The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is offering up to $8 million in cash prizes to accelerate development of technologies to improve maternal health outcomes for those who live in areas lacking access to maternity care. The Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Technology (RADx® Tech) for Maternal Health Challenge prioritizes home-based or point-of-care diagnostic devices, wearables, and other remote sensing technologies to improve postpartum healthcare in these regions. The postpartum period is defined as the first year after giving birth or the end of a pregnancy, and it accounts for a large proportion of maternal deaths in the United States. The Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Development (NICHD), the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), and the NIH Office of the Director are co-sponsoring this challenge as part of NIH’s Implementing a Maternal health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative.
Read more about the challenge at https://www.challenge.gov/?challenge=radx-tech-maternal-health%20 and about POCTRN RADx® Tech for Maternal Health at https://www.poctrn.org/radx-tech-maternal-health.
What Is VentureWell’s Role in the RADx® for Maternal Health Challenge?
VentureWell serves as a critical facilitator within the RADx® for Maternal Health Challenge initiative, leveraging its network and expertise to identify, assess, select, and contract vendors and professional service consultants.
VentureWell’s role includes providing vital infrastructure support and commercialization services for RADx® innovators, aiding in the development of home-based or point-of-care diagnostic devices, wearables, and other remote sensing technologies to improve postpartum healthcare in these regions.