UCSF Selects Early Stage Companies for Innovation Partnership Program
Two digital health startups, Welfie and Moving Analytics, have been selected as the 2022 University of California San Francisco Rosenman Institute ADAPT Program awardees. Each will receive $100,000 in funding and the opportunity to partner with Blue Shield of California, Evernorth Health Services, OptumLabs, and UnitedHealth Group.
ADAPT accelerates the development, scaling, and adoption of novel technologies that tackle the most pressing healthcare disparities by pairing early-stage companies with large industry players.
The UCSF Rosenman Institute is an ecosystem of entrepreneurs, functional experts, investors, scholars and clinicians dedicated to developing transformative health technology companies. Rosenman is the health tech initiative of QB3, which is a multicampus University of California accelerator for life sciences. MedTech Venture Partners was co-founded by Christine Winoto, the Institute’s founder and director, and is an independent for-profit venture that provides a return to Rosenman. There is some overlap between the advisory boards of Rosenman and MTVP.
"Healthcare entrepreneurs are adept at spotting inefficiencies and agile when devising solutions yet may lack necessary resources to expand their reach, whereas large companies often have a uniform approach that is not the most effective way to provide care that patients require. This is where ADAPT comes in,” said Winoto, in a statement.
Moving Analytics is a telehealth provider of cardiovascular prevention programs. Moving Analytics created Movn, an end-to-end virtual cardiac rehab program that has produced significant improvements for cardiovascular patients, including a 50 percent reduction in hypertension and a 70 percent reduction in depression.
"The gap in care after a heart attack or surgery is immense, often leading to a lower quality of life and even increase in mortality for patients. We are on a mission to conquer cardiovascular diseases and empower people with tools for a healthier lifestyle," said Harsh Vathsangam, co-founder and CEO of Moving Analytics, in a statement. "We are excited to be one of Rosenman's ADAPT awardees and continue to scale access to cardiac care services to patients nationwide."
Welfie enables K-12 schools to tackle the health issues most pertinent to children. Its digital screening tool, "Welfie,” delivers personalized health information to caregivers, along with referrals to health and social services. In a statement, Steven Moyo, Welfie's founder and CEO, said that "Health education is one of the biggest things missing from American families. With Welfie's comprehensive, user-friendly platform, families can make better health decisions for their children, especially in underprivileged communities." He added, "We're honored to be selected as an ADAPT awardee and are eager to pilot our program with one of the most respected healthcare companies in the nation. By leveraging technology to deliver accessible and affordable care, we can help ensure that every child can live a healthy and fulfilling life."
2022 marked the third year of the ADAPT program and its impact is starting to be realized. Oshi Health, a healthcare startup transforming gastrointestinal (GI) care delivery, was selected in 2020. Founder of Oshi Health, Sam Holliday, recalls that Oshi Health was still in its early stages upon applying to ADAPT, with no live-clinics. Through the ADAPT program, Oshi Health was able to begin the clinical trials to prove efficiency for a variety of GI conditions, which was instrumental in moving Oshi to their next round of venture funding.
Last year, awardees included Laguna Health, a digital recovery assurance company with an app that provides step-by-step guidance for member's evolving individual recovery needs; MD Ally, whose partnership with Public Safety gives non-emergency callers instant access to telehealth; Visana Health, a women's health company that provides holistic care to those suffering from gynecological conditions; and XP Health, the world's first all-in-one vision health platform.
