Impact Pediatric Health SXSW Interactive Startup Pitch Competition Opens Applications

For Immediate Release
Contact: Laura Beck, for Impact Pediatric Health
512-786-1098
press@impactpediatrichealth.com

Impact Pediatric Health SXSW Interactive Startup Pitch Competition Opens Applications

Four Top US Children’s Hospitals – Boston, Cincinnati, Philadelphia, Texas – to Host Event Highlighting Best Pediatric Digital Health and Medical Device Innovations Monday, March 14, 2016

Austin, Texas, January 15, 2016 – Impact Pediatric Health, the SXSW Interactive pediatric healthcare innovation pitch competition, today announced that applications are now open for interested startups to submit their information. From all applications, 10 finalists will be selected to pitch their business at SXSW Interactive, Monday, March 14, 2016. Applications will be accepted until Friday, February 5, 2016. For more information or to apply to present, go to http://impactpediatrichealth.com/

Boston Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s, Texas Children’s Hospital, and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia came together to create Impact Pediatric Health, a one-of-a-kind pitch competition to help showcase, and support, the best pediatric healthcare innovations. These four children’s hospitals lead the U.S. News and World Report “Best Children’s Hospitals” rankings.

SXSW Interactive is working with the founding hospitals on this event which is part of Startup Village, http://www.sxsw.com/interactive/startup-village, at the Hilton Downtown Austin. In its first year, 2015, Mark Cuban emceed and was one of the judges that selected CareAline as the best of 10 finalists. This year’s emcee and judges have not yet been announced. CareAline, a company offering innovative PICC and Central Line management sleeves and wraps which keep lines covered and off of the skin, reducing the risk of dislodgment and infection, went home with a great set of prizes, and invaluable visibility for its business including coverage in CNN, Forbes, MedCity News and Xconomy, among others. Another finalist, Owlet, raised $7M in new funding following the event.

“We are so excited to host Impact Pediatric Health officially as part of SXSW Interactive,” said Hugh Forrest, Director of SXSW Interactive.  “It speaks volumes that these four hospitals are collaborating to support, encourage, and foster innovation for pediatric solutions in a rare alignment.  How amazing to see the best pediatric health care and research institutions in the world helping next generation companies accelerate their businesses.  Initiatives like this will help ensure our smallest patients always get the very best care.”

Companies interested in being selected as one of the ten 2016 finalists may submit an application on http://impactpediatrichealth.com/anytime from now through February 5, 2016. Startups – both digital health and medical device – focused on the pediatric market are encouraged to apply. Ideal candidates for the Impact Pediatric Health pitch competition are companies focused in the areas of:

• Health and Wellness, specifically patient safety, population health and management, prematurity, remote care, or hospital to home transitions
• Precision Medicine, specifically genomics,
• Med Tech, specifically robotics or minimally invasive surgery, 3D printing or artificial intelligence.

Impact Pediatric Health showcases technologies that will deliver solutions specifically created for young patients. Startup CEOs have three minutes to pitch how their company is solving unique healthcare needs of children, from babies to teens. The Monday, March 14 stage presentation is followed by questions from the emcee and judges. A winner among the 10 finalists will be announced at the end of the event and receive a set of prizes. All participating companies will have the opportunity to meet one-on-one with the presenting pediatric hospitals. You must have a SXSW Interactive, Gold or Platinum badge to attend this March 14 event.

For more information or to apply to present, go to http://impactpediatrichealth.com/

About Impact Pediatric Health:

Now in its second year, Impact Pediatric Health is a one-of-a-kind pitch competition held annually at SXSW Interactive dedicated to showcasing and supporting the best pediatric healthcare innovations. Four of the largest and top ranked (according to US News and World Report) children’s hospitals in the U.S. came together to create Impact Pediatric Health. Boston Children’s Hospital, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, and The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia collaborate to help next generation pediatric healthcare companies, especially those focused on digital health and medical devices, accelerate their businesses. For more information see http://impactpediatrichealth.com/

About SXSW Interactive

The 23rd annual SXSW Interactive Festival returns to Austin from Friday, March 11 through Tuesday, March 15. An incubator of cutting-edge technologies and digital creativity, the 2016 event features five days of compelling presentations and panels from the brightest minds in emerging technology, scores of exciting networking events hosted by industry leaders and an unbeatable lineup of special programs showcasing the best new websites, video games and startup ideas the community has to offer. From hands-on training to big-picture analysis of the future, SXSW Interactive has become the place to discover the technology of tomorrow today.

Join us in March 2016 for the sessions, the networking, the special events, the 18th Annual SXSW Interactive Innovation Awards, SXSW Accelerator®, the SXSW Gaming Expo, the SXSW Trade Show, the SX Health & MedTech Expo, SX Create, The Job Market, cross-industry conversations with attendees from SXSW Film and SXSW Music, and, most of all, the unforgettable inspirational experiences that only SXSW can deliver.

SXSW Interactive 2016 is sponsored by Esurance, Mazda, Monster Energy, Capital One, Bud Light, Deloitte Digital, McDonald’s, Ten-X and The Austin Chronicle.