Ayasdi Named Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge Innovation Champion

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Ayasdi has been named the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge Innovation Champion, competing with more than 1,100 companies for the title. The competition pairs leading-edge startups with prominent health and life sciences organizations to develop innovative technology solutions that improve the way people access and manage healthcare.

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The 2019 Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge awards from left: Mutlisensor Diagnostics receiving the Novartis Biome award; Newtopia receiving the Accenture Top Innovator award; b.well Connected Health receiving the Accenture Top Innovator award; and Ayasdi receiving the Accenture Innovation Champion award.

Ayasdi, based out of Menlo Park, Calif., received the award for its Clinical Variation Management application that uses machine intelligence to identify the optimal way to conduct any surgical or nonsurgical procedure, pulling from electronic health records, billing, claims and other databases to automatically create a clinical care process model. The award was presented Jan. 7 at the StartUp Health Festival during the 37^th annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco.

As part of Accenture’s HealthTech Innovation Challenge, startups from around the world demonstrated how their innovative technology and business models help improve the way people access and manage healthcare. Finalists in each regional round in Boston, Dublin, Tokyo and Sydney presented to an exclusive panel of judges comprised of senior executives from leading global health and life sciences organizations.

“We can’t wait to take advantage of the extraordinary platform that is the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge,” said Jonathan Symonds, chief marketing officer for Ayasdi. “Clinical variation is an incredible opportunity for the healthcare industry and this award lets us tell that story at scale.”

b.well Connected Health was recognized as a Top Innovator at the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge. Based out of Baltimore, b.well provides an integrated platform that connects consumers with a single, curated digital experience to manage all aspects of their health. Kristen Valdes, founder and CEO of b.well, said, “We intend to maximize the incredible relationships we have developed through this challenge.”

Newtopia was also recognized as a Top Innovator at the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge. Based in New York City and Toronto, Newtopia focuses on preventing the onset of chronic disease for individuals currently at risk of developing obesity, Type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke. Jeff Ruby, founder and CEO Newtopia, said, “We aspire to leverage the amazing judges to help scale our disease prevention solution and partner with as many of the incredible innovators as possible to redefine healthcare.”

Stuart Henderson, who leads Accenture’s Life Sciences practice globally, said, “Congratulations to Ayasdi for being named this year’s HealthTech Innovation Champion. The Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge has succeeded again in bringing together an elite group of innovators that are improving people’s lives and providing better outcomes for patients and healthcare systems. I’d also like to acknowledge all the startups that submitted applications. Collectively these companies are the growth engine shaping a bold and exciting future for patient care, further confirming our research that shows high performing companies are increasing their investments in digital, data, and genomics.”

Brian Kalis, managing director of digital health and innovation at Accenture, said, “The submissions we received from startups around the globe further demonstrate the momentum of discovery and digital innovation in healthcare. We believe this area continues to show promise as healthcare organizations advance their digital transformation agendas. We look forward to working with Ayasdi and other companies to continue to help advance solutions that address the industry’s toughest challenges.”

Ten companies presented as finalists at the San Francisco event: Allied World Healthcare, Amicomed, Ayasdi, b.well, CancerAid, Echo, Newtopia, NowPow, RelieVR, and Tricog. Key criteria the finalists demonstrated included the ability to provide an innovative solution, the design quality of the solution, a disruptive business model, the potential impact on patient outcomes, and a scalable solution.

In its third year, the Accenture HealthTech Innovation continues to reinforce the importance of an open innovation approach and provide for likely partnering with the broader health-tech ecosystem to co-create solutions that work to solve real-world challenges. For example:

• Multisensor Diagnostics, which has created a respiratory device that measures multiple vital signs via mouth in less than a minute, is now exploring a potential partnership with Novartis. Through the recently opened Novartis Biome, start-ups like Multisensor Diagnostics gain access to proprietary data, expertise and a validation study. Multisensor Diagnostics received the Novartis Biome award at the Accenture HealthTech Innovation Challenge.
• Regional finalist Conversa, which uses conversational AI to automate virtual care services, is helping to extend the communication and care delivered by health systems like Northwell, Atrium Health and Centura Health.

About Accenture

Accenture (NYSE:ACN) is a leading global professional services company, providing a broad range of services and solutions in strategy, consulting, digital, technology and operations. Combining unmatched experience and specialized skills across more than 40 industries and all business functions — underpinned by the world’s largest delivery network — Accenture works at the intersection of business and technology to help clients improve their performance and create sustainable value for their stakeholders. With 469,000 people serving clients in more than 120 countries, Accenture drives innovation to improve the way the world works and lives. Visit us at www.accenture.com.

Accenture Disclaimer

Accenture’s support of the selected companies will help them as they further develop their solutions and products. In supporting such initiatives, however, Accenture is in no way promoting or intending to market any one particular solution or product or otherwise offer or market a medical device or clinical solution. Each company uses its own operations to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations.

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