{"id":2008,"date":"2020-09-22T16:33:30","date_gmt":"2020-09-22T21:33:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/?p=2008"},"modified":"2020-09-28T13:30:35","modified_gmt":"2020-09-28T18:30:35","slug":"video-200k-challenge-pitch-off-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.uml.edu\/m2d2\/2020\/09\/22\/video-200k-challenge-pitch-off-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"[VIDEO]\u00a02020 $200K Challenge Pitch-Off Recap\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Finalists<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Last Thursday, September 17, we were pleased to virtually welcome nearly 250 entrepreneurs, investors, researchers, academics, and students to our 9th<\/sup> annual $200K Challenge Pitch-Off. While the pandemic kept us from gathering, networking, and seeing the 15 pitches and posters in person as in years past, virtual meeting technology literally transformed the Pitch-Off into an international event, with attendees able to take part from anywhere. Here\u2019s our recap: <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Opening remarks from UMass VIPs <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Steven
Steven Tello, Vice Provost, UMass Lowell<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Event moderator Steven Tello, Vice Provost at UMass Lowell; UMass Lowell Chancellor Jacqueline Maloney; and UMass Medical School Provost Terence R. Flotte, MD, offered opening remarks that amplified the theme of \u201cpartnership.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Jacqueline
Jacqueline Maloney, UMass Lowell Chancellor <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

In particular, the UML\/UMMS partnership at the heart of M2D2 is productive and natural, unifying medicine, engineering and entrepreneurship to positively impact lives. The resulting culture is one that recognizes real-world problems and comes up with real-world solutions to them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Terence
Terence R. Flotte, MD, UMass Medical School Provost<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

To underscore this point Flotte made particular mention of the recent $100 million NIH RADX grant awarded to the M2D2 partnership for rapid development and deployment of point-of-care COVID-19 testing.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n

$200K Challenge Pitch-Off Keynote Speaker: Jennifer Griffin of Mass Life Sciences <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tello next introduced Jennifer Griffin, Ph.D, VP, Industry Strategy & Investments at Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, as our Pitch-Off keynote speaker.  Industry Strategy and Investments.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remarking on the 10-year partnership between MLSC and M2D2, Griffin emphasized the critical importance of supporting and sustaining life sciences startups:  \u201cIn Massachusetts we don\u2019t want innovation to be stalled by not having access to the right piece of equipment. And that goes for anyone, including early-stage companies.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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