WEATHER UPDATE - Watch a Healthcare Innovation Idea Go from Concept to Potential Commercial Success LIVE at Hackovate Health - Feb 26th, 2013

Watch a healthcare innovation idea go from concept to potential commercial success…LIVE at Hackovate Health Innovation Competition – Tuesday, Feb 26^th, 2013.

In the event of inclement weather, you will also be able to watch this event via LIVE STREAM. Currently (As of 1:30 pm CST, Sunday, February 24th, 2013) the Kansas City metro area weather forecast shows snow showers beginning Monday morning through Wednesday, with the bulk of the snow received on Monday evening/night.

Please RSVP if you plan on attending and we will make every effort to keep you informed of any weather related changes. With luck, the roads should be reasonably clear by Tuesday morning...and the human spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship will go on!

Finalist Presentations: 1-5pm

Innovation Keynotes & Live Judging: 5-5:45pm
Community Networking Reception (Complimentary Beer / Appetizers): 5:45-8pm

Come watch 10 finalists from all over the world present their healthcare innovation idea onstage to a panel of judges to win the opportunity of a lifetime! Each finalist will explain how their idea can help “hack” healthcare innovation (1-5pm), especially addressing the healthcare challenges that The Affordable Care Act has created. Finalists have the opportunity for H&R Block to help bring their idea to commercial success via a partnership to be determined only by imagination. This is truly a WIN-WIN-WIN for entrepreneurs with ideas, large companies looking for low risk innovation partnerships and the world to benefit from problems being solved in the healthcare space. Get tickets now! 

Three winners will win cash prizes, and even more could win opportunities for partnerships after the competition. A People’s Choice Award will also be given for an idea that is voted on by the audience during the finale.

Two thought-provoking keynote presentations will open your mind to healthcare innovation, with Ned Holland and David Kord Murray bringing innovation needs and innovation possibilities together in one event.

Healthcare Innovation Keynote Address: Ned Holland, Jr. Assistant Secretary for Administration (ASA), Department of Health and Human Services 

Entrepreneurship & Innovation Keynote Address: Best Selling Innovation Author David Kord Murray, Borrowing Brilliance and Plan B

After the event (5:45 – 8pm), come meet entrepreneurs, community leaders, innovation experts, investors, industry partners, healthcare thought leaders and people who are making it happen, from all over world, to include the Kansas City region. Complimentary beer and appetizers are provided.

There will also be a few special surprises & giveaways guaranteed to open your mind to an innovation mindset that you can use in everyday life!

Hackovate Health Innovation Competition is a free event but RSVP’s are requested. Walk ups will be accommodated on a space permitting first come, first served basis. This event is being held at Union Station Extreme Screen Theater and Union Station Sprint Festival Plaza (main floor). Ample parking is available via Union Station parking facilities.

Contact:
Sarah Snyder or Herb Sih
ssnyder@thinkbigpartners.com or herb@thinkbigpartners.com
816.842.5244

Get frequent updates by following @Hackovate. 

Announcing the Hackovate Health Top 10 Finalists!

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the top 10 finalists who will present at the Hackovate Health Finale on February 26!  These 10 finalists will continue in the pursuit of the $15,000 grand prize, the $10,000 runner-up prize and the $5,000 second runner-up prize.

The 10 Hackovate Health finalists are:

1. Anant Vinjamorri, Aavya Health (Boston, MA, USA)
2. Tami Hutchinson, eLuminate Health (Kansas City, MO, USA)
3. Liam Ryan, GetHealth (Dublin, Ireland)
4. Scott Speranza, inAssist Health Management Solution (Torrance, CA, US)
5. Asher Hasan, NAJA JEEVAN REJUVENATE: Transformation Healthcare for the Uninsured (New Life) (Karachi, Sind, PAK)
6. John McCluskey, OkCopay, Inc. (Seattle, WA, USA)
7. Matthew Kafka, ReMARK Health (Kansas City, MO, USA)
8. Karan Srivastava, SHHADE (Miami, FL, USA)
9. Jug Stanovcic, HealthPlan Select by Stenuus (Overland Park, KS, USA)
10. Chrys Sullivan, My Healthcare Reform Guide by eXperient Interactive & Useagility (Kansas City, MO, USA)

The Hackovate Health semi-finalist judging panel consisted of 19 diverse experts from a variety of fields.  The panel includes experts and leaders in the healthcare industry, entrepreneurs, investors, service providers, professional association executives, as well as public and private sector officials.

