Amazon taps VR, voice assistant startups and 8 others for inaugural digital health accelerator

For its first healthcare accelerator program, Amazon's cloud division tapped a diverse group of startups working in virtual reality, voice assistant technology, remote monitoring and social determinants of health.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced in June a healthcare accelerator to help incubate early-stage digital health companies that can collaborate with the tech giant's healthcare customers and partners.

The aim, Amazon said, is to connect growth-stage digital health solutions with AWS’ healthcare provider organizations to accelerate care in the cloud and for potential pilots and collaborations between providers and companies.

The 10 companies were selected from 427 applications from 31 countries around the world by a panel from AWS and KidsX, a pediatrics digital health accelerator launched from Children's Hospital Los Angeles and a partner on AWS' accelerator program.

The application criteria called for healthcare-focused startups that had a validated solution along with existing revenue, customers and U.S.-based operations, Sandy Carter, vice president of worldwide public sector partners and programs at AWS, said in a blog post.

The first AWS healthcare accelerator cohort represents a diverse group of healthcare solutions backed by diverse leadership, with 90% of the cohort having diversity of leadership and 70% being female-founded, Carter said.