USA— Google for Startups Growth Academy has announced the start of its program, Artificial Intelligence (AI) for Health, a three-month program for Seed to Series A high-potential startups based in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East to leverage AI technology to improve healthcare.
Applications have been open since May 22nd and will end on July 10th after which the shortlisted startups will be interviewed, and the official announcement of startups selected to go through the program will be announced in September.
AI for health program will officially kick off in October and will run until December 2023 when the first cohort will graduate.
With AI for Health, the aim is to empower startups working in the field of healthcare with the knowledge, skills, and resources to leverage AI technology and drive innovation in the industry.
The three-month workshop is a hybrid program that will involve; a three-month equity-free support with access to Google products and resources.
It will also provide mentorship with technical consulting with Google mentors and AI experts as well as strategic support on AI, company, and product strategy.
The program will have hands-on leadership training to improve the startup’s management skills and international opportunities to expand to new markets.
Finally, the package also includes networking opportunities with VC, industry player, and fellow start-ups and form an alumni support network.
The eligibility criterion first and foremost involves start-ups that have had seed to series A funding and are looking to scale internationally.
Secondly, start-ups that focus on leveraging AI to address health and well-being challenges that thirdly that have demonstrated tractions with clear records on users and revenue.
Finally, the start-up must have a scalable product or services with a significant total addressable market and a defensible growth model.
“For more than 10 years, Google for Startups has partnered with founders using technology to solve societal challenges, and the organization intends to continue collaborating to activate the benefits of human-centered AI in healthcare and medicine,” said the chief health officer at Google, Dr. Karen DeSalvo.
A former Google for Startups graduate that is leveraging AI to foster healthier living is Temie Giwa Tubosun, the founder and CEO of LifeBank in Lagos, Nigeria.
Tubosun created Lifebank, a mobile phone application and motorcycle network that connects blood banks to hospitals in urgent need of blood.
The company uses AI technology to provide value in multiple segments of the healthcare supply chain, such as blood, oxygen, and medical supplies and LifeBank has saved 20 000 lives since its launch in 2016.
AI in Healthcare on the rise
According to Africa Health Business (AHB), the utilization of AI in healthcare is significantly helping medical practitioners in many facets of patient care, including administrative procedures.
Additionally, as of 2020, the use of AI in the USA and Canada has cut healthcare expenses by 25% and 12% respectively.
AHB recognizes that many organizations are already adopting AI for healthcare in Africa for instance minoHealth AI Labs in Ghana is automating radiology by applying deep learning and an algorithm known as a convolutional neural network.
Furthermore, Philips Foundation has successfully implemented AI software, developed by Delft Imaging, in 11 South African hospitals to help triage and monitor COVID-19 patients via X-ray imaging.
Delft Imaging’s AI-based CAD4COVID software, which complements existing COVID-19 diagnostic technologies, estimates the severity and progression of COVID-19 disease based on routinely available chest X-rays.
In Tanzania and Zambia, Delft Institute’s CAD4TB software has been used to assess the utilization of the computer-aided analysis of pulmonary tuberculosis from chest radiographs.
Another organization on the continent leveraging AI in healthcare is Ilara Health, offering accurate and affordable diagnostics to people in rural areas via small, AI-powered diagnostic devices incorporated through a proprietary technology policy and correspondingly distributed openly to primary care doctors.
Moreover, Antara Health is also using AI-assisted health technology to make healthcare simple for patients and providers.
XELPHA Health is also operating Aphya as the sole mobile-first EMR solution that assists in the detection and optimization of specific devices and hence facilitating active contribution and engagement among both patients and providers.
Artificial intelligence (AI) and related technologies are increasingly prevalent in business and society and are beginning to be applied to healthcare.
These technologies have the potential to transform many aspects of patient care, as well as administrative processes within providers, payers, and pharmaceutical organizations.
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