Teva Launches Rise, Taps Startups for Pharma Innovation
The global drugmaker calls on startups to help tackle critical challenges in drug development, manufacturing, and patient care.
(Photo: SBR)
TEL AVIV, Nov. 19, 2025 — Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has launched Teva Rise, a platform designed to connect startups and innovators with the company’s teams. The program invites fresh ideas from around the world to address challenges in research and development, manufacturing, and patient engagement. Teva said the goal is to explore solutions that can be piloted and scaled globally, giving startups a chance to test their technologies in real-world settings.
Mark Sabag, EVP International Markets and global sponsor of the Teva Rise program, said the initiative reflects a new approach to problem-solving in the pharmaceutical industry. By collaborating with startups, Teva hopes to complement its internal capabilities with external innovation, bringing a variety of perspectives and technologies to long-standing challenges in drug development and supply.
What Teva Rise Aims to Achieve
Teva Rise focuses on seven priority areas that represent some of the company’s most pressing challenges. The program seeks solutions that improve research and development methods, optimize clinical trials, enhance manufacturing processes, and support patient care. Startups can propose technologies that help predict clinical trial outcomes, monitor patient adherence, or improve manufacturing efficiency.
The company emphasized that the platform is not just a competition but a pathway to collaboration. Selected startups will have the opportunity to work directly with Teva teams, pilot their solutions in real settings, and scale innovations that prove effective. The approach is designed to foster practical solutions rather than theoretical ideas.
Why are Startups Key to Innovation?
Startups bring speed and flexibility that larger companies often cannot match. They can experiment with unconventional technologies and approaches, which makes them valuable partners for a company like Teva.
Benefits for Teva: Working with startups allows the company to access new technologies without diverting all internal resources. Pilot programs can help identify solutions that are scalable, reduce risks, and improve efficiency.
Benefits for Startups: Startups gain access to a global pharmaceutical platform where they can test and validate their ideas. They also receive guidance from experienced teams and have the potential to form long-term collaborations with an established industry player.
Mark said the company is investing in the program to accelerate real-world solutions that can improve patient outcomes and operational efficiency.
Can Collaboration Change the Pharmaceutical Landscape?
The pharmaceutical sector is experiencing rapid technological change, with digital health, artificial intelligence, and smart manufacturing increasingly shaping the future of medicine. Teva Rise represents a strategic effort to integrate these trends by leveraging the creativity and agility of startups.
Collaborating with external innovators carries risk. Some pilot projects may fail or face scaling challenges. Yet the potential rewards are significant. Startups can bring fresh approaches to long-standing problems, and successful partnerships can speed up research, improve manufacturing processes, and enhance patient care.
Industry analysts say the initiative could set an example for other companies, showing how structured collaboration with startups can bring measurable improvements to global healthcare operations.
Startups Shape Change
Mark said Teva Rise is part of a broader effort to adapt to changing technologies and address global healthcare challenges. The program focuses on innovations ready for real-world testing and practical application. By combining the experience of internal teams with the fresh perspectives of startups, Teva aims to create solutions that benefit patients, healthcare providers, and the wider industry. Selected innovations will be piloted and scaled when proven effective, reflecting the company’s commitment to tangible results. Teva Rise shows that collaboration with external innovators is now central to shaping the future of medicine.
Industry analysts say the initiative could set an example for other companies, showing how structured collaboration with startups can bring measurable improvements to global healthcare operations.
Inputs from Diana Chou
Editing by David Ryder