4TH ANNUAL IEEE SA TELEHEALTH PITCH COMPETITION
The Ageing Healthy Digital Innovation Challenge
The annual pitch competition brings forward emerging digital innovations that address today’s most pressing population health challenges with the use of remote care technologies. Each year the competition garners more than 40 groundbreaking early-stage innovation submissions from emerging stars in 20 or more countries.
The theme for the 2025 competition: Ageing Healthy Digital Innovation Challenge. The world’s older population continues to grow remarkably fast, with humans aged 65 years or above projected to rise from 10% in 2022 to 16% in 2050*. Rapidly increasing life expectancy presents major health challenges and is expected to impose substantial socio-economic burdens. Digital technologies support healthy ageing in multiple ways, such as improving the prevention of illness and boosting health and well-being at all ages via devices and apps (i.e. sensors, monitors, wristwatches, mobiles and more) for continual health monitoring, therapeutic and feedback.
Technologists, engineers, and developers of technologies that support the aging population with quantifiable outcomes are invited to submit their applications to the competition. Remote digital technologies that support the ageing include, but not limited to:
- Disease monitoring and therapies
- Personalized Emotional and Wellness Support and Monitoring
- Nutrition management
The winning innovation will receive a US$2,000 travel stipend to present live at an IEEE SA Digital Health Innovations Forum in 2025 alongside some judging panel members, promotion through various IEEE SA mediums and social channels, and other opportunities through appropriate IEEE societies and networks.
The competition is presented by the IEEE SA New Frontiers in the Continuum of Care for Connected Health and Technology Standards for the Aging (AgeTech) Industry Connections Programs, in collaboration with the IEEE SA Healthcare & Life Sciences Global Practice.
RECEIVE UPDATES
Submit the form to be notified of when the application process begins.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Competitors will be evaluated on the three main areas of criteria–
Health Care Impact
Submissions must show direct outcomes supporting quality living and assistance for the global ageing population
Technology
Access, service delivery, patient & provider experience, network extensions, extensibility, adaptability and flexibility, interoperability, etc.
Governance
Accessibility & inclusion programs, education, workforce development, compliance drivers, safeguards (privacy and security), etc.
COMPETITION TIMELINE
- 03 February 2025 - Application Open for Submissions
- 11 April 2025 - Application Closes for Submissions
- 16 May 2025 – Top Finalists Announced/Notified
- 12 June 2025 - Live (Hybrid) Finalists Pitch Forum at the 2025 IEEE Life Member Conference, Boston, MA
- 19 June 2025 – Winner Announced
WINNING PRIZE
There will be one overall winner for this competition. The winning prize will include–
- $2,000 USD travel stipend to participate and present in an IEEE Global Conference along with judging panel members
- Exclusive interview on the IEEE SA ReThink Health Podcast
- Blog coverage on IEEE SA Beyond Standards
- Opportunity to be an advisor in the 2026 competition
- Present and mentor a session in the IEEE SA Telehealth Startup Community
MEET THE PREVIOUS WINNERS
Anura Telehealth
Revisioning the paradigm of telemedicine patient encounters
Anura Telehealth is an AI/ML software which can either be a standalone telemedicine system or integration to existing telemedicine platforms; and allows for real time assessments of patient health risks.
PRESENTED BY: Keith Thompson, Chief Medical Officer, Nuralogix (Canada)
The OxyCam Project
At-home real-time tissue perfusion monitoring using point-of-care diagnostic
PRESENTED BY: Husain Khaki, CEO, Active Medical BV (Netherlands)
The OxyCam device is a high-tech microscope placed under the tongue to visualize the smallest blood vessels (<100um) and provides quantitative analysis and visual demonstration of blood flow through vessels.
Rubitect Assessment System
PRESENTED BY: Sanna Gaspard, CEO & Founder, Rubitection Inc. (USA)
The Rubitect Assessment System, is a device that helps to assess the skin to identify chronic inflammation or conditions in a dermatology space or in the wound care and surgical space.
COMPETITION ADVISORY COMMITTEE
The competition features a global group of technologists and researchers with expertise in the telehealth domain.
Tory Cenaj
Founder & Publisher, Telehealth Medicine Today & Blockchain in Healthcare Today; Advisor, IEEE SA Telehealth IC Program
Dwith Chenna
Senior Computer Vision Engineer, MagicLeap; IEEE Senior Member
Gora Datta
FHL7, VS, SMIEEE, SMACM; Chairman & CEO CAL2CAL Corp
Celia Desmond
Senior Project Manager & Owner, World Class Telecommunications; Chair, IEEE Industry Engagement Committee
Bruce Hecht
Chair, IEEE SA Transforming the Telehealth Paradigm IC Program
Dimitrios Kalogeropoulos, Ph.D.
Senior Independent Adviser, World Bank, European Commission, WHO, UNICEF
Rabeeh Majidi, Ph.D.
CEO& Founder at OrthoKinetic Track; Vice-Chair IEEE EMBS Boston
Narendra Mangra
Co-Chair, IEEE SA Transforming the Telehealth Paradigm IC Program
Maria Palombini
Director, IEEE SA Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice
Josh Rabinowitz
Founder & CEO of Articulate Labs; 2nd Place Entity Winner of the 2022 IEEE SA Telehealth Competition
Michael Carter
Senior Director, Enterprise Architect, Mass Brigham General
Dr. Srikanth Mahankali
Founder & CEO, Shree Advisory & Consulting, LLC
Shravan Rai
Software Engineer, Teladoc Health
Vishwasrao Salunkhe
Senior Product Software Engineer, Wolters Kluwer Health
OTHER WAYS TO GET INVOLVED
Contribute Towards Supporting Innovation for the Global Ageing Population
We are always seeking underwriters to help fund opportunities that support technology innovation that will enhance patient outcomes. If you are interested, write to Maria Palombini, IEEE SA Healthcare & Life Sciences Practice Director, at [email protected] for more details on how you can help support this competition.
GENERAL INQUIRIES
For general questions about the competition– including the application process or joining the advisory and judging committee– write to [email protected].
IEEE and IEEE SA do not endorse, advocate, or financially support any of the competitors, finalists, or winner(s) of the annual IEEE Telehealth Pitch Competition. Competitors represent their own views on the development and application of the technologies submitted for the competition.
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