Liftoff PGH Announces the Ideathon Pitch Competition with $100K in Prizes

Liftoff PGH 2020, Pittsburgh's first immersive healthcare innovation conference, is hosting a pitch competition to find bold solutions that chart a new future for health. Undergraduate and graduate students will compete live at the Liftoff PGH summit on September 15^th to win a total of $100,000. The Liftoff PGH Ideathon, sponsored by the McElhattan Foundation, is not about incremental change. We're looking for sky-high thinking to radically reinvent health care. No business experience or healthcare knowledge is required to apply or compete, and the strongest teams will represent diverse skill sets.

The Liftoff PGH Ideathon is specifically focused on the beginning and end of life. They are the most universal of human experiences, and we are interested in products or programs that navigate any of the many challenges facing providers, patients, and caregivers. In the beginning of life category, solutions could address maternal mental health, racial disparities in maternal and infant mortality, substance use disorders, or post-partum care. End of life proposals might tackle grief, palliative and hospice care, and advanced directives. Innovation is not necessarily a widget or specific technology. Proposals could include a system of data tracking, a new care methodology, or even a program to improve education and training.

Six finalists will pitch live on September 15^th at the Liftoff PGH 2020 summit. For each of the two topic areas, a first-place team will be awarded $25,000, a second-place team $15,000, and a third-place $10,000. All finalists will be matched with a mentor to provide ongoing guidance and professional connections during and after the competition.

The deadline for applications is Wednesday, March 18^th.

For more information about the Liftoff PGH Ideathon and to apply, please visit liftoffpgh.org/ideathon.