Gathering Competitive Innovators with Disruptive Big Data, AI and ER Technologies to Take Healthcare to New Levels

CLEVELAND, Jan. 03, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioEnterprise, in partnership with the Global Center for Health Innovation (Global Center), Cuyahoga County, and Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is pleased to announce the second annual Medical Capital Innovation Competition (MCIC2), a business plan competition, to be held at the Global Center for Health Innovation in Cleveland, April 23-24, 2018.

The theme of MCIC2 is The Next Generation of Healthcare – how big data, artificial intelligence, enhanced reality and other disruptive technologies will engage patients and clinicians, and take healthcare to new levels.

The Competition is open to professional and collegiate teams from around the world that are working with big data, artificial intelligence, enhanced reality and other disruptive technologies to improve healthcare. $100,000 in prizes, mentoring, and access to business advisors, including world-class healthcare systems and collaborators, will be awarded.

The 2017 inaugural event attracted 180 applicants from 10 countries and 27 states, and yielded co-development opportunities with world-class hospital systems to four teams.

“The Medical Capital Innovation Competition, as its name suggests, drives healthcare innovation," said Aram Nerpouni, President and CEO of BioEnterprise. “By connecting early-stage entrepreneurs with great ideas to mentors, business advisors, capital and strategic partners, the inaugural 2017 event awarded cash prizes to six teams and co-development partnerships to four teams.”

The 2017 grand prize winner, MedRespond, an online healthcare communications company based in Pittsburgh, recently announced it will open an office in the Global Center and plans to hire several Cleveland-based resources.

“In Cuyahoga County we know that in order to support a vibrant and strong region we must continue our laser focus on job creation and attraction,” said Cuyahoga County Executive Armond Budish. “The Medical Capital Innovation Competition attracts smart minds and innovative start-up businesses to the Global Center while also building our regional biomedical ecosystem. We are proud to, once again, support this terrific competition.”

MCIC2 applications will be accepted from January 8, 2018 through March 16, 2018. Submissions are accepted into the Competition on a rolling basis. For more information and to apply: www.TheMedicalCapital.com.  

“Digital health capabilities offer major advancements and improvements to the information and technology available to the health eco-system. As one of the primary supporters of the 2017 inaugural event, HIMSS looks forward to seeing what innovations lie ahead as we continue our support of the Medical Capital Innovation Competition,” said Harold (Hal) Wolf III, President and CEO, HIMSS.

About The Medical Capital
The Medical Capital initiative is a collaboration of Cleveland’s internationally renowned clinical, educational, and research institutions, philanthropies, government, and economic development engines. Convened by BioEnterprise, the initiative promotes the vibrant biomedical and healthcare industry in the 18-county Northeast Ohio region. The Medical Capital includes more than 700 biohealth companies, 30 clinical, research and educational institutions, $735 million annually in research funding, and more than $200 million annually in private startup funding. For more information: TheMedicalCapital.com.

About BioEnterprise
BioEnterprise is a business formation, recruitment, and acceleration effort designed to grow the Northeast Ohio healthcare industry. Located in Cleveland, at the Global Center for Health Innovation and in University Circle, BioEnterprise provides management counsel and support services to health IT, medical device, and biopharmaceutical companies. In addition, BioEnterprise convenes and leads strategy for industry-building initiatives such as The Medical Capital, HIT in the CLE, and the Global Center for Health Innovation. BioEnterprise founders are Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Clinic, and University Hospitals. Additional technology partners include the NASA Glenn Research Center, Cleveland State University and BioOhio. Since 2002, BioEnterprise and its partners have created, recruited and accelerated more than 350 health IT, medical device, and biopharmaceutical companies, and have helped these companies raise more than $2 billion in new funding. To learn more: BioEnterprise.com.

About Cuyahoga County
Cuyahoga County is home to world-renowned healthcare facilities, including Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and the MetroHealth System. It is also home to 1.2 million people and is comprised of 59 unique and distinctive communities, with Cleveland as its nucleus. The county is the economic center of Northeast Ohio. With more than 120,000 healthcare professionals, the healthcare field is the largest employer in Cuyahoga County. Additionally, Greater Cleveland has a booming biotechnology and biomedical industry, with more than 700 companies employing 230,000 people.

About HIMSS
HIMSS is a global, cause-based, not-for-profit organization focused on better health through information technology (IT). HIMSS leads efforts to optimize health engagements and care outcomes using information technology. HIMSS is a cause-based, global enterprise producing health IT thought leadership, education, events, market research and media services around the world. Founded in 1961, HIMSS encompasses more than 64,000 individuals, of which more than two-thirds work in healthcare provider, governmental and not-for-profit organizations across the globe, plus over 640 corporations and 450 not-for-profit partner organizations, that share this cause.  HIMSS, headquartered in Chicago, serves the global health IT community with additional offices in the United States, Europe, and Asia.

About The Global Center for Health Innovation
The Global Center for Health Innovation is a convening platform for multi-partner public, private and philanthropic collaborations on healthcare matters of global interest. Capitalizing on Cleveland’s healthcare assets and resources, it acts as the gateway between Ohio’s healthcare and biomedical communities and the rest of the world. Connected to the Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland, the Global Center was built to attract additional investment and convene biomedical and healthcare activities that lead to ongoing innovation. To learn more: TheGlobalCenter.com.

Contact Information
Christina DeAngelis
216.929.0681
cdeangelis@themedicalcapital.com 
www.TheMedicalCapital.com

A video accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/eaf2d366-905b-4767-9e01-21c84d088d06