Johnson & Johnson Innovation Announces Winners of the Seoul Innovation QuickFire Challenge: Robotics & Digital Surgery in Collaboration with Seoul Metropolitan Government and KHIDI
Two winners were awarded a combined grant of KRW150 million for medical device innovations using robotics and digital surgery technology.
Winning organizations Medipixel and BiLab will utilize grant money towards furthering research in Seoul and will receive residency at the Seoul Bio Hub,mentorship and coaching.
SEOUL,South Korea,Nov. 14,2018 -- Johnson & Johnson Medical Korea Ltd. and Johnson & Johnson Innovation,in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and Korea Health Industry Development Institute (KHIDI),today announced the winners of the Seoul Innovation QuickFire Challenge: Robotics & Digital Surgery at the Seoul BioMedical International Conference.
The winners,Medipixel and BiLab,were awarded grants totaling KRW 150,000,000 (approximately US$134,000)[1],one year of residency at the Seoul Bio Hub,one year of mentorship and coaching from experts in science and commercialization at the Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies,and access to the Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JLABS (JLABS) global entrepreneurial community.
Medipixel: Seoul-based Medipixel is a start-up that applies artificial intelligence (AI) into robotic surgery,starting with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Their AI-based robotic PCI solution helps surgeons choose the most suitable devices and guides devices precisely without human intervention.
BiLab: Seoul-based BiLab is a start-up that develops and produces non-invasive continuous monitoring medical devices of cardiopulmonary functions using electrical impedance tomography (EIT) for hypoventilation,hemodynamics,and sleep apnea diagnostics,among other functions.
"At Johnson & Johnson Innovation,we see innovators and entrepreneurs creating breakthrough solutions to make a difference for patients around the world. The winners' pioneering use of technology in the operating room and beyond embodies the kind of innovation we are actively encouraging with the Robotics & Digital Surgery QuickFire Challenge," said Dan Wang,Head,Johnson & Johnson Innovation,Asia Pacific[2].
The global competition was launched on 13 August 2018 to encourage innovators from around the world-- including start-ups,entrepreneurs,academics,scientists and biotech researchers--to submit ideas for robotics and digital health solutions with the potential to help surgeons and their patients. Applications came in from around the globe presenting solutions across the surgical continuum from pre-op,intra-op to post-op,and in areas of surgical decision support,visualization,data analytics,imaging,robotics,patient-engaging apps,sensors/wearables and more.
"This was a challenging contest to judge,due to the very high quality of all the submissions we received," said Euan Thomson,Global Head,R&D,Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies[3]. "We look forward to working with the winners to help them further develop their exciting technology for the benefit of surgeons and their patients."
The QuickFire Challenge is managed by JLABS,a global network of open innovation ecosystems,enabling and empowering innovators across a broad healthcare spectrum to create and accelerate the delivery of life-saving,life-enhancing health and wellness solutions to patients around the world.
"The world is beginning to recognize Korea as a global leader in medical and technology innovation,and public-private collaborations like the one we have with the Seoul Metropolitan Government and KHIDI provide a healthy life-science innovation ecosystem for start-ups to thrive in," said Jae Yoo,Area Managing Director,Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies,North Asia[4]. "The work of these innovators,with the support from the government,all serve as an incredibily important engine to drive innovation in Korea and globally."
The Robotics & Digital QuickFire Challenge is the sixth Johnson & Johnson Innovation QuickFire Challenge launched in the Asia Pacific region,and the second to launch in Seoul,Korea. Winners of the QuickFire Challenges have access to the JLABS global entrepreneurial community,including the recently announced Asia Pacific innovation community at JLABS @ Shanghai,expected to open in 2019.
For more information about the QuickFire Challenges,please visit: https://jlabs.jnjinnovation.com/quickfire-challenges.
About Johnson & Johnson Innovation
Johnson & Johnson Innovation focuses on accelerating all stages of innovation worldwide and forming collaborations between entrepreneurs and Johnson & Johnson's global healthcare businesses. Johnson & Johnson Innovation provides scientists,entrepreneurs and emerging companies with one-stop access to science and technology experts who can facilitate collaborations across the pharmaceutical,medical device and consumer companies of Johnson & Johnson. Under the Johnson & Johnson Innovation umbrella of businesses,we connect with innovators through our regional Innovation Centers,JLABS,Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JJDC,Inc. and our Business Development teams to create customized deals and novel collaborations that speed development of innovations to solve unmet needs in patients. For more information please visit www.jnjinnovation.com.
About Johnson & Johnson Innovation - JLABS
Johnson & Johnson Innovation- JLABS (JLABS) is a global network of open innovation ecosystems,enabling and empowering innovators across a broad healthcare spectrum including pharmaceutical,medical device,consumer and health tech sectors to create and accelerate the delivery of life-saving,life-enhancing health and wellness solutions to patients around the world. JLABS achieves this by providing the optimal environment for emerging companies to catalyze growth and optimize their research and development by opening them to vital industry connections,delivering entrepreneurial programs and providing a capital-efficient,flexible platform where they can transform the scientific discoveries of today into the breakthrough healthcare solutions of tomorrow. At JLABS,we value great ideas and are passionate about removing obstacles to success to help innovators unleash the potential of their early scientific discoveries. JLABS is a no-strings-attached model,which means entrepreneurs are free to develop their science while holding on to their intellectual property. JLABS also produces campaigns to seek out the best science called QuickFire Challenges. For more information,visithttp://jlabs.jnjinnovation.com or follow @JLABS.
About Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Companies
As the world's most comprehensive medical devices business,we are building on a century of experience,merging science and technology,to shape the future of health and benefit even more people around the world. With our unparalleled breadth,depth and reach across surgery,orthopaedics and interventional solutions,we're working to profoundly change the way care is delivered. We are in this for life. For more information,visit www.jnjmedicaldevices.com.
*Comprising the surgery,orthopaedics,and interventional solutions businesses within the Johnson & Johnson's Medical Devices segment
Media Contact:
Julien Dedman
jdedman@its.jnj.com
M: +852-9022-8032
[1] From the KRW 150 million grant,each winner will receive a KRW 70 million cash award and a KRW 5 million free space voucher which must be used toward the rent and utilities at the Seoul Bio Hub for a year
[2] Johnson & Johnson (China) Investment Limited.
[3] Medical Device Business Services,Inc.
[4] Johnson & Johnson Medical Korea Limited
