Medtech Innovator is a competition for early stage medtech start-ups to get the opportunity to present their tech to a wide audience in addition to winning various prizes. RCT Ventures has now partnered up with AdvaMed for the next round of their competition. The finals will be held during AdvaMed 2015 in San Diego in October where 4 finalists will be selected from 20 semi-finalists to compete for $300,000 in prizes.
What is really interesting about this particular round of Medtech Innovator is the “Transformative Track.” 26 leading medtech manufacturers and providers were surveyed as to the 10 most important areas of medtech innovation. The companies polled include BD, Edwards Lifesciences, GE Ventures, Johnson & Johnson, ResMed, UCLA Health, Cardiovascular Systems, Inc. and St. Jude Medical. The categories are:
- Big Data and Analytics – Interfacing with EMR, outcome/cost analysis, implant databases and device registries.
- Chronic Disease Management – Diabetes care, high blood pressure, vascular disease
- Digital Health Meets Medical Device – Integrating medical sensors and devices with centralized digital platforms and the internet, medical apps
- Integrated Services and Solutions – Remote monitoring, improving efficiency and decreasing costs while improving quality of care
- Patient Safety – Preventing adverse and never events such as medication errors, patient decision making support, exposure hazards, decreasing hospital related infections
- Patient Satisfaction – Decreasing wait times, improving patient experience, improved education
- Personalized Medtech – Genome-specific care, patient specific devices such as 3d printed implants
- Point of Care Diagnostics – Rapid bed-side and in-office testing such as “lab-on-a-chip” devices
- Shifting to Less-invasive Therapies and Site of Care – Including robotics and minimally invasive therapy
- Technology for Ambulatory and Home Settings – Telemedicine and remote monitoring
This first of its kind survey gives a unique insight into the focus of the medtech industry at large and reveals where innovation will be heading over the next few years. Aspiring innovators can use this survey to try and take on needs that will garner more interest from investors, care providers, and industry. Applications to the transformative track are due by this Friday, May 15th.