Ascension has begun a collaboration with Plug and Play Tech Center, a global innovation, investor and technology accelerator that supports innovative startups across multiple business sectors, including health and wellness.
“This collaboration gives Ascension new opportunities to support our efforts to lead the transformation of healthcare. Plug and Play Tech Center offers us a defined, targeted method of spotting innovation in healthcare and wellness early on to solve problems and meet evolving consumer needs where, when and how they prefer,” said Jim Beckmann, Chief Operating Officer of Ascension Holdings, part of Ascension’s Solutions division. “We know the future of healthcare lies in offering greater value and in empowering consumers, and teaming with Plug and Play gives us another tool in the toolbox to achieve that goal.”
Plug and Play Tech Center’s Health and Wellness Technology Accelerator connects forward-thinking organizations, corporations and investors with startups in the health and wellness industry around such broad topics as wellness, longevity and digital health. Each year, the accelerator provides two 12-week intensive programs for some 40 health-related companies, culled from thousands of applicants. These young companies then are connected with sponsoring organizations like Ascension for coaching, mentoring and testing ideas.
“We are excited to welcome Ascension as an Anchor Partner in our Health program along leading corporations such as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer Consumer Healthcare, University of Mississippi Medical Center and Boehringer Ingelheim. Our partnership with Ascension provides the startups with access to the largest non-profit provider in the U.S. for possible business development and investment opportunities,” said Saeed Amidi, Founder & CEO of Plug and Play, "We look forward to opening up our global ecosystem to their team and providing a soft landing to the Silicon Valley."
“We looked at multiple accelerators before teaming with Plug and Play Tech Center, one of the largest and most successful multinational accelerators with a solid pipeline and proven processes,” said Chris Young, Ascension Vice President of Innovation. “These startups may be two or three people creating a new technology or method in their garage, or they may be further along as a budding business.”
Young said Ascension is looking for innovative solutions and ideas to help the national health system deliver compassionate, personalized care, and this collaboration offers a new way to connect with the best new ideas as they emerge.
“We know healthcare is a very difficult industry to break into as a startup, and we want to break down those barriers to bring exciting ideas and approaches to those we are privileged to serve,” he said.
