NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Accenture (NYSE:ACN) has kicked off the application period for the third annual Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge, which seeks to improve the way people access and manage healthcare.
Attracting nearly 1,200 startup applicants in its first two years, the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge – part of Accenture’s broader HealthTech Innovation program – brings together leading-edge startups with prominent health and life sciences companies to tackle some of the world’s greatest health challenges, including access, quality and affordability-of-care options.
Emerging healthcare technology innovators and disruptors are encouraged to apply for the program by clicking here now thru Sept. 1.
The three categories for the third annual Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge are:
- Keeping a population healthy through wellness and prevention. This category focuses on minimizing hospital visits; wellness/lifestyle management; remote care delivery models; social determinates of health; and better education.
- Using digital health solutions to deliver better patient outcomes. This category focuses on delivering the best outcomes by leveraging digital health solutions, including telehealth; artificial intelligence; digital clinical trials; blockchain; internet of things; drones; digital pills; 3D printing; and real-world evidence.
- Improving healthcare delivery for the patient. This category focuses on healthcare services and efficient healthcare through office/patient management; cost transparency/payments; strategic sourcing; health records; care coordination; and enterprise workflow.
Key criteria that applications should address include solution innovation, solution design quality, disruptive business model, potential impact on patient outcomes, and solution scalability.
Selected finalists will present to an exclusive panel of judges comprising senior executives from globally recognized health and life sciences companies, gaining exposure and access to these industry-leading companies to bring their ideas to market.
Nanowear, manufacturer of a congestive-heart-failure monitoring undergarment and the SimpleSense machine-learning platform, was last year’s HealthTech Innovation Challenge winner. Based in New York City, Nanowear has experienced ongoing success and increased visibility since being named Innovation Champion.
“The Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge built significant awareness and momentum for Nanowear as we continue to approach a prominent clinical study and commercial launch later this year,” said Venk Varadan, Nanowear’s co-founder and CEO. “Accenture’s program provided one-of-a-kind connections to more than 50 stakeholders across the very complex healthcare ecosystem, fostering outstanding mentorship opportunities and relationships with providers, payers, device manufacturers, the pharma industry, IT executives, regulatory bodies and healthcare investors. The experience and opportunities are so valuable to a young company like ours, working to solve some of the world’s most challenging healthcare problems.”
Anne O’Riordan, senior managing director of Accenture Life Sciences and co-author of Healthcare Disrupted, said, “The Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge tackles some of the world’s most pressing health challenges using breakthrough digital technology. The passion, determination and curiosity of the startups and other program participants will help established players make the pivotal move to delivering better patient outcomes and collaboration. Engagement last year was overwhelmingly positive, and the program’s success is a testament to our intent to help our clients and the industry embrace the digital revolution and market shifts that are changing how healthcare will be developed and delivered to people around the world.”
Brian Kalis, managing director of digital health and innovation services at Accenture, said, “With the HealthTech Innovation Challenge, Accenture serves as a vehicle to connect the next generation of startups with an ecosystem of organizations and individuals that can make a meaningful difference in bringing their fresh ideas to fruition – and ultimately work to solve some of healthcare’s greatest challenges. We are excited to be at the forefront of this digital healthcare revolution and look forward to continuing to help startups push the boundaries of healthcare technology.”
Four regional pitching sessions for the competition will take place this year: in Tokyo on Nov. 1; in Sydney on Nov. 15; in Dublin on Nov. 15; and in Boston on Nov. 29.
The final judging round will take place at the StartUp Health Festival in San Francisco during the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on Jan. 7, 2019. Accenture is the Lead Innovation Partner of the festival, which brings together more than 2,000 of the world’s leading healthcare innovators and investors. The top entrants in each category will gain exposure and access to leading companies in their target market or therapeutic area.
The Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge, from Accenture’s Health and Life Sciences practices, is tied to Accenture Ventures, which is focused on accelerating the adoption of early stage enterprise technology innovations.
About Accenture
Accenture is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions – underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network – Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 449,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.