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University of Kansas Medical Center Joins with Sprint and Techstars to Advance Mobile Health Innovation
[December 17, 2014]

University of Kansas Medical Center Joins with Sprint and Techstars to Advance Mobile Health Innovation


Sprint (News - Alert) (NYSE: S), Techstars and the University of Kansas Medical Center today announced they will be working together to support mobile health startups. KU Medical Center will lend mentorship and expertise to early-stage companies whose products focus on increasing the accessibility to quality health care services at next spring's Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, Powered by Techstars.

The Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, Powered by Techstars, is a three-month, immersive, mentor-driven program for startups. Participating companies temporarily relocate to Kansas City to build and strengthen their businesses. Each company receives up to $120,000 in funding. In 2015, Techstars is adding a first-of-its-kind equity back guarantee.

"One of the primary reasons Sprint chose healthcare for our program was the expertise available right here in the region," said Kevin McGinnis, vice president at Pinsight Media+, a subsidiary of Sprint. "KU Medical Center is a hometown supporter of the Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator and we are excited to have their leadership and assistance, which will immensely benefit the participants in our program."

KU Medical Center will provide access to health care experts in different specialties to assist startups as they develop their products.

"We are pleased to work with Techstars to provide early-stage input and guidance related to our expertise in health care education, research and patient care," said Douglas Girod, M.D., executive vice chancellor at KU Medical Center. "Through this collaboration, we can help mobile health startups with innovative solutions to industry-wide problems."

Keeping health care consumer neds in mind will be an important aspect of this process and will be a key component of the initiative.



"This is a wonderful opportunity to work with startups to address the needs of our patients and providers," said Greg Ator, M.D., associate professor of otolaryngology at KU Medical Center and chief medical information officer at The University of Kansas Hospital. "With some of the possibilities brought about by new reimbursement models, including a focus on outcomes, the timing is good to bring fresh ideas to the day-to-day concerns of providers."

"We are excited to provide mentorship as mobile health is an important component of the future of health care in the state of Kansas along with the nation," said Michael Harmelink, chief information officer at KU Medical Center. "Innovation is a core component of our strategy, and this partnership will lead to better outcomes for the startups, KU Medical Center and patients."


The 2015 Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, Powered by Techstars, will take place March 9 through June 4 at the award-winning Sprint Accelerator facility in Kansas City, Mo.

About Sprint and Its Support for Entrepreneurship

Sprint has a strong history of working with startups in Silicon Valley, Kansas City and around the globe, helping young companies navigate the corporate world and build momentum behind their new businesses. Sprint is committed to supporting the entrepreneurial movement across the country, delivering new business opportunities and spurring the startup spirit within the company. This year, Sprint opened the Sprint Accelerator in Kansas City - home to the Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, Powered by Techstars. The accelerator space also is used to deliver year-round programming, including mentor engagement, STEM programs, entrepreneurial community collaboration and co-working space for startup organizations.

About Sprint

Sprint (NYSE: S) is a communications services company dedicated to delivering the best value in wireless. Sprint served 55 million customers as of Sept. 30, 2014, and is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including the first wireless 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; leading no-contract brands including Virgin Mobile (News - Alert) USA, Boost Mobile, and Assurance Wireless; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. Sprint has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) North America for the last four years. You can learn more and visit Sprint at www.sprint.com or www.facebook.com/sprint and www.twitter.com/sprint.

About Techstars

Techstars is the gold standard for startup accelerators. At the core is our massive interconnected network of more than 3,000 successful entrepreneurs, mentors, investors and corporate partners. Techstars helps the most promising startups do more faster. With 13 programs worldwide, our mentorship-driven accelerator programs fund the best companies in the most entrepreneurial communities. Since 2006, more than 70 percent of the 500 companies from almost 40 Techstars programs have received funding, representing approximately $2 billion in market capitalization. More information is available at http://www.techstars.com/.

About University of Kansas Medical Center

The University of Kansas Medical Center's mission is to educate exceptional health care professionals through a full range of undergraduate, graduate, professional, postdoctoral and continuing education programs in the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Health Professions. KU Medical Center also advances the health sciences through world-class research programs; provides compassionate and state-of-the-art patient care in an academic medical center environment; and works with communities in every Kansas county to improve the health of Kansans.


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