Amazon Web Services (AWS) is collaborating with government-focused tech firm PUBLIC to launch its accelerator programme for UK-based digital healthcare startups.

The virtual four-week mentorship opportunity is open to innovative companies focused on elective care, population health, citizen access and workforce.

A cohort of 10 selected healthcare startups will receive AWS promotional credits, specialised AWS training, mentoring from healthcare domain and technical subject matter experts, business development, go-to-market guidance, and investment guidance, and potential proof of concept opportunities with public sector healthcare customers. 

AWS and PUBLIC will also bring in healthcare industry leaders to work with startups on topics such as defining business models, regulatory pathways, clinical validation and electronic health record (EHR) integration.

The selected startups will also get the opportunity to collaborate with AWS customers and members of the AWS Partner Network looking for innovative healthcare solutions.

Applications opened last month and must be submitted no later than 5 December 2021.

WHY IT MATTERS 

The AWS Healthcare Accelerator aims to cultivate and promote innovative startup solutions that achieve the quadruple aim of improved patient experience, improved clinician experience, better health outcomes, and lower cost of care. 

It is designed to accelerate growth in the cloud, focusing on innovation in areas such as remote patient monitoring, mental health support solutions, care navigation, analytics supporting triage and prioritisation, and workforce productivity tools.

THE LARGER CONTEXT 

The launch follows the US AWS health accelerator programme which took place earlier this year in partnership with digital health incubator KidsX.

Also this year AWS announced it would distribute $12 million in computing credits and expertise to cloud-powered disease detection and diagnostic tools.

Meanwhile in the UK, DigitalHealth.London recently welcomed applicants to its flagship accelerator programme for digital health startups, which will begin in January 2022.

ON THE RECORD 

Dr Rowland Illing, director and chief medical officer, international public sector health, AWS, said: “Embracing digital health innovations has enabled the NHS to deliver a world-leading vaccination programme showing their inherent talent and collaborative, patient-centric capacity to transform at pace. Now, their focus moves to tackling backlogs in elective care, continuing to implement the NHS Long Term Plan, and focusing on transformation of services to support NHS resilience. 

“At the same time, the health and care system is seeking to optimise the proliferating volume of healthcare data to further improve patient outcomes and operational decisions. To support both high-potential healthcare startups and the UK healthcare system’s demand for these types of solutions, we are excited to announce the launch of the AWS Healthcare Accelerator programme in the UK.”

Daniel Korski, CEO and cofounder of PUBLIC, said: “Start-ups need the right tools, support and environment to go on this journey and ultimately help patients, clinicians and administrators. AWS and PUBLIC are teaming up to deliver the AWS Healthcare Accelerator in order to create a robust pipeline of healthcare innovation that can support the NHS.”