HomeFundingSwiss startup PeakData picks up €12.1 million for its platform connecting pharma...

Swiss startup PeakData picks up €12.1 million for its platform connecting pharma companies with healthcare professionals

With its platform that enables pharmaceutical companies to map out the healthcare professionals (HCPSs) that are most relevant, PeakData has secured €12.1 million. The Swiss startup is using AI to connect HCPs with pharma, and in turn, bring new medicines to patients quicker. 

Getting new treatments and medicines to patients requires many steps in the chain. One of the critical parts is bridging a connection between the pharmaceutical companies creating the treatments, and the HCPs that can deliver them to patients. 

Aiming to enhance the process, Zug-based PeakData has developed an AI web-based platform that offers HCP insights for global pharmaceutical companies. The Swiss startup has now secured €12.1 million in fresh funding. 

Series A Funding 

AlbionVC led the Series A funding with Octopus Ventures and Heal Capital also participating. 

It follows a year of rapid growth – PeakData has reported 6x growth in 2021 and is now being used by over half of Europe’s largest pharma companies. It’s resultingly grown its employee headcount from 12-70 over the past year. 

The Swiss startup will use the funding to expand all aspects of the business to support its growth plans as well as continue to develop the platform. The company aims to have its platform used by the vast majority of pharmaceutical companies around the globe and in as many drug markets as possible in the next five years.

AI Customer targeting platform for healthcare

Launched in 2018, PeakData enables pharmaceutical companies to enhance the depth and breadth of their customer base and learn more about HCPs that are most relevant to their target market. The platform uses AI algorithms to rank these HCPs in terms of their digital impact, influence and relevance to their target market. It uses dynamic data to observe changes in HCP status over time.

It means that not only can pharma companies find and personalise their communications with the top-tier experts, as the market changes, but the platform also enables them to identify emerging influencers among local treating physicians who are managing patients daily who may previously not have been on their radar. 

Connecting healthcare professionals with pharma for better treatments

Developed by Patrick De Boer and Michael Feldman, the aim is that by utilising AI and showing more insights into HCP networks, treatments can reach patients faster. 

 Driven by their passion to build a better future, Patrick and Michael realised that the healthcare industry was only scratching the surface when it came to the potential of AI to bring life-saving treatments to patients more quickly. The pair decided to use their data science background to improve healthcare outcomes by making sure that patients get the best treatments available, which eventually became PeakData. 

The team has built a platform that is capable of searching through millions of digital records to find information about HCPs and map their professional interests as well as their connections to peers. What sets PeakData apart is the scope of this mapping, with up to 90% of HCPs in any therapeutic area covered, giving pharma companies much greater insight into all levels of healthcare provision. 

Patrick De Boer, co-founder of PeakData explained: “We started PeakData after a dawning realisation that AI could help provide better patient outcomes. In order to ensure healthcare professionals are aware of the latest medicines, pharmaceutical companies must be provided with the latest data about them and their key focus areas. We see PeakData as filling a key gap in the way our customers receive and analyse this data in order to improve the conversations they are having with a much wider variety of HCPs in their area. Combining our AI approach and platform with the global presence of a number of pharmaceutical companies will have an immediate and long-term positive impact for our customers and the patients they serve. We’re delighted that Albion shares this vision and look forward to working with them in the future.”

In addition, new and emerging influencers are also much more easily uncovered with PeakData, as the platform gives users constant insights on digital activators – a practising HCP who has a robust and established digital presence and actively shapes clinical opinion. As the COVID-19 pandemic has shown, it is critical for pharmaceutical companies to find and engage digital activators, so they can reach more healthcare professionals, earlier and quicker, and steepen the product adoption curve. 

It’s also a product that is fully customisable to the needs of each of its customers.  Customers interact with PeakData through a web-based platform that learns about their distinct needs and attempts to provide the most interesting insights depending on territory, drug market and background. While it is possible to search PeakData’s entire database, the platform has been designed to show customers exactly what they are looking for to ensure that people get a view of the things that they care about the most, based on where they are and what they do.

Christoph Ruedig, partner at AlbionVC said: “When we first met Patrick, Michael and the team, we were impressed by their dedication, drive and determination to develop the best data AI platform in a healthcare setting. Finding the right therapeutic experts and healthcare professionals for their medicines is massively important for pharmaceutical companies and with PeakData they can now reach global, national, and local medical professionals who shape clinical decision-making. The potential for PeakData to help provide better patient outcomes and improve the decision-making of key healthcare professionals is very exciting and we’re pleased to be able to join the team on this journey.”

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Patricia Allen
Patricia Allen
is the Head of Content at EU-Startups. With a background in politics, Patricia has a real passion for how shared ideas across communities and cultures can bring new initiatives and innovations for the future. She spends her time bringing you the latest news and updates of startups across Europe, and curating our social media.
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