The above Hackovate finalists are invited to present pitches for their businesses at the Hackovate Health Finale on February 26, 2013 at The Extreme Screen in Union Station, Kansas City, Missouri.  Finalists will submit a presentation and deliver a 10-minute pitch before a panel of finale judges.  Presentations will be followed by five minutes of questions from the judges.  The finalists must be present at the Hackovate Health Finale to be eligible for a prize.

The Hackovate Health Finale is a free event open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.  At the event, attendees will have the chance to watch the final pitch presentations, network and learn more about healthcare technology and entrepreneurship. For more information or to register to attend the Hackovate Health Finale, please visit http://hackovate.eventbrite.com.

Interested in getting involved with Hackovate?  There are plenty of ways to join the innovative movement!

• Sponsor
• Volunteer
• Attend Finale
• Get social 

The Hackovate Judging Process Begins...

The submissions have been tweaked, the deadline has passed and the Hackovate judges have taken their seats.  Now that the application window for the 2013 Hackovate Health innovation competition has closed, the judging process has begun.  Our group of judges will take a look at every application this week to determine which will move on to present at the Hackovate Health Finale on February 26, 2013 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Judging scores will determine the top 10 finalists for Hackovate Health.  The top 10 finalists for the Hackovate Finale will be announced on Monday, February 11, 2013.  Applicants will be notified beforehand via email.

Best of luck to all of those who have applied for Hackovate Health!  Results will be out soon...

Learn more! @Hackovate

Hackovate Health Extends Submission Deadline and Announces Extreme Screen Location

Hackovate Health, the health-focused innovation competition powered by H&R Block and Think Big Partners has made some exciting announcements this week.

Deadline Extension
Hackovate has extended the submission deadline to Monday, February 4, 2013 (original deadline was Thursday, January 31, 2013).  This extension will allow applicants to make any changes within the iStart platform, fully complete their submission and ask any last-minute Hackovate questions.

Extreme Screen Location 
The Hackovate Health Finale on February 26, 2013 will now be one of the first events to take place in Union Station's Extreme Screen.  The Extreme Screen is Kansas City’s largest movie theater with a 60-foot wide silver screen equipped to display presentations, documentaries, commercial entertainment and even enable high-tech teleconferencing. The Extreme Screen, along with theater-style seating for 440 audience members, is located in Union Station in downtown Kansas City. The screen is accompanied by a 1100 square foot performance stage as well as high-tech projectors and speakers. The Extreme Screen officially opened on February 1, 2013.  To register to attend the free finale event, please visit http://hackovate.eventbrite.com.  

To learn more about Hackovate Health and stay updated, visit www.hackovate.com.  

Follow Hackovate! @Hackovate

Think Big Partners Announces Hackovate Travel Scholarship

As many entrepreneurs know, applying for an innovation competition takes a lot of time.  But it takes even more time (and money!) to fly to a different city to participate in a live innovation or startup competition.  Here at Think Big Partners, we understand that dilemma.  

But in order to ensure that every entrepreneur who has a health-related innovation, idea or startup is able to travel into Kansas City for the Hackovate Health Finale on February 26, 2013, a surprise sponsor has opened the Hackovate Travel Scholarship. 

The Hackovate Travel Scholarship will cover up to 100% of travel costs to Kansas City for the Hackovate Finale on February 26, 2013. What’s the catch? The sooner you complete your Hackovate submission, the greater chance you’ll have of receiving the Travel Scholarship!

The Hackovate Travel Scholarship
The Hackovate Travel Scholarship will cover up to 100% of travel costs for one member of your team for the Finale event on February 26, 2013. The Hackovate Travel Scholarship will be awarded to a number of Hackovate Finalists on a first come, first serve basis.
How can you get the travel scholarship?

• The only way to apply for the Hackovate Travel Scholarship is by completing your iStart application. Once you complete your application, you must send an email to info@hackovate.com stating your interest in the scholarship to receive the Hackovate Travel Scholarship application. This scholarship is optional to apply for.
• Fill out the application and send an electronic copy to info@hackovate.com.
• The scholarship will be awarded on a first come, first serve basis. Therefore, if you submit your completed application into our iStart program early, you have a greater chance of winning the travel scholarship.
• The Hackovate Travel Scholarship will also be evaluated based merit of the need for travel costs paid for.

In other words, complete your Hackovate submission early and you’ll have a greater chance of getting your travel expenses to Kansas City paid in full!

Learn more! @Hackovate 

Think Big Partners & H&R Block Host Hackovate Finale Feb. 26

We are thrilled to join forces with H&R Block this February to host the Hackovate Health Finale on February 26th!  At the event, the top 10 Hackovate finalists from our healthcare innovation competition will present their ideas, companies and technologies in front of a live audience at Union Station.  But what else can you expect at the Finale event?

• Healthcare technology and innovation presentations from the Top 10 Finalists 
• Networking with some of the top innovators in the healthcare space
• Healthcare innovation and technology exhibitors
• An Innovation Address and community closing reception 

The Hackovate Health Finale is an event that aims to build the collaborative and innovative Kansas City community and therefore, is absolutely FREE.  The Finale is expected to sell out.

Registration opens tomorrow, January 15, 2013 at www.hackovate.eventbrite.com! 

Learn more about Hackovate on Twitter: @Hackovate 

Hackovate Health Opens Submission Doors for Healthcare Innovation Competition

Think Big Partners and H&R Block have opened the submission doors for the 2012-2013 Hackovate Health innovation competition!  From now until January 31, 2013, entrepreneurs, innovators, tech startups, hopsitals, physicians, telemedicine professionals, healthcare companies and students are invited to submit their health innovation ideas and companies into Hackovate Health to win big prizes and life-changing opportunities.

So what do you need to know?  Here's some info to get you started:

WHO:  Applicants must be seeking funding, looking to obtain customers and/or willing to be acquired.  These applicants include:

• Entrepreneurs, innovators and tech startups
• Hospitals, physicians and telemedicine professionals
• Healthcare companies and providers
• Corporate innovators
• Students

WHAT: A global innovation competition to identify innovative, mobile, online social and other applications to help consumers navigate the new healthcare landscape.

WHEN: 
Application Period: Now – January 31, 2013 11:59PM CST
Finale: February 26, 2013

WHERE:
Worldwide innovation competition
Finale at Union Station in Kansas City, MO, USA.

WHY:  To improve the overall US healthcare systems by reducing costs, preserving quality care, improving healthcare satisfaction and supporting both innovation and job creation throughout the United States.

SUBMISSIONS CATEGORY EXAMPLES:

Innovative technology that does one or more of the following:

