MedTechBOOST competition at the Bradfield Centre in Cambridge will target healthcare challenges using AI
An ambitious competition designed to tackle two major healthcare challenges using artificial intelligence will run at the Bradfield Centre.
Central Working, which runs the deep tech hub on Cambridge Science Park, has teamed up with Eastern Academic Health Services Network (AHSN) and innovation specialists Studio Zao for MedTechBOOST.
It will bring together the health and tech sector, academia and medical practitioners.
Successful applicants will join a five-day ideation programme, during which they will have support to transform their initial ideas into solutions.
Expert guidance and mentoring will be offered by sponsor Cambridge Judge Business School Entrepreneurship Centre, as well as AstraZeneca, ARM, Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Trust and Johnson & Johnson Innovation.
After developing their ideas, participants will pitch them to collaboration partners and sponsors, with the opportunity to discuss potential investment and collaboration.
Two challenges have been set for the participants by Eastern AHSN, in collaboration with Cambridge & Peterborough Foundation Trust and VOICE, based on key areas of focus in the NHS Long-Term Plan:
Mental health - can AI be applied to improve patients’ safety and prevent suicidal behaviour or detect impending violent behaviours?
Healthy ageing - can AI facilitate targeted, personalised care in older people with multiple co-morbidities and to detect Alzheimer’s disease before symptoms arise
James Parton, director at Central Working, said: “This is one of the most ambitious collaborative health tech programmes the UK has seen, bringing world-leading universities and global businesses together with the very best individuals from the startup, tech, academic and medical fields.
“MedTechBOOST offers individuals and early-stage start-ups unprecedented access to the NHS and a roster of multinational businesses and investor networks, providing a life-changing experience for anyone pursuing a career in healthcare or AI.”
Entrepreneurs, students, early-stage start-ups, tech entrepreneurs and healthcare professionals are invited to apply at MedTechBOOST.com by July 31.
Louise Jopling, commercial director at EAHSN said: “Eastern AHSN are delighted to kick start this programme working with the NHS and the local community to identify system needs that could one day provide health and social care solutions within, and beyond, the Eastern region. We are passionate about bringing networks of the brightest specialists together and excited by the breadth of organisations involved in the mentoring support. We really have a chance to take the best opportunities forward and make an impact.”
Eastern AHSN is part of national network established by NHS England to accelerate and scale healthcare innovation. It has leveraged more than £83m investment into the East of England, awarding 57 contracts to supported companies and overseeing the adoption of 17 new innovations into the local health system and the NHS since 2013.
Bruno Cotta, executive director at Cambridge Judge Business School Entrepreneurship Centre, said: “We are delighted to support this collaborative initiative to stimulate more healthcare innovation and entrepreneurship in Cambridge and beyond.
“Advances in mental health and healthy ageing are significant technical and managerial challenges facing the NHS and society. We look forward to working with our partners and participants as they explore new ideas, technology and business models that could create value and impact in the future.”
Jamie Qiu, managing partner at Studio Zao said: “This programme offers innovators the opportunity to work side-by-side with senior healthcare representatives, exploring ways to address healthcare’s major challenges with groundbreaking technology. By building teams from domain experts and surrounding them with dedicated guidance and advice,
“MedTechBoost provides a unique opportunity to rapidly transform an interesting idea into a viable concept which can be adopted by the NHS and change the lives of patients.”
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