The Massachusetts Digital Health COVID-19 Recovery Challenge Program is designed to identify and grow digital health solutions that help the economies of Massachusetts and the US recover from COVID-19 more quickly.
Through two Challenges, the program sourced, accelerated, and validated potential solutions that support family caregivers and healthcare providers. Selected entrepreneurs participated in a virtual acceleration program run by Lever, Inc. The most promising solutions were further supported with concrete research and development projects in partnership with the Massachusetts Digital Health Sandbox Network. The program is sponsored by the Massachusetts eHealth Institute at MassTech and is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration through their SPRINT Challenge Grant.
Challenge 1: Innovations to Support Caregivers
This challenge sought startups, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs who are developing digital health-based solutions for family caregivers. The eight finalists selected for the program were announced on September 17, 2021, and participated in an accelerator program run by Lever, Inc. At the Final Pitch event on November 18th, 2021, Kinto was announced as the grand prize winner of $100K in tuition to complete their testing project with their Sandbox partner, MITRE. Runners-up Dear Mémé and Thriving.ai received $50,000 each in tuition to complete projects with their Sandboxes.
Challenge 2: Innovations to Support Healthcare Providers
This challenge sought startups, entrepreneurs, and intrapreneurs who are developing and validating digital health-based solutions that help health systems and healthcare providers recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Eight finalists were selected for a three-month accelerator program run by Lever, Inc. At the Digital Health Initiative Celebration and Final Pitch event on June 27, 2022, Slumber One was announced as the grand prize winner of $100K in tuition to complete their testing project with their Sandbox partner, the Brigham Digital Innovation Hub (iHub). Runners-up BurnCam, HealthJay, and Outcome Referrals received $50,000 each in tuition to complete projects with their Sandboxes.