Microsoft coaches health IT innovators

TORONTO – Microsoft Canada launched the Microsoft Ventures Innovators Circle, an event that brought some of Canada’s most promising start-ups together with a panel of experts in their field to discuss their experiences and to provide solutions to help them take their businesses to the next level.

The Microsoft Ventures Innovator’s Circle took place at the MaRS Discovery District in Toronto. The businesses participating in the event are developing technology solutions for the medical and healthcare field.

“The Innovators Circle is designed with one objective in mind: helping smart start-ups get their technology solutions to the market place,” said John Weigelt, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Canada. “We believe that it is important to support and grow the tech industry in Canada by investing in the success of start-ups, and that does not just mean financial support.

“Start-ups have told us that providing guidance and mentorship through events like the Microsoft Innovators Circle is critical to new and developing technology businesses,” he said. “We are dedicated to nurturing start-ups for long haul to strengthen their businesses and Canada’s economy.”

The panelists for the event included Weigelt, who leads Microsoft Canada’s strategic policy and technology efforts; Prateek Dwivedi (pictured), lead of the Digital Health ICE Cluster at MaRS Discovery District; and Dr. Harry Greenspun, M.D., Senior Advisor at the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions (DCHS).

Dr. Greenspun brought an international perspective to the panel. As part of his expertise, he advised the participating start-ups on achieving success beyond Canada’s borders.

“As a clinician, I see how technology can help healthcare professionals improve efficiencies and reduce risk,” said Greenspun. “In my role at Deloitte, I help our healthcare, life sciences, and government clients address key health information technology and clinical transformation issues.”

He added that, “The Innovator’s Circle gives greater insight into the developers who are producing solutions that may help save lives. It is an important event and I’m thrilled to be a part of it.”

The start-ups participating in the Microsoft Ventures Innovators Circle event were:

• Seamless Mobile Health: Developers of an app for patients to use post-surgery, to monitor their recovery and report in real time any new symptoms or concerns which may arise, in order to improve outcomes and reduce re-admission to hospital. www.seamlessmhealth.com
• GestSure: a no-touch interface which uses advanced sensors to allow surgeons to access their medical imagery viewer through simple hand gestures. From their operating table position, the surgeon employs a simple set of gestural commands that allows them to do anything they would with a conventional mouse. www.gestsure.com
• Envirolytic: With more than half the population affected by diseases exacerbated by environmental factors, the costs in health care and lost productivity is estimated at $500 billion. Envirolytic provides applications to help people manage their lives by providing them with a personalized health forecast. www.envirolytic.com