AANA and AANA Insurance Services Announce 2024 Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition

ROSEMONT, Ill., March 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) and AANA Insurance Services will host the inaugural Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition on August 5, at the AANA 2024 Annual Congress in San Diego, California. This competition will showcase innovative solutions that improve patient safety, outcomes, or provider experience for anesthesia providers such as Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs), also known as nurse anesthesiologists or nurse anesthetists.

Applications are now open at rm8lab.com/pitch and will close April 26, 2024. The Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition is open to CRNA-led innovations across sectors, including academia, healthcare, community, public health, or the private sector. Winners, in addition to financial rewards, also gain the opportunity to further develop their ideas with Rm8 throughout the following year.

"The Rm8 iNoV8 Pitch Competition advances AANA's commitment to driving innovation and progress for CRNAs, their patients and the anesthesiology profession," said AANA CEO Bill Bruce. "We are excited to launch this new program to advance the pioneering work of CRNAs on a national stage."

Launched in 2023, Rm8 is AANA's innovation lab dedicated to transforming ideas into scalable and profitable solutions that support nurse anesthesiology while advancing healthcare and improving patient outcomes.

"The iNoV8 competition allows CRNA-led teams to explore groundbreaking solutions in the perioperative space while cultivating an innovative culture within AANA," said Eric O'Connor, AANA chief innovation officer. "It gives five entrepreneurial teams the opportunity to pitch their products to potential customers and investors, network with industry professionals, receive pitch coaching, and enhance their brand with inclusion in marketing efforts by AANA, AANA Insurance Services, and Rm8."

The competition will award the following prizes:

• 1st Place: $15,000
• 2nd Place: $10,000
• 3rd Place: $5,000
• 4th & 5th Place: $2,500 each

Winners will be announced during AANA 2024 Annual Congress and will be able to showcase their new products at AANA 2025 Annual Congress.

SOURCE American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology