New health tech may start in garages or solitary labs at times, but taking a project all the way through development, testing, certification, sourcing, production, and marketing requires significant resources. Technology innovation centers, business incubators, entrepreneurial challenges, and funding competitions are a valuable part of the tech development process. Contests, challenges, and development centers can filter out the nonstarters and connect the most promising concepts with additional resources. Earlier this year, for example, we wrote about a Pediatrics Hackathon sponsored by The Innovation Studio at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. In 2015, a low-cost mouth mouse won an Assistive Technology Challenge in a MakerBot Thingverse competition.
The CTIA Wireless Foundation, a wireless communications industry association, recently announced a new competitive grant program called Catalyst. Catalyst will award three prize grants to encourage and support health and wellness wireless tech development. Suggested areas for competitors include using 5G wireless networks for remote virtual and augmented reality therapies, wearables that detect, monitor, and manage chronic health conditions, and AI applications to diagnose design treatment plans for various diseases and conditions.
Additional areas of interest appropriate for Catalyst entries include mHealth, telemedicine, and data analytics, improved access to care, and wireless tech that helps improve diet, fitness, and psychological well-being.
Additional sources of funding and other support for health and medical technology could be the encouragement would-be entrepreneurs need to take their ideas further.
