Destination Medical Center (DMC) is now accepting applications from individuals and teams for the Assistive Tech Challenge, a pitch competition to facilitate greater independence for people with disabilities and the daily challenges they face. Online application deadline is February 10, 2020. The pitch competition takes place April 4, 2020 in Rochester, Minnesota at the Rochester Civic Theatre.

“The Assistive Tech Challenge puts a spotlight on the region’s innovative spirit,” said Chris Schad, organizer of the challenge and director of business development at DMC’s Discovery Square. “It encourages entrepreneurs to develop their ideas while showcasing solutions for individuals with disabilities.”

This competition welcomes teams in two divisions:

Open Division - for community-based teams and students.
Professional Division - for companies formed with annual revenues not exceeding $200,000

Open division winner of the inaugural Assistive Tech Challenge, Rochester-based Adapt-A-Cart, has developed a solution to a real-life problem.

“The Assistive Tech Challenge has given us a platform to solve a problem that directly affected our daily lives as wheelchair users. Because of the competition, we now have a start-up company that we believe will help other users shop at grocery stores and other retail outlets,” said Adapt-A-Cart co-founder Nick Elliott.

Winner of the professional division of the inaugural challenge, Minneapolis-based Vitals Aware Services, is excited about its future.

Stan Alleyne, Vitals Aware Services director of communications

“We know that we have compelling stories, and we've created technology that is saving lives and empowering individuals and families living with various conditions and disabilities,” said Stan Alleyne, Vitals Aware Services director of communications. “Competitions like Destination Medical Center’s Assistive Tech Challenge gave us the opportunity to work on our pitch and then receive expert feedback that we can use to accelerate our business growth.”

First place teams in each category will receive $5,000. Second place teams in each category will receive $2,500. All first and second place teams will be eligible to participate in the Walleye Tank pitch competition in Minneapolis in May 2020.

Participants in the 2020 Assistive Tech Challenge should develop a product or service related to:

Independent living
Access to employment
Support for care providers
Social skill development
Improved public infrastructure

Teams will address the following questions during a five-minute presentation to an expert panel of judges, followed by three minutes of Q&A:

What problem are you solving?
How are you solving the problem?
Why is your team the one to solve it?
What do you need to further develop your idea?

As part of a recruitment effort, DMC hosted a series of design thinking workshops in communities and at universities throughout the upper Midwest this past fall.

The Assistive Tech Challenge is supported by BioSig Technologies, Colliers International, Fredrikson & Byron, P.A., Home Federal Savings Bank, Mayo Clinic Office of Business Development, Rochester Home Infusion, Kabara Institute, Saint Mary's University of MN and Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation.

For more information, visit assistivetechchallenge.com.

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