WearTech Call for Innovation

Arizona’s WearTech Applied Research Center is developing its third cohort of applied research projects and is seeking novel wearable solutions to address challenges and opportunities within the existing healthcare delivery system.

The mission of WearTech Center is to accelerate bringing breakthrough wearable healthcare and human performance products to market in Arizona, with the ultimate goal of facilitating the growth and diversification of the Arizona economy.

WearTech Center’s third cohort of projects will draw from the allocated matching funds in the FY23 Arizona State Budget. This year the budget appropriates $3,000,000 in State matching funds, which means WearTech could select up to 12 new projects, each supported by up to $250,000 of State matching funds.

Arizona’s Need for Innovation in Wearable Technologies – from Healthcare Providers

On July 21, 2022, WearTech Center in coordination with the Greater Phoenix Healthcare Venture Collaborative hosted an opportunity development meeting with the goal of identifying potential applied research projects that can address problems and opportunities within the existing healthcare delivery system.

The successful event brought together representatives from major hospital systems, health plans and technologists from Arizona State University, University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix, Northern Arizona University and Grand Canyon University as well as local technology companies to discuss wearable tech solutions and needs within the healthcare delivery system.

The event revealed overarching needs of the healthcare system for wearable solutions that improve patient access to timely, personalized care.  Common themes included improving chronic disease management with wearables that can monitor vital signs, promote better adherence to therapy, and proactively prevent injuries such as falls.  Human factors and accessibility to technology through deployment on common devices such as smartphones was seen as fundamental for adoption.

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Areas of opportunity:

●    Mental Health

●    Therapy Adherence

●    Patient Safety

●    Smarter Systems for Patient Interactions

●    Fall/Motion Detection

●    Early Diagnosis & Interventions

●    Big Disease Areas (e.g., Cardiology, Parkinson’s)

‍WearTech Center is asking technologists to provide ideas for innovating new wearable products to address these areas of opportunity and other challenges.

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Evaluation Criteria

‍The criteria with which WearTech Center evaluates potential project for funding opportunities are as follows:  

●     Relevance

●     Problem/solution

●     Market fit

●     Research collaboration

●     Tech Readiness / Time to market

●     Corporate or entrepreneurial partner

●     Opportunity for Arizona

●     IP status

●     Regulatory

●     Team

●     Product financial viability

Requirements

Additionally, all projects must meet the following requirements from the Arizona Commerce Authority to be eligible for selection and funding:

●     Description of defined product or service to be developed for commercial use.

●     Demonstrate collaboration with universities, nonprofit business associations, health science research centers, institutes, or other technology businesses that do business in Arizona

●     Evidence supporting the amount of Matching Funds (Private Investment)

●     Evidence of expenditures that are necessary and prudent in the research and testing process. Do not include operating, general management, and overhead costs. (Research Budget for State Funds)

●     Evidence of Principal Investigator’s academic credentials and history of intellectual contribution to the targeted technology

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‍Find out more information here: https://www.azweartech.org/post/call-for-innovation-2022