Optum launches Startup Studio program in India in partnership with IIIT-H
Hyderabad: Health services innovation company Optum Global Solutions (India) Private Limited announced the launch of its 'Optum Startup Studio' in India, in partnership with the International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH). The program was launched by Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary of the Industries and Commerce (I&C), and Information Technology (IT) Departments of the Telangana government and Phil Mckoy, Chief Information Officer, Optum.
Optum has partnered with IIITH as its innovation partner in this endeavour. Besides the Startup Studio program, this partnership will also entail research on specific challenges in the healthcare sector with a focus on applying learnings and distinct capabilities to provide people an opportunity to live healthier lives, says the company in its press release.
The Startup Studio aims, as said in the statement, to identify innovative ideas and startups that can help accelerate value delivery by seeking solutions to some of healthcare’s hardest problems. “At Optum we are developing the technology of the future to help modernize, streamline, and simplify the health system. We will get there by collaborating and connecting people and information through the technology of the future. The evolving startup ecosystem in India presents a great opportunity for collaboration to develop numerous innovations in health technology sector. We are planning to support this through our Optum Startup Studio program,” said Phil Mckoy, Chief Information Officer, Optum.
The India launch is an expansion of the program in the US and Ireland and seeks to amplify the impact of the health tech startup and innovation ecosystem in India. Ideas submitted by participating teams will be independently evaluated by industry and functional experts from Optum and IIITH, for further discussion and potential funding.
The release added that the partnership with IIITH follows Optum being honoured as part of a consortium that won an American Statistical Association Statistical Partnerships Among Academe, Industry, and Government Award in 2021 for developing a model that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to forecast infectious disease spread.
“As a top research university in India, we are excited to be collaborating with Optum as both organizations share a commitment to further building and supporting India’s health tech ecosystem”, said P.J. Narayanan, Director, IIITH. As of now, IIITH is said to leverage its deep tech research capabilities and experience in incubating startups to provide research and business mentorship to selected startups.