• Reduces healthcare costs, preserves quality care and/or improves healthcare satisfaction
• Reduces income disparity in the US
• Combats fraud, waste and abuse through prevention of improper payments
• Supports telemedicine, health robotics, wearable health, predictive intelligence or other trending topics in the health tech industry
• Reduces the budget deficit through big data
• Addresses those people in the Digital Inclusion (low income families that do not have the available resources to take advantage of new technologies that can assist in improving their education, communication and overall quality of life)
• Improves consumer health through exercise, diet management and weight loss
• Informs consumers facing a medical crisis
• Provides a platform for easier communications in healthcare education for small businesses, corporations and individuals
• Increases productivity and reduces costs
• Creates incentives for doctors, hospitals, and other providers of healthcare—or even their patients—to optimize efficiency or control costs
• Integrates data pools such as pharmaceutical R&D data, clinical data, activity (claims) and cost data and patient behavior and sentiment data
• Analyzes clinical outcome data to improve clinical decision making and leverage patient databases
• Provides online platforms and communities within the healthcare or medical industries
• Utilizes ultra high-speed, programmable broadband to bring innovative new products and services to the healthcare and medical industries
• Aids in the analysis, aggregation, manipulation and management of big data
• Promotes the research and development of better analytics for controlling healthcare costs 
• Enables partnerships and public awareness of the impact that advanced analytics can and is having on controlling healthcare costs
• Raises professional and public awareness of the impact that advanced analytics can and is having on controlling healthcare costs

WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?

• Receive coaching and mentoring from business, policy and investor community leaders in the entrepreneurship and healthcare arenas
• The opportunity to take a big idea and quickly turn it  a joint-venture partnership, strategic relationship or a potentially build a brand new company together
• Main prizes courtesy of H&R Block will be awarded to the top 3 innovative ideas.  Prizes include $15,000, $5,000 and $2,500 with the opportunity to meet senior management for additional discussions.

HOW TO SUBMIT:  Simply visit www.hackovate.com and locate the HOW TO ENTER tab at the top of the page.  Next, click the green SUBMIT NOW button.  This button will take you to the Hackovate iStart page, courtesy of our friends at the Kauffman Foundation.  iStart will allow you to log in or register and submit your idea, startup, company, technology or innovation into our judging platform.  Be sure to fill out all of the necessary information.

LEARN MORE:

www.hackovate.com 

info@hackovate.com

@hackovate

H&R Block and Think Big Partners Announce Hackovate Health 2013

With a new era of health care on the door step and more than three out of four consumers unaware of the role of the 2012 tax return on their health care coverage next fall, H&R Block and early-stage business incubator and startup accelerator Think Big Partners announce the creation of Hackovate Health 2013. The competition is designed to identify innovative mobile, online, social and other applications that help consumers navigate the new healthcare landscape.  

“There are significant financial considerations for millions of consumers under the new health care rules, including who qualifies for subsidies,” said Bill Cobb, President and Chief Executive Officer of H&R Block. “Technology-based innovation has the potential to address many of the consumer-based financial implications that stem from the rollout of the new health care law.”

Teams, big and small, are encouraged to compete in the three-month long competition, which culminates in H&R Block identifying 10 teams to convene in Kansas City in February to turn their promising ideas into new companies. The Hackovate process will involve coaching and mentoring from business, policy and investor community leaders in the entrepreneurship and healthcare arenas. Additionally, prizes courtesy of H&R Block will be awarded to the top three innovative ideas as determined by a panel of judges.

“Rising health care costs remain one of the largest expenses facing Americans today,” said Kushagra Saxena, Chief Strategy Officer at H&R Block.  “That is one reason H&R Block is proud to be the power behind Hackovate Health—to support innovation and the startup community in identifying solutions that address our clients’ core healthcare reform needs.”

“As an early-stage technology accelerator, we see a lot of great ideas every day,” says Herb Sih, co-founder and managing partner of Think Big Partners.  “Having the ability to work with an innovative company like H&R Block is an extremely unique opportunity for entrepreneurs.  This is the chance for entrepreneurs to solve a specific problem and the opportunity to work with the strength, expertise and leadership of H&R Block.”

Entrepreneurs are encouraged to submit their innovative ideas from November 19, 2012 until January 27, 2012 on the Hackovate Health website (to launch soon). Ten finalists will be announced in late January and will participate in the hackathon portion and undergo coaching, mentoring and the selection process.  Hackovate will conclude on February 26, 2012 with entrepreneurs presenting their solutions during the grand finale at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri.

Follow Hackovate Health to learn the latest updates: @Hackovate
Follow me! @AllisonThinkBig