Top Business Schools Face Off in a Healthcare Challenge
50 STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD PARTICIPATED IN THE 1ST EDITION OF THE ALIRA HEALTH CASE COMPETITION ORGANIZED BY THE HEALTHCARE CLUB OF SDA BOCCONIAn intense challenge through analysis, strategies and innovative ideas to launch a healthcare product to a new market. That was the task for the 50 students from nine business schools who came to Milan to participate in the 1st edition of the ‘Alira Health Case Competition’ organized by the Healthcare Club of the MBA program of SDA Bocconi school of management and which saw IESE come out as winners.
“The healthcare sector is not always so in focus among business schools candidates and we thought of using a competition as a way to raise awareness and share our passion among students,” Dimitra Nikopoulou, MBA candidate at SDA Bocconi and President of the Healthcare Club. “We developed the initial idea with Gabriele Brambilla, CEO of Alira Health and MBA Alumnus of SDA Bocconi, thanks to contacts through the school. Then, as the Club, we planned and organised the whole competition, with the help of the Career Services of the school.”
Besides SDA Bocconi, the other schools participating with different teams were INSEAD, Imperial College business school, IESE, HEC, Alliance Manchester business school, Cambridge, Marriott School of Business from Utah and the Lisbon MBA. The competition saw the contribution of the sponsors Alira Health, Finceramica, Chiesi, Pic, Heraeus, Bomi, McDermott Will & Emery and Pierre Fabre.
Before arriving in Milan students were given some first indications to begin working on an initial go-to-market strategy for a new orthopedic medical device . In Milan they were given further input and had an afternoon to finalise their business plan together with consultants from Alira. The plans were then presented to a jury made up of representatives of the sponsors and SDA faculty.
“Alira Health is passionate about improving healthcare, which is why we are looking to advance the next generation of healthcare professionals. This competition is a way for us to help ignite that same passion among Europe’s finest students. I am deeply impressed by the analyses, insight, and creativity of the participants – the future of healthcare talent is very bright,” says Gabriele Brambilla, CEO of Alira Health and MBA Alumnus Bocconi.
"It was a great experience in a challenging competition and an opportunity to network with students from top business schools. I hope SDA Bocconi can organize a similar healthcare competition next year,” says Ricardo Alarcón Angulo from Manchester Business School.
"We were impressed by the passion and commitment all the teams demonstrated. We hope this competition will become a tradition repeated yearly with the same enthusiasm. The Healthcare industry needs people with passion who continuously challenge themselves," concludes Dimitra.
by Tomaso Eridani
