Ten entrepreneurs from around the country are getting the chance to use their ideas and skills to try to solve 10 “wicked problems” in health over the next 10 days—and create a successful startup in the process.
10.10.10 started Monday with an event in downtown Denver. Organizers estimate between 275 and 300 people attended. Together they heard pitches from 10 healthcare experts outlining each of the problems, its impact, and potential ways startups could make a difference while creating a successful business.
The problems: Alzheimer’s, childhood obesity, patient engagement, antibiotic resistance, end-of-life care, pandemic weapons and bioterrorism, patient and data matching, health guide maps, health data, and patient mobility and independence.
They are challenges that have bedeviled doctors and the healthcare industry for decades, and now the time is right for entrepreneurs and startups to use their skills to tackle them, said Bryan Sivak, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ chief technology officer and entrepreneur in residence
“There’s nothing but opportunity to think differently and bring innovative ideas to the forefront,” Sivak said in a video message at the event. “The U.S. health and healthcare systems that have lagged behind or maybe even been resistant to entrepreneur-driven innovation are at a critical inflection point. The needs are great, and this is more important than ever before.”
The 10 entrepreneurs assembled for the program will pick the issue they wish to work on, and they might not address all of them. They’ll work with the problem advocates and “validators” who are experts in the field. Among the validators are representatives of Kaiser Permanente, DaVita, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, and iTriage.
—Frank Ricotta, of Denver. Ricotta is managing partner of BurstIQ and a former CTO and CEO of multiple companies.
—Maurice Herbelin, of Sacramento, CA. Herbelin was a UnitedHealth Group medical director, and in addition to his medical degree he has an MBA.
—Joy Randels, of Bradenton, FL. Randels is the founder and CEO of New Market Partners, a technology company accelerator.
—Monique Giggy, of Palo Alto, CA. Giggy is the co-founder and president of the mobile golf app Swing by Swing Golf and was an advisor to Women’s Startup Lab.
—Zackary Lewis, of Denver. Lewis, a former Marine, founded Liquid Compass, a radio streaming company.
—Lizelle van Vuuren, of Denver. Van Vuuren is the founder and CEO of startup marketing company Effectively, as well as the founder of the organization Women Who Startup.
—Craig Misrach, of San Diego. Misrach was the founder and CEO of medical device company Freedom Meditech.
—Kelly O’Neill Dwight, of Denver. O’Neill Dwight is the president and principal consultant of KMD Consulting Services, which focuses on new businesses.
—Cheryl Kellond, of Boulder. Kellond is the co-founder and CEO of Bia Sport, a sports watch company.
—Lincoln Powers, Billings, MT. Powers was founder, CEO and chief data architect of Rocky Mountain Technology Group.
