Parkview Health and MATTER announce Augment Therapy as Healthy Kids Healthy Future Innovation Competition winner
December 5, 2023, CHICAGO and FORT WAYNE, Ind. — Parkview Health, a not-for-profit, community-based health system serving more than 1.3 million people in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, and MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, have announced that Augment Therapy won the top prize of a pilot with Parkview Health as an outcome of the Healthy Kids Healthy Future final pitch day. Augment Therapy is an immersive augmented reality company focused on engaging patients of all ages in gamified technology to improve rehabilitative healthcare.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 40 percent of U.S. children have at least one chronic condition or liability, and the management of these conditions can be taxing on both children and their guardians. In May 2023, Parkview Health and MATTER launched the 2023 Healthy Kids Healthy Future Innovation Competition to support the management and treatment of chronic conditions for children 0-15 years old.
From the pool of applicants, Parkview and MATTER selected eight semifinalists — Augment Therapy, Happypillar, nen, Oncoustics, One Day at a Time, Sakkare, Welfie, and Xploro — to present their solutions to a panel of judges. Happypillar, a mental health app for children and families, won the grand prize of $10,000 and moved forward to the accelerator phase of the competition, along with four other finalists — Augment Therapy, Oncoustics, One Day at a Time, and Xploro.
Following the two-month accelerator, the five finalists competed at the final pitch day on November 16 for potential pilot and funding opportunities. Augment Therapy was selected as the competition winner and will participate in a pilot with Parkview Health in 2024. Each finalist has also received a complimentary six-month MATTER membership. In addition, Parkview has plans to continue engagement with all five teams that participated in the accelerator.
“This is a huge win and opportunity for our team at Augment Therapy to strengthen our reach and validation of both of our professional and wellness versions of our software. When the call went out for a pilot focusing on health and wellness in pediatrics, we knew right away that we were a perfect fit. We can’t wait to work with the Parkview team and deliver our engaging solution to their community,” Lindsay Watson, CEO and co-founder of Augment Therapy.
“This pool of finalists this year was exceptional,” said Ethel Massing, Innovation Program leader, at Parkview Health. “The remarkable talent and unwavering dedication displayed by each team serve as a testament to the strength of our accelerator program. They’re each poised to make a dynamic and meaningful impact on pediatric care, and we’re excited to continue to support them on their journey.”
Thank you to all of the startups and our partners, mentors, and collaborators for participating in the accelerator.
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