Dreamit Showcases Breakthrough Innovations in Digital Health at 10th Philadelphia Demo Day

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 26, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Leading global start up accelerator Dreamit today hosts its 10^th Demo Day in Philadelphia, where eight up and coming start ups will take the stage and present their businesses to health care industry leaders and investors. The event marks the culmination of the 2015 Dreamit Health Philadelphia program, sponsored by Independence Blue Cross and Penn Medicine.

The presenting start ups were selected from thousands of applicants to come to Philadelphia for a four month program during which they worked vigorously to improve and de-risk their companies with the benefits of mentorship from local Philadelphia business leaders and others in the space and advice from potential customers.

Dreamit CEO Avi Savar said, "These extraordinary companies are tackling the real challenges that face doctors, patients, and stakeholders across the industry every day.  Whether it's a smart mouthguard that helps identify concussions in athletes or a new platform that supports patients in building long-lasting self-management habits using clinically validated personalized mobile solutions, Dreamit Health companies are building cutting edge products and creating new benchmarks for how people receive and manage their own care. Through access to our network we're proud to have helped these start ups achieve real business velocity on their way to becoming profitable and ultimately world-changing enterprises."

"We believe supporting high-potential young companies is critical to bringing the transformation of health care that we passionately believe needs to happen," said Daniel J. Hilferty, president and CEO of Independence Blue Cross. "It's very satisfying to watch another cohort of talented entrepreneurs headed for success because of Dreamit Health, and we look forward to continuing our efforts to transform Philadelphia into a national magnet for health care innovation."

"This year's select group of companies offers new opportunities in the rapid evolution of health care delivery in Philadelphia and beyond," Ralph W. Muller, CEO of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, adds. "Penn Medicine joins the rest of the Philadelphia community in eagerly awaiting the ripple effects of their discoveries as we collaborate with our partners in advancing patient care and improving the health of those we serve."

The Dreamit Health 2015 participating companies are:

• CareCierge – A platform which provides clarity, direction, and assistance to busy professionals caring for their parents as they age. Met with over 70 caregivers who have confirmed they will purchase.
• dbaza health – Clinically validated patient onboarding platform for managing and reducing the costs of chronic diseases like diabetes. At revenue and already used by over 400,000 patients.
• Diagnostic Driving – Combining a simulation-based driving risk assessment with customized interventions to reduce crashes, starting with the over 50% of US F100 companies experiencing more than 10 crashes per day. Team includes global authorities in driver safety and prior creative director for the Virgin Galactic simulator. Trial with one F100 company.
• GraphWear Technologies – The first graphene-based dehydration, glucose, and lactic acid monitor, all from your sweat. Graphene sensor is non-invasive, wearable and pairs to a smartphone. Dehydration pilots in progress and proof of concept for glucose detection is complete. Ongoing discussions with Microsoft, Samsung, Jawbone, and HP Wearables.
• Gray Matter Technologies – Smart mouthguard helps athletes, coaches, and trainers better identify athletes at risk of concussion as well as providing additional athlete performance data. Proofs of concept complete (mouthguard and apps). Positive feedback from athletic trainers and coaches at 6 top colleges and over 10 private & public schools.
• Neutun Labs – Software that tracks chronic and acute health conditions with existing wearables and mobile devices, beginning with epilepsy and scaling to adjacent markets. Value prop to patients, care providers, clinicians, and pharma. 3 planned pilot projects, on-boarding 20k new users.
• Oncora Medical – Enabling data-driven, personalized radiation oncology to improve cancer center efficiency while reducing the incidence of toxic radiation side effects. Collaborations at 3 major US cancer centers, paid pilots launching in Q4 2015, and pipeline of over a dozen US hospitals.
• VisExcell – A personalized breast cancer risk platform for radiologists and their patients, applying machine learning and advanced computer vision to deliver novel and powerful risk models and automate physician annotation. Concept validated with 6 medical institutions representing more than 200k annual mammograms.

Following Demo Day in Philadelphia, Dreamit will take its companies on the road for a series of investor meetings in Boston and San Francisco.

About Dreamit
Ranked one of the top 10 business accelerators in the world by Forbes, the Dreamit network focuses on bringing the right people together to drive progressive innovation and real business velocity. Dreamit has launched over 215 start ups that have gone on to raise in excess of $275M and are collectively worth in excess of $1B including LevelUp, SeatGeek, BioBots, Adaptly, Meerkat, and more.

About Independence Blue Cross
Independence Blue Cross is the leading health insurance organization in southeastern Pennsylvania. With our affiliates, we serve nearly 10 million people in 24 states and the District of Columbia, including 2.5 million in the region. For nearly 80 years, we have been enhancing the health and wellness of the people and communities we serve by delivering innovative and competitively priced health care products and services; pioneering new ways to reward doctors, hospitals, and other health care professionals for coordinated, quality care; and supporting programs and events that promote wellness. To learn more visit www.ibx.com. Connect with us on Facebook at ibx.com/facebook and on Twitter at @ibx. Independence Blue Cross is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Penn Medicine
Penn Medicine is one of the world's leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, and excellence in patient care. Penn Medicine consists of the Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania(founded in 1765 as the nation's first medical school) and the University of Pennsylvania Health System, which together form a $4.9 billion enterprise.

The Perelman School of Medicine has been ranked among the top five medical schools in the United States for the past 17 years, according to U.S. News & World Report's survey of research-oriented medical schools. The School is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $409 million awarded in the 2014 fiscal year.

The University of Pennsylvania Health System's patient care facilities include: The Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center -- which are recognized as one of the nation's top "Honor Roll" hospitals by U.S. News & World Report -- Chester County Hospital; Lancaster General Health; Penn Wissahickon Hospice; and Pennsylvania Hospital -- the nation's first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional affiliated inpatient care facilities and services throughout the Philadelphia region include Chestnut Hill Hospital and Good Shepherd Penn Partners, a partnership between Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network and Penn Medicine.

Penn Medicine is committed to improving lives and health through a variety of community-based programs and activities. In fiscal year 2014, Penn Medicine provided $771 million to benefit our community.

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SOURCE Dreamit