An effective media strategy and precise coordination of promotional activities enabled us to build strong brand awareness for the third edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge (MCSC). Throughout the campaign, we successfully achieved key communication objectives: engaging both industry-specific and mainstream media, effectively reaching the target audience, and highlighting the significance of the initiative organized by the Institute of Mother and Child (IMID). This approach allowed IMID to focus on operational activities while entrusting Come Creations Group with the majority of communication tasks.
About the Mother and Child Startup Challenge
The third edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge was a remarkable event that once again brought together innovative startups from around the world operating in the field of prenatal medicine. Organized by the Institute of Mother and Child (IMID), the competition aimed to identify the most promising technological and medical projects with the potential to revolutionize care for the youngest patients and their parents.
This year’s edition attracted a record number of applications—nearly 80 different startups. The grand finale, held on November 27, 2024, at the Capitol Theatre in Warsaw, provided an opportunity to showcase the top ten initiatives and honor the most outstanding projects. The winner, Ultra Echo Scan, a Polish innovation enabling early detection of congenital heart defects in newborns, was awarded the opportunity to implement its solution within the Institute and its partner hospitals.
The gala also served as a platform for discussion and knowledge exchange among attending experts, investors, and media representatives.
Challenge
The goal of our agency’s efforts was to promote the MCSC competition as a key event in the field of innovations dedicated to maternal and child health, alongside the ongoing mentoring of planned activities. An important aspect was also to strengthen IMID’s position as a leader in initiatives supporting the development of new medical technologies. While the competition’s grand finale took place at the end of November, Come Creations Group began its activities in May, with the launch of the recruitment process for the competition.
The execution of the communication campaign for the third edition of MCSC presented several significant challenges. The main task was reaching a wide audience, encompassing both industry-specific and nationwide media, while ensuring consistency in messaging. Another challenge was distinguishing the initiative from other events in the startup sector, which often compete for media and investor attention. Additionally, the short time frame between various stages of the campaign required precise coordination and quick responses to the needs of the Institute of Mother and Child team and media partners. However, through meticulous planning and the commitment of both the agency and the organizer, these difficulties were overcome, and the set objectives were successfully achieved.
Campaign implementation and effects
During the communication efforts, we were responsible for both the creative aspects and the scheduling of activities in coordination with IMiD. The synergy between both parties enabled a broad reach for the competition, which, according to the organizer, was the most successful edition to date.
Our tasks included:
- Preparation of press releases – with the launch of the recruitment process, the announcement of the TOP 20, followed by the TOP 10, and after the grand finale;
- Execution of media outreach to both nationwide and industry-specific media;
- Preparation and distribution of invitations to the grand finale gala for the media, along with follow-up actions;
- Preparation of press notes for journalists at each stage of the competition;
- Building the expert image of IMiD;
- Hosting a webinar for the TOP 10 titled “Media and MedTech: How to Win the Hearts of Journalists and Investors,” led by the agency’s CEO, Anita Kijanka;
- Public relations mentoring.
Effects
Between late November and early December, over 20 publications were released regarding the third edition of the gala—across online media, print, radio, and television. Thanks to the agency’s efforts, publications appeared on portals such as Medonet, Medycyny Praktycznej, Pulsu Medycyny, Medexpress and Biotechnologii. The press office of the Institute of Mother and Child also contributed to this success by distributing press releases through partnership agreements and organizing, among other things, a coverage of the grand finale gala on TVP.
Summary
The communication success of the third edition of the Mother and Child Startup Challenge is the result of a carefully planned strategy, effective collaboration with the IMID team, and a strong commitment to building relationships with the media. Thanks to the carefully selected tools and communication channels, the event gained significant exposure and interest, laying a solid foundation for the continued development of this initiative. While we await the summary report of the edition, we are already engaged in discussions and implementing further actions aimed at promoting Health Tech and AI in medicine, along with the startups that were recognized in the competition.