NursePitch™

NursePitch™ is designed to increase the voice, opportunity and visibility of the nursing audience in the digital health ecosystem by holding ‘nurse led’ & ‘nurse developed’ innovation competition.

HIMSS, the American Nurses Association Enterprise and BD have come together again as innovation leaders in announcing the open application call for the NursePitch™ competition. The annual interactive event invites nurses from around the world to compete for the chance to pitch their products and ideas. Finalists exhibit their products to a team of highly respected judges who represent health innovation, business, provider and venture capital companies. This year’s NursePitch will be hosted in-person at HIMSS24 on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.

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RULES

In these rules, Health Information and Systems Management Society may be referred to as HIMSS or Organizer. All individuals, groups, or companies who apply or submit any materials in connection with NursePitch™ are referred to as Participants.

ELIGIBILITY

All startup companies who are ‘Pre-Seed’ and ‘Series A’ are welcome.
Nurse owned (or demonstrated nurse led) innovation.
Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
Only English-language submissions are considered.
Product has a significant digital health information and/or technology component.

HOW TO APPLY TO COMPETE IN THE PITCH COMPETITION

To submit an application into the pitch competition, visit the competition Application Link.
See website for submission deadlines currently posted as Friday, January 12, 2024 11:59p.m. CST
There is no cost to submit an application for the competition.
The competition's submissions will be reviewed and accepted by the Organizer on a rolling basis. See below for selection criteria.
Pitch finalists will be notified no later than Friday, January 19, 2024.

COMPETITION SELECTION CRITERIA

HIMSS’ selection committee will consider the following criteria, and others, when evaluating applications. The following should be addressed in the application:

Whether the solution proposed is viable. Viability will be assