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4 digital health startups find pilot partners at Brigham & Women’s Shark Tank-style pitch contest

Instead of making money the reward for its digital health startup pitch contest, Brigham and Women’s Hospital iHub innovation center put another hot commodity up for grabs: collaboration with clinicians and executives. Ten finalists competed in its Shark Tank-style innovation contest this week. They were all solutions that addressed either the patient and family experience […]

Instead of making money the reward for its digital health startup pitch contest, Brigham and Women’s Hospital iHub innovation center put another hot commodity up for grabs: collaboration with clinicians and executives.

Ten finalists competed in its Shark Tank-style innovation contest this week. They were all solutions that addressed either the patient and family experience in an inpatient setting, or patient engagement in an outpatient setting.

A mix of six clinicians, researchers and executives served as the “sharks” and potential pilot partners for the startups. Each shark could choose one company to partner with, and if the company chose them back, it was a match.

Four startups walked away with partners after Monday’s event:

Twine Health – Most popular among the judges, this MIT Media Lab spinout is developing a software platform that uses synchronized apps for patients to manage their chronic diseases and collaborate with physicians.

Partner: Dr. Stuart Pollack, medical director of BW’s Advanced Primary Care Associates

presented by

Tenacity Health – A corporate wellness company that uses peer coaching and “unconventional incentives” based on MIT research to drive behavior change in employees.

Partner: Dr. Katherine Rose, Advanced Primary Care Associates

Healo – Using remote monitoring via a mobile app, this company hopes to decrease the need for clinical follow-up for surgical wound healing.

Partner: Pooja Devendran, executive director of surgical service operations and program development

MySafeCare – A mobile app that lets patients and families report safety concerns to their care team while in the hospital.

Partner: Karen Conley, associate chief nurse for Connors Center for Women and Newborns

The BWH partners will help these companies design and execute two- to six-week pilots this year.