Challenge Goal
For the second Massachusetts Digital Health Sandbox Challenge, the Massachusetts eHealth Institute sought startups and entrepreneurs who are developing and validating digital health-based solutions that support women+ health. We use the term “women+ health”, as defined by Rock Health, to encompass the health needs of cisgender women and transgender or nonbinary individuals whose health needs relate to those of cisgender women. This Challenge is focused on finding digital health solutions that address women+ health and inequities including in the areas of behavioral and cognitive health, physical activity, disease control, medication management, nutrition, and community connections.
Program Details
Nine finalists were selected to participate in the program and compete for prizes worth up to $150,000. The finalists will participate in a two-month, virtual Introduction to the Massachusetts Digital Health Ecosystem program. The introduction will include a speaker series featuring prominent voices from across the ecosystem, including venture capitalists, successful digital health innovators, and leading researchers.
During the program, participants will also be assessed on their testing and validation needs and then matched with members of the MA Digital Health Sandbox Network, a group of cutting-edge research and development organizations supporting digital health companies. Participants will work with their Sandbox partners to scope detailed testing and validation projects.
The program will culminate in a judged competition on Monday, May 13, 2024 from 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., where participants will pitch both their product and their Sandbox project. Judges will select three winners to each receive $50,000 to complete their proposed Sandbox project. Register to attend the final pitch event here.
Finalists
Elektra Health
Elektra supports women navigating the menopause transition and beyond through an evidence-based educational platform, access to a menopause "doula", and personalized virtual care, including medication and labs. Elektra’s tech-enabled, consumer-friendly platform and differentiated clinical care model drive both member engagement and clinical outcomes for women+ over the age of 40.
Hemorai
Hemorai’s innovative wearable device monitors vital physiological parameters such as blood flow and volume with exceptional accuracy to extend acute care to the patient’s home. Their current device focuses on maternal well-being during the critical postpartum period. The device offers a simple interface and connectivity features that facilitate at-risk postpartum women to be monitored in the hospital or the comfort of their home to reduce the incidence and impact of postpartum hemorrhage.
Mae Health
Mae Health provides a culturally competent digital health platform to address the specific clinical, social, and cultural needs of Black expectant mothers during pregnancy and postpartum. Mae works with health plan partners to provide pregnancy symptom tracking and real-time issue escalation support, culturally resonant pregnancy education and lifestyle multimedia content, and access to community-based peer support resources to increase perinatal care adherence and drive positive pregnancy outcomes.
Modality
Modality is a full-spectrum platform that empowers mental health paraprofessionals as they launch their practices, share their services, connect with care-seekers, integrate with existing healthcare systems, and seek to upskill their training and mentorship. Their AI-backed, evidence-based, digital-first service scales successful best practices and builds out a program to upskill paraprofessionals to better serve their clients and provide holistic, targeted, and appropriate care.
Mother of Fact
Mother of Fact is a digital health nutrition company that redefines women+ health and nutrition care. Their integrated platform, staffed by credentialed dietitians, offers continuous, high-risk nutrition care with services spanning pre-pregnancy through a baby's first year. Their evidence-based support for mothers and babies includes culturally appropriate food and nutrition education, personalized to each patient's background and lived experience.
Oatmeal Health
Oatmeal Health is a tech-enabled cancer screening service designed to identify high-risk patients, provide extensive care navigation, and conduct radiology risk assessments. Their primary initiative targets community health centers and health plans. Given that 1 in 2 people face a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, their mission is to harness the power of artificial intelligence to optimize and personalize crucial cancer screening processes. Their initial emphasis is on lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women in the United States.
Pear Suite
Pear Suite enables community health workers (CHWs) to address the social drivers of health through their care navigation platform to promote health equity in underserved communities, including women+ in maternity care deserts. They support CHWs at health and community-based organizations to collect, analyze, and act on social determinants of health data and enable culturally sensitive care navigation to boost health outcomes.
Ruth Health
Ruth Health provides a virtual clinic for pregnant and postpartum patients to deliver justice and joy through the pregnancy journey. They provide crucial services to supplement the OB/GYN, including birth navigation via virtual doulas, pre- and post-pregnancy bodywork , lactation support, c-section recovery, and self-recovery videos.
SimpliFed
SimpliFed is a virtual breastfeeding and baby feeding support provider that works with Medicaid, commercial, Marketplace and TRICARE health plans and healthcare systems to provide patients with 24x7, ACA-mandated lactation support services. Their services include virtual 1:1 appointments, classes, and connections with other parents.