The (Health) Challenge Festival 1776

In a previous post in March I introduced you to 1776, a platform to connect start-up companies to resources that they need (more on 1776dc.com) in a innovative physical and virtual space.

Since then, I am proud to share that MedStar Health has partnered with 1776 as the fourth and final founding partner of this start-up incubator, joining Microsoft, Comcast and the District of Columbia (see press release).

As part of that partnership, MedStar played a prominent role in 1776's annual 'Challenge Cup' - this is an annual global start-up competitition spanning 16 cities around the world to identify the most promising start-ups tackling the challenge in education, energy, health and cities.  Yesterday, the health challenge occurred downtown at Studio theater (pictures with MedStar logo on intro slide).

It was fun to hear the 3 minute presentations of companies with novel approaches or technologies to address: improved access to care (everything from high end cancer care to navigating infertility treatment options); improved coordination of care (from 'patient hand offs' to chronically ill management); devices that improve prosthetic comfort, ear buds that will reduce hearing loss long-term and devices that detect traumatic brain injury; to inexpensive methods for very rural and third world patients to get blood tests. 

Want to learn more?  Follow the challenge @1776dc #ChallengeFestival