By Dina Titkova, Health 10x Program Manager (UNSW Founders) and Vesna Todorovski, Genovate/Health 10x Program Manager (TGI)
Improving vision for a billion people worldwide. Helping people with Parkinson’s walk again. Protecting patients from hospital-acquired infections. Recommending treatments that are bespoke to individual patients. Improving health care delivery in low-cost settings.
These are the global health challenges the Health 10x program Cohort # 2participants were looking to address through their innovative ventures.
For the second year in a row, UNSW and The George Institute for Global Health (TGI) partnered to deliver the Health 10x program which aims to achieve social impact by accelerating the business growth of startups developing solutions for global health challenges.
Health 10x was successfully piloted in 2019. This year, supported by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources and by the Medical Research Future Fund’s REDI initiative, the program expanded nationally and saw almost double the number of applications. 37 teams participated in the prerequisite health stream of the UNSW Founders Pre-accelerator program of which five were chosen to progress to join the 10-week accelerator. Extending beyond New South Wales this year saw founders based in Melbourne and Bangladesh being able to also participate.
In 2020, Health 10x was delivered 100% online and still provided founders with the important opportunity to validate their innovations in India, an emerging market with complex healthcare needs. Through TGI’s strong presence in India and established relationships and networks with stakeholders in the healthcare sector, government and health innovation ecosystem, the digital India Market Deep Dive included expert speakers, virtual tours, an Indian pitch night and even a cooking class.
On November 4thwe celebrated and showcased the five teams who participated in the Health 10x 2020 Pre-accelerator and Accelerator programs. Through the program we were inspired by the passion, commitment and fantastic achievements of the five teams:
23 Strands – Unlocking the power of your DNA
- Built a new business unit and team morale
- Published the first scientific paper
- Improved comms, including the Pitch
4eyes – Providing vision to the majority of the world
- Won Australian Technologies Competition – Global Social Impact
- Won of Pre-accelerator Showcase
- Built a core team for the business
- Mapped a clear path forward for the business
- Learnt to pitch
Docterio- Digitalising the healthcare system in Bangladesh
- Established collaboration with Jaago Foundation, the biggest NGO in Bangladesh
- On-boarded three private hospitals
- Launched the campaign with Porikolpona Foundation
MUVi - Rapid UV disinfection and decontamination
- Launching research trials for their UV solution in relation to COVID19 in collaboration with leading UNSW researchers
- Got investment ready with deep discussions already in progress
- Secured work placement project to help with market research and create a social impact
Walking Tall Health – Helping people walk
- Strengthened the core team and grew their global networks
- Refined the vision
- Focused their growth strategy
If you missed the Health 10x Demo Night, the recording is available HERE and more information about the teams is available HERE
Want to contribute to Health10x program vision of improving the lives of people around the world – then get in touch!
Stay healthy everyone.