In order to find solutions to the main logistical problems of the pharmaceutical and health sciences industry, within the framework of the "The Box" project, several companies and institutions came together to organize the first Life Science Hackathon, in which different actors met together to improve the competitiveness of the sector. "The Box" is an initiative financed by the National Agency for Research and Innovation (ANII) and by IDB Lab, which seeks to promote the development of the logistics sector through the implementation of technology at a local and global level, promoting integration, research and the innovation. The initiative, developed by Aero Cargas–DHL Global Forwarding, IBM, Quanam, the University of Montevideo, Newlab and Zonamerica, includes a 4.0 Technology Demonstration Center applied to the logistics chain in order to provide best practices internationally and support companies that wish to evaluate, select and implement these technologies and use them in their operations. Nine companies from the sector (va-Q-tec, Adium Pharma, Merck, Dasa Genómica, Boehringer Ingelheim, AstraZeneca, GSK, Bayer and Megalabs), experts, students, representatives of the public sector and organizations that support entrepreneurs participated in the hackathon. The instance had the support of the Ministry of Public Health (MSP) and the National Customs Directorate (DNA), ANII, IDB Lab, Uruguay XXI and the Embassy of Israel in Uruguay. “The pharmaceutical industry in Uruguay is growing, has a great impact and faces many logistical challenges. We worked to identify its three main challenges and we called on companies and institutions to give their point of view and propose solutions with total openness, in an unprecedented and high-commitment action”, said Diego Wins, organizer of the event. For two days, at The Box Auditorium in Zonamerica, the participants worked collaboratively to create innovative solutions to three specific problems in the industry, which were ensuring adequate conditions in national cargo, having unified customs information in real time , and articulate the specific regulations of the Ministry of Public Health with that of the National Customs Directorate to achieve more agile and efficient processes. The result was three proposals with different scope and feasibility in the medium and short term, which proposed possible solutions to overcome the barriers facing the sector. Flavio Caiafa, president of the ANII, highlighted the value of "bringing the industry together and having the entire value chain thinking about the future of logistics in Uruguay. Analyzing the process as it is and seeing what we want for the future is essential. This is the first exercise that the Uruguayan logistics community did to think about a better future and this will give rise to thinking about a better future”. Uruguay has positioned itself as a logistics hub for the pharmaceutical and life sciences industry due to several benefits of the country, such as the time zone, cultural affinity and neutrality, and trade agreements, among other aspects. Exports of pharmaceutical products for human use exceed US$ 150 million and more than half are made from free zones.
