Today on Health in 2 Point 00, we’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with many new funding deals! On Episode 109, Jess and I discuss Flywire, a payment startup that received not only $120 million from Goldman Sachs, reaching unicorn status, but also acquired the healthcare payments company Simplee which aids the hospital-patient billing process. Headspace raises $93 million, around half of which will be used to build a new ‘Health’ category and the other half to teach meditation. Outset medical raises $125 million for a portable dialysis machine and Iora Health raises $126 million for Series F funding. Finally, I give my take on patient-centric SaaS company Seqster receiving an undisclosed amount from Takeda. –Matthew Holt
Competing for the Best New Ideas in Depression Care
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By HEALTH 2.0
Starting around now, you’re going to be seeing alot on THCB about our sister org Health 2.0. Its 10th Annual Fall Conference is coming up Sept 25-8, and everyone who is anyone in the world of new health tech, digital health or whatever you like to call it will be in Santa Clara. First up is a cool crowdsourcing contest from our friends at Medstartr, sponsred by Takeda–Matthew Holt
Next month at the Health 2.0 Conference Takeda will award $50,000 to the winners of the “MDDcare16 Open Innovation in Depression Care Crowd Challenge” to find the best new solutions to fight Major Depressive Disorder (MDD).
Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is the leading cause of disability for people between the ages of 15 and 44 and affects approximately 15 million US adults every year. Patients and care providers need new ways to treat and prevent MDD. The MDDcare16 Open Innovation in Depression Care Crowd Challenge invited all U.S. entrepreneurs, scientists, physicians, patients and passionate parties to submit their best ideas to help care for those who struggle with MDD. Nine teams were approved to compete in the MDDcare16 Crowd Challenge Showcase on MedStartr.com where the teams with the most support will go on to the finals. Hundreds have voted already and thousands more will in the next four weeks.
Crowd Challenges are online contests where the top teams are selected by a large community of patients, physicians, nurses, therapists, hospital staff and leaders, partners and investors. The five teams that drive the most engagement in terms of likes, follows, tries, adoptions, pilots, partnerships, support, and investor interest will be invited to take the stage to compete in front of a live audience at the 10th Annual Fall Health 2.0 Conference on September 27th, 2016. Two winners will be selected to share in $50,000 in grant funding.
You can vote for MDDcare16 here and you can buy tickets to the Health 2.0 Conference here.
