JVP, AstraZeneca, AWS Launch 2nd Cohort For PlayBeyondBio 2021

Applications are currently being accepted for the second cohort of PlayBeyondBio 2021. The initiative is a partnership of global pharma giant AstraZeneca, global VC Jerusalem Venture Partners (JVP), Margalit Startup City Community, international consulting firm Accenture, Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Shaare Zedek Hospital.

The group is looking for up to eight digital health startups to participate in its program whose aim is to work with companies developing technologies to improve prediction and diagnosis of the diseases faced by the health systems of the new era. The initiative will focus on three central clinical areas: oncology, heart disease and respiratory illnesses.

The selected startups will be able to benefit from close mentorship by key senior experts, access to a global network of partners and health systems, as well as opportunities for pilots and investments. The goal is to create a fast-track for advancing participating companies’ ability to commercialize their product and implement it with the help of the program partners, a statement about the program said.

The current initiative “continues the success of the PlayBeyondBio2020 program which was launched at the height of the  COVID-19 crisis last year,” said Erel Margalit, founder and chairman of JVP and Margalit Startup City. Nine startups, selected from approximately 100 applicants, participated in last year’s program. This unique program will provide substantial added value to the local ecosystem and to the global healthcare market.

“If the past year has proven anything, it’s the importance of nurturing and supporting ventures that combine medicine and technology, creating a brighter future for all of us. As a company that has taken as its mantle the values of innovation and technological progress, we are proud to collaborate with other international companies in the local ecosystem and to help new technologies push ahead,” added Shimon Elkabetz, county managing director at Accenture Israel.

“The future of the healthcare system is data-based medicine across all areas, from prediction and diagnosis of diseases through discovering new drugs and more effective treatments. This is a field with huge potential for advanced technologies that combine AI, machine learning, remote sensors, and image processing. This is a real revolution and Israeli innovation has the chance to be a leader in this new era, starting today,” added Margalit.

Applications will be accepted until June 18.