Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge Finalists Selected

The field of finalists is set for the 2023 Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge (HIC) at the University of Washington. Judges selected 22 student finalist teams (detailed below) to compete on Thursday, March 2 in the Final Round hosted by the UW Foster School’s Buerk Center for Entrepreneurship.

The finalist teams (and two alternates) represent more than two dozen academic departments, programs, and majors. Entrepreneurs, investors, and health professionals from around the region helped screen the applications from a pool of 41 applicants—the fourth most ever.

Finalist teams are competing for more than $40,000 in prizes this year at the Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge, including a brand-new addition to the list of $2,500 Best Idea Prizes:

• The Best Idea for Patient Safety is new this year and supported by the Patient Safety Technology Challenge. It recognizes a technology-enabled solution that aims to improve patient safety through the reduction of medication-related errors, medical complications with patient care, procedure/surgery-related errors, infections, and/or diagnostic errors.
• The IntuitiveX Best Idea for a Medical Device recognizes a medical device concept (for a physical product) with the most promising opportunity to significantly improve the lives of patients or providers.
• The Kent & Lisa Sacia Best Idea in Digital Health recognizes an innovative digital health application that has a high likelihood of being implemented in practical healthcare situations with meaningful impact.
• The Jim & Timmie Hollomon Best Idea for Addressing Health Access and Disparities recognizes a student innovation or intervention that seeks to close the gap in health disparities for low-income and disadvantaged groups by increasing access to point-of-care healthcare services and/or addressing systemic biases within the current healthcare system.

Teams who were not selected to advance received valuable feedback from judges which could lead to success down the road if they choose to apply for the Dempsey Startup Competition or the Jones + Foster Accelerator. You can read the recap of last year’s Final Round on the Foster Blog and watch the 2022 awards presentation on the Buerk Center’s YouTube page.

Good luck to the 2023 Hollomon Health Innovation Challenge Finalists

AMOR (Advanced Multi-Organ Regeneration)
AMOR is developing an easy-to-use liver support system that will save lives by removing toxins more efficiently.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Mechanical Engineering)

Bacloflow
Bacloflow is developing a time and cost-efficient continuous monitoring system for intrathecal drug delivery catheters so patients and physicians can place greater focus on healing.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering, Applied Bioengineering)

DetectorBot
DetectorBot detects harmful electromagnetic interference in hospitals to ensure patient safety.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Master of Science in Entrepreneurship)

E3 Health
E3 Health (Emergencies: Easy & Efficient) is a user-friendly mobile and web application to help direct patients to an appropriate hospital based on the severity of their condition.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Computer Science, Engineering)

Endozene
Endozene is developing a non-invasive, low cost, accessible endometriosis diagnostic kit that accurately predicts whether a patient has endometriosis by detecting microRNAs (miRNAs) in menstrual blood.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering)

Fight for 98
Fight for 98 is developing a low-cost breast cancer screening device that uses a combination of hardware design and machine learning algorithms to increase accuracy and availability globally.

• Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), University of Washington-Seattle (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Master of Science in Technology Innovation)

GenePedia
GenePedia is an AI-powered assistant for genetic counselors designed to help alleviate workload and provide support throughout genetic care.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Pharmacy, Communication, Marketing, MBA)

LegUp Prosthetics
LegUp Prosthetics is developing a modular, adjustable, below-knee prosthetic for children in low-resource communities.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering, Informatics, Mechanical Engineering)

Medii
Medii is developing a mobile application powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning that is capable of providing real-time decision support for frontline medical personnel in disconnected environments.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Technology Management MBA, MBA)

MedikEquip
MedikEquip is developing a first-to-market medical device that uses power to safely transfer patients laterally between a hospital stretcher and bed, thereby reducing risk of injury to patients and healthcare workers.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Electrical and Computer Engineering)

nanoFLASH
nanoFLASH is developing a low-cost, simplified device for producing nanoparticles for research and drug development.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering, Electrical Engineering)

Nimble Surgical
Nimble Surgical is developing a catheter for cardiovascular interventions to reduce procedural unpredictability and lower patient complications by augmenting physician capabilities.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Mechanical Engineering)

OneCourt
OneCourt uses haptics and computer vision to make live sports accessible to blind and/or visually impaired sports fans.

• Global Innovation Exchange (GIX), University of Washington-Seattle (Business, Design, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Master of Science in Technology Innovation)

piezopulse
piezopulse is looking to extend the battery life of even the most advanced pacemakers through the innovative use of materials that can harvest energy from the natural pressure differences in the heart.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering)

Simpl-E-Vac
Simpl-E-Vac is designing a way to address the improvised nature of existing endoscopic vacuum therapy devices so that gastroenterologists can treat leaks more reliably and effectively.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Master of Science in Entrepreneurship)

SINEW Mask
The SINEW Mask is a novel PPE component that incorporates electrohydrodynamic technology to overcome barriers of traditional masks while providing a high degree of protection.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Public Health)

SleeveAI
SleeveAI is developing a wearable sleeve that can measure muscle and joint health during exercise to determine risk factors and assist doctors in developing custom treatment plans.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering)

SmarTrach
SmarTrach is developing a device that wirelessly monitors airflow through a tracheostomy tube and syncs with an alert system that notifies caregivers if obstructions occur.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Mechanical Engineering)

Sync-Up
Sync-Up is developing a system to make the two primary aspects of CPR, ventilation and compressions, time up accurately when treating cardiac arrest patients.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Engineering, Mechanical Engineering)

The Cathe
The Cathe is developing a system for remote catheter surgeries where a specialist can perform the surgery remotely for a patient in a much lower-cost environment with the assistance of a local physician.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering, Applied Bioengineering)

WiOTech
Wire organization in the operating room is a significant challenge for healthcare workers today and WioTech is developing a modular device that addresses the issue and empowers healthcare workers.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering)

WoundCare-Anywhere

WoundCare-Anywhere is developing a way for patients and medical professionals to create a digital replica of a wound that can be accessed remotely for advanced treatment and monitoring.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biology, Physiology)

2023 HIC Alternate Teams

AutisticRealtity
AutisticReality is utilizing virtual reality as a mental health intervention for autism that both supports patients and assists therapists.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Bioengineering, Chemistry)

SimFit
SimFit is a gamified fitness software that also utilizes AI to help motivate people to exercise regularly and stay consistent in their fitness routine.

• University of Washington-Seattle (Master of Science in Entrepreneurship)