis offers critical advice: Do not just approach pharma companies as mere financiers or sources of capital, they are not venture capitalists. While these companies are indeed financially robust, their goals go far beyond just revenue generation or shareholder value. They are also deeply rooted in improving patient outcomes, advancing science, advancing healthcare and meeting their responsibilities to society, be aware of that.
Healthtech startups should approach collaborations with pharma by first listening to what the pharmaceutical company aims to achieve. Startups should align their innovations with the broader objectives of the pharma company, which might for example include improving treatment adherence, enhancing healthcare system capacity, or solving specific patient needs. When both parties are aligned in their mission, the collaboration has a far greater chance of success and be sustainable.
Challenges and Lessons Learned
Even when the alignment and trust is there, challenges can still remain. In healthcare, different organisations move at different paces, which can create friction in collaborations. As Hollis points out, large organisations like the NHS or even pharmaceutical giants may have slower decision-making processes than nimble healthtech startups. “There can be teething problems as we learn how each organisation works,” Hollis says, reflecting on his experience working across multiple healthcare systems. So patience and/or contractually agreeing to governance and milestones from the start will certainly help.
Despite these challenges, there is little doubt that purpose-led collaboration is the future and can drive significant advancements in medical research, patient care, and healthcare delivery at scale by maximising the best of all collaborating parties to benefit patients. The key, according to Hollis, is maintaining flexibility, patience and understanding that each party brings different cogs to the timepiece. Success is only achieved when these different sized cogs are well understood and then work together in pursuit of a shared goal.
The Future of Collaboration: Data and Digital Health
Looking ahead, Hollis sees an exciting future for collaboration, especially in the digital health space. He sees that data is becoming and will continue to be the "real currency" in healthcare innovation. By leveraging data, both pharmaceutical companies and healthtech startups can create more informed digital tools, AI and ultimately treatments. “We will get better digital tools and capitalise on the impact of AI if we get better with the utilising and sharing of data,” Hollis observes.
This data revolution opens up new opportunities for partnerships, particularly in areas like wearable health devices, telemedicine and smart technology supporting adherence. As healthcare systems become more integrated with digital tools, collaborations between pharma and healthtech can help bring care closer to patients, whether through remote monitoring or more personalised treatment options.
Purpose-led collaboration offers a path forward in the complex world of healthcare. By listening to each other’s needs, understanding capabilities, focusing on shared goals, maintaining transparency and building mutual trust, pharmaceutical companies and healthtech startups can work together to drive real change in healthcare systems. The benefits of such collaborations extend far beyond business—they have the power to improve patient outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and bring innovative solutions to society at scale.
