Google Launches Accelerator for Healthcare R&D

March 29, 2018


Although the healthcare industry routinely collects large amounts of data, at this stage the level of analysis involved represents a mountain peak rather than the Himalayas it will eventually become.

Big pharma companies such as Pfizer, Novartis and Roche have invested considerable time and money in big data analysis, but some of the freshest ideas currently circulating – many of which will change the industry – are generated by startups. These firms typically are both understaffed and underfinanced but compensate with being eager and faster than bigger firms.

With that reality in mind, Google has launched an industry accelerator to help startups overcome technical difficulties and software problems as they develop healthcare-related artificial intelligence solutions. Called the Launchpad Studio, the accelerator will make Google experts available to startups, provide product validation and offer companies feedback with their new projects to help them reach commercially viable healthcare solutions. As part of this process, Google will grant eligible new ventures $50,000 in funding and full access to business-focused Google products such as Google Cloud.

The startups must draft project proposals that address a sizable machine learning problem they will face in the next six months and Google will focus on solving the technical challenges.

Google’s Launchpad program manager, Malika Cantor, says a lot of learning can be extracted by studying the various ways machine learning can be applied across the industry.

Augmedix is a company about to work with Google that develops Google Glass-related applications. The company has designed an AI-based medical scribing software that makes notes on patients’ health during a consultation, freeing the doctor from administrative tasks.

Another startup, BrainQ, is building an AI tool that helps understand brain signals in patients with neurological disorders caused by strokes and brain injury.

Launchpad will generate some goodwill with startups but will also give access to cutting-edge ideas and effectively outsource some of their R&D.

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