Last week at #UNGA, the Novartis Foundation worked with partners to turn collaboration into concrete, data-driven, city-level action on cardiovascular health and wellbeing. 🌍❤️ A highlight was the Concordia Annual Summit, where our sessions focused on real impact for cities and communities: 🔹 Urban Population Health mainstage — city leaders, innovators, and health experts explored how precision data and AI can translate into policy and action. Outcome: stronger commitments to help mayors and health systems target cardiovascular risk where it’s needed most. 🔹 Private roundtable on urban heart health — 50 leaders and partners aligned on the principles of a joint global effort, building momentum for collective action. Beyond the Summit, we joined key platforms and conversations across New York to expand our reach: ➡️ At Digital@UNGA (ITU + UNDP) — highlighted how responsible private-sector innovation, paired with digital inclusion, can accelerate progress on SDG3. ➡️ With the World Heart Federation and IHME/JACC — advanced the evidence base for tackling urban cardiovascular disease. ➡️ At the WEF Health For All Steering Committee and Standard Chartered roundtable — reinforced the role of public-private collaboration in mobilizing place-based health change and innovative financing for health transformation. ➡️ Through the PVBLIC Foundation’s Health Impact FORWARD Forum — connected AI-driven insights from our AI4HealthyCities initiative with better health outcomes for overlooked populations. Looking ahead: our focus remains clear — help cities implement proven interventions, supported by data, AI, and cross-sector partnerships, so urban populations everywhere can live healthier, longer lives. Finally, a heartfelt thanks to our incredible team — Karen M., Elizabeth Adamson, Jim Cheng, PhD, Matthew Arentz, MD MPH, Korab Zuka, and many more 🙌 — for bringing energy, ideas, and commitment to every session and partnership. You made this week not just productive, but impactful. #UrbanHeartHealth #CARDIO4Cities #AI4HealthyCities #HealthEquity #DigitalInclusion #PublicPrivatePartnerships #UNGA2025
Novartis Foundation
Public Health
Basel, BS 33,090 followers
We help cities tackle cardiovascular disease and advance health equity through data and AI.
About us
The Novartis Foundation is a non-profit organization based in Switzerland. For over 40 years, we have helped improve the health of underserved populations, initially supporting disease elimination strategies in areas such as leprosy and malaria. Now, we help cities tackle the burning health issues of our time, cardiovascular disease and health inequity. Cardiovascular disease takes almost 18 million lives each year, and its emergence as a key risk factor for COVID-19 complications brings added urgency to addressing it at the population level. We take a population health approach, which means widening the lens from a narrow focus on healthcare delivery to a panoramic vision of improving health in the population at large, ensuring access to healthy lives for all. Our population health approach brings together disconnected data to create insights that help authorities understand the root causes of unequal health outcomes and find the best ways and best partners to remediate those. This empowers governments to re-engineer reactive care systems into human-centered health systems that keep people healthy. See our community guidelines: https://bit.ly/35ExptC
- Website
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http://www.novartisfoundation.org
External link for Novartis Foundation
- Industry
- Public Health
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Headquarters
- Basel, BS
- Type
- Nonprofit
- Founded
- 1979
- Specialties
- Population Health, Health Policy, Health Tech, Multisectorial Partnerships, and Data and AI
Locations
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Primary
Fabrikstrasse
Forum 3
Basel, BS 4056, CH
Employees at Novartis Foundation
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John Kahan
Board Member, Chief AI Officer
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Nikolaus Guntrum
Global Head of Communications and Reporting Novartis Foundation (Novartis International)
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Jim Cheng, PhD
Enthusiastically working on improving population health with cutting-edge technologies and forward-thinking partners.
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Ann Aerts
Head of the Novartis Foundation
Updates
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💙 A historic step for heart health in Europe! This weekend, Leuven became the first CARDIO City in Europe, officially joining our global Cardio4Cities network. With the signing of the charter by Mayor Mohamed Ridouani and Federal Minister Frank Vandenbroucke — followed by their participation in a CPR exercise — Leuven showed what leadership in cardiovascular health looks like. Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading cause of death, yet up to 80% of cases are preventable by tackling key risk factors. By combining real-world data, science, and community action, CARDIO City Leuven is setting a new standard for how cities in Europe can work to protect and improve the health of their people. Together with partners across healthcare, academia, civil society and government, we look forward to turning this commitment into impact — neighborhood by neighborhood, heartbeat by heartbeat. 📖 You can read more here: 🔹 Brussels Times (in English): https://lnkd.in/dW39WWay 🔹 Grenzecho (in German): https://lnkd.in/dtj7bsyP #Cardio4Cities #HeartHealth #Leuven #HARTstad Bert Vaes Stefan Janssens Marie Van de Putte Jean-Michel Luyckx Federico Mambretti Hilde Deneyer Warda D. Ann Aerts
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Breaking news: Scaling urban heart health through strong partnerships The Novartis Foundation is proud to announce a new partnership with Bayer to further scale our CARDIO4Cities population health approach and transform urban cardiovascular health. Thanks to Bayer’s support, we are now working to deploy CARDIO4Cities in up to four additional cities every year! Our shared ambition: ⚡ Empower individuals and communities to take charge of their heart health 🤖 Harness digital and AI technologies for early detection and better management of cardiovascular risk factors 🎯 Foster sustainable, city-wide impact through targeted interventions This collaboration is a testament to the power of partnership in advancing population health and closing gaps in health and care. We look forward to working with city leaders, local partners, and communities to make heart health a reality for millions. Learn more about CARDIO4Cities here: https://lnkd.in/dwiw3ipt Ann Aerts | Daniella Foster | Caroline Meledo | Elizabeth Adamson | Bayer | Consumer Health
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How can we channel the bustling energy of cities around the globe for greater heart health? 🏙️ ❤️ We are very much looking forward to an in-depth discussion about transforming the delivery of health and care at population level on September 22 at the Concordia Summit in New York City! Register here to attend: https://bit.ly/ANN25LI Ann Aerts Daniella Foster David Napier Michelle Williams Nicole F. Roberts Juha Jolkkonen Elena Bonfiglioli
In a pivotal session, Ann Aerts, Head of Novartis Foundation, will be joined by: 🔹 David Napier of Medical Anthropology, University College London 🔹 Daniella Foster, SVP & Global Head, Public Affairs, Market Access & Sustainability, Bayer | Consumer Health 🔹 Juha Jolkkonen, Director, Social Services, Health Care & Rescue Services Division, Helsingin kaupunki – Helsingfors stad – City of Helsinki 🔹 Michelle Williams, Visiting Professor, Stanford University 🔹 Nicole F. Roberts, Founder & President, Health & Human Rights Strategies 🔹 Elena Bonfiglioli, Global Business Leader, GM Healthcare, Pharma LIfe Sciences, Microsoft Together, they will explore how data-driven strategies and inclusive partnerships can help cities transition from reactive care to proactive, preventive health systems. With 70% of the global population projected to live in cities by 2050, urban spaces must lead the way in shaping a healthier, more resilient future. Concordia is honored to announce the Novartis Foundation as a Principal Programming Partner for the 2025 Concordia Annual Summit. 🔗 Register to attend: https://bit.ly/ANN25LI #Concordia25
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Novartis Foundation reposted this
💙 Proud moment for cardiovascular health in Europe! Leuven has become the first HEART City in Europe, joining the global CARDIO4Cities network, an initiative created by the Novartis Foundation to improve urban heart health across the world. From New York to São Paulo, and now Leuven, CARDIO4Cities brings together science, healthcare providers, policymakers and citizens to tackle cardiovascular disease with a data-driven, community-based approach. At Novartis Belux, we are proud of this pioneering project. Cardiovascular health is at the core of our mission, and Leuven’s leadership shows what is possible when sectors unite for healthier cities. 📅 Want to learn more? Don’t miss the official launch on 27 September at Ladeuzeplein in Leuven during Heart Week, with life-saving trainings, interactive challenges, health checks and more: www.leuven.be/hartstad. And to discover the global initiative behind it, you can visit: https://lnkd.in/dEBmrSUv. Apotheia UZ Leuven Academisch Centrum voor Huisartsgeneeskunde (ACHG) Belgische Cardiologische Liga / Ligue Cardiologique Belge stad Leuven #NovartisTogether #HeartHealth #HEARTCity #HARTstad #Cardio4Cities #NovartisFoundation
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Novartis Foundation reposted this
The word is out … ❤️ stad Leuven will be the first #CardioCity in Europe ❤️ What is #CardioCity? Together with all the Leuven stakeholders we will work on: C improve #Care for all Leuven inhabitants through concrete projects. A enhance #Access to screening, information, treatment and follow-up in for the Leuven population R only through policy #Reform, we can diminish the impact of cardiovascular disease D use the #Data to measure the impact of the CardioCity projects, fully embedded in the #PopulationHealth philosophy I cardiovasculaire health needs #Interdisciplinary work O local #Ownership, to implement all of this in stad Leuven Leuven stands next to cities like #NewYork and #Singapour 😉 and soon ‘other’ European Capitals. It’s the start of a great trajectory with Apotheia UZ Leuven Academisch Centrum voor Huisartsgeneeskunde (ACHG) Belgische Cardiologische Liga / Ligue Cardiologique Belge stad Leuven Novartis Foundation Thank you for driving this 🫶🏻 Keep you posted on the results 🫀! It’s the continuation of the #cardiovascularwave in Belgium.
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New publication 📰 In our latest paper in the Journal of the AHA, CARDIO4Cities is once more proven to rapidly improve urban population health. City districts implementing the initiative show significant reductions in stroke hospitalization rates compared to citywide data 📉 🏥 Access the paper for free: https://lnkd.in/eyYfJ5mb Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute | American Heart Association | Secretaria Municipal da Saúde de São Paulo | SOCESP - SOCIEDADE DE CARDIOLOGIA DO ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO | Ministère de la Santé et de l'Action sociale | SBH - Sociedade Brasileira de Hipertensão
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Novartis Foundation reposted this
Yes, AI can help reduce health inequities. But that’s not what we should use it for❌ I just joined a thought-provoking panel with 𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐘𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠, 张 Zhang翼飞 Yifei and Laura Herman at this year’s #WorldAIConference in Shanghai. I shared how we at the Novartis Foundation, especially with our population health initiative AI4HealthyCities, use AI to uncover hidden drivers of chronic disease and design more equitable public health responses. My take-home message for the audience was this: we don’t need AI to help us reduce health inequities. We need it in order to *𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤* them fundamentally—and the health systems that seek to address them. To do so, collaboration is key: we must bring together governments, tech innovators, and communities to ensure AI serves those who need it most. Grateful to Dalberg for hosting this inspiring exchange. Let’s keep pushing the boundaries of what’s possible when AI reshapes our understanding of public health. Swipe for a few impressions from the panel and a bonus picture of Shanghai’s unique skyline at night. Elizabeth Adamson | Gaurav Gupta | Chang Liu
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CARDIO4Cities is scaling up fast 🚀 We’re thrilled to announce the expansion of our CARDIO4Cities population health initiative to 35 new municipalities across the North and Northeast of Brazil. This means up to 1.6 million more people stand to benefit from improved cardiovascular health. 💡 From Caucaia to the Maracanaú Health Region, from Santarém to the 29 municipalities of the Sertão region of Paraíba – local teams are already driving change on the ground to perform better cardiovascular risk management in the local populations. 📈 The momentum is real. The impact is measurable. And the opportunity is now. If you're a city leader looking to transform cardiovascular health in your community, CARDIO4Cities is proving what’s possible. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/dwiw3ipt None of our work in Brazil would be possible without our strong local partners. This milestone in particular is made possible through our collaboration with the Juntos Pela Saude initiative, led by the Brazilian Development Bank BNDES, managed by IDIS - Instituto para o Desenvolvimento do Investimento Social and executed by BP - A Beneficência Portuguesa de São Paulo.
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Do you know the six must-win areas to improve heart health in your city? Johannes Boch, our Director of Population Health, lays out simple yet effective ways to significantly reduce the heart disease burden in urban populations Johannes’ pro tip: check out our new CARDIO4Cities website to access all the tools and insights you need to turn your city into a beacon of heart health! 🏙️ ❤️ https://lnkd.in/dwiw3ipt ❤️ 🏙️