What makes an innovation stand out in an increasingly competitive market? Health experts at the 2026 Tomilli Summit identified factors that differentiate a promising idea and a real solution capable of generating true value.
In the world of marketing, creativity, and business, disruptive ideas capture the public’s attention. However, when it comes to innovation, an attractive proposal, state-of-the-art technology or the ability to identify an unmet need is not always enough. The real challenge lies in demonstrating what makes a solution viable and impactful.
Tomilli consolidated a list of takeaways after listening to festival judges evaluate the nominees for the health category. Category judges included experts such as Glen Hagemann (Director of Wellness and Personalized Medicine at Mediclinic), Rosa A. Pardo Vargas (Chief Physician, Head of Genetics at the University, Chile Clinical Hospital) and Manuel Pizarro (Associate Director of Corporate Communications, Laboratorio Chile).
1. A good story needs data to back it up
A good narrative is no substitute for hard evidence – especially when it comes to health. Storytelling allows you to connect with the audience, but it is the data that helps demonstrate the value of a proposal. An engaging presentation can catch people’s attention, explain a problem, and offer a promising solution, but without data, its case is weak.
The judges noted that missing or incomplete data made it difficult to determine whether solutions actually offered an improvement over existing alternatives.
How to apply this to your case? When presenting an innovation, a story must be accompanied by verifiable results, performance indicators, information regarding the tests conducted, and supporting information. If the project is still at an early stage, it should explain what has been tested, what results exist, and what aspects continue to need development. Transparency about the actual status of an initiative can strengthen its credibility.
2. Innovators must make clear what sets their development apart from alternatives
Incorporating a new technology does not necessarily mean creating something innovative. To stand out, a proposal must demonstrate what it brings to the table compared to solutions that already exist.
The lesson is clear: technology can be a means to innovate, but it is not in and of itself innovation.
How to apply this to your case? Before presenting a project, innovators should ask themselves three questions: What problem does this solve? What alternatives currently exist? What concrete improvement does it offer when compared to existing options?
The difference may lie in accessibility, user experience, cost, accuracy, or results. The important thing is to identify what sets it apart, and, as appropriate, highlight this differential factor.
3. Security and user experience are also part of innovation
An idea may seem simple, practical and visually appealing, but its value depends on how it works in real conditions.
Category judges stress that innovation does not end with the product design. It should also consider the conditions of use, the real needs of people, and the potential risks that could arise.
How to apply this to your case? Consider whether the innovation has incorporated safety, usability and performance testing? Did it consider these factors in the early stages of development? Identify the limitations of a product or service and evaluate whether ir responds to the rea user needs.
When it comes to healthcare solutions, appropriate technical and clinical evidence is required, in accordance with the nature of the product and the intended benefits.
The Biggest Takeaway: innovating also means substantiating
The Tomilli Summit 2026 Health category evaluation left us with a message that transcends the healthcare industry: an innovation needs more than an attractive idea; it needs arguments that allow potential investors and clients to evaluate its value.
For creative agencies, the key takeaway is that a powerful narrative will loose its footing without verifiable evidence. For brands, it means narrowing in on results. For entrepreneurs and startups, it means understanding that developing a solution is only part of the process: you must also be able to explain what makes your idea different, how it works, and what benefits it provides.
In an era where more and more organizations seek to innovate, the difference lies not only in who presents the most striking idea, but in who can best explain how their idea contributes to a solution. A memorable innovation is not one that manages to capture attention, but one that can demonstrate what it changes, for whom it changes things, and why that change matters.