When talented people collaborate for good, there is bound to be an amazing result.
Phoenix nonprofit CO+HOOTS Foundation, in partnership with Medical Memory CEO Lucas Felt, recently launched a new initiative called “Perch,” which aims to grow innovative health technology ideas into industry-changing solutions in Phoenix and nurture the city’s blossoming health tech industry.
“We want to unite healthcare groups, tech knowledge workers and more; and encourage them to build health tech together,” said Jenny Poon, founder of CO+HOOTS. “Perch is structured to benefit Phoenix, in and beyond the world of health tech professionals.”
Perch’s mission is to bring together a community of future and current health tech influencers from a broad range of industries. This will support a city-wide increase in collaboration and the development of new digital health technology.
“Every Perch program will allow all community members to access leading industry professionals with the aim to decrease the amount of unnecessary red tape in the Phoenix digital health industry. This will form an open atmosphere for ideas to be shared freely at any stage of development.”
The Perch launch, sponsored by the City of Phoenix Community and Economic Development department, hosted 100 AZ-based tech leaders who gathered at the CO+HOOTS coworking space in Phoenix and featured in a panel on “The Future of HealthTech in Phoenix,” moderated by Felt. Panelists included BeckonCall CEO Andrew Steele, Cognetyx executive vice president Art Layne, HybridChart CEO Greg Sanders, Barrow Neurological Institute director of informatics Judd Shaft, and Catalytic Health Partners CEO Susan Cordts.
Poon said the panel will be the first of a variety of open-to-the-public events. The program will include monthly strategy-building panels and industry talks, reverse pitching sessions, where healthcare providers will explain current challenges to an audience of potential problem solvers, as well as community think tanks to encourage strategic discussion about pressing issues in healthcare.
“The CO+HOOTS Foundation recognizes the need for collaboration-based initiatives in Phoenix’s growing community of health tech influencers,” said Maria Zorn, CO+HOOTS community manager and Perch coordinator. “Our goal is to provide resources to healthcare innovators that help them scale their ideas and maneuver through regulatory challenges.”
More information about future Perch events can be found here. Signup for the community here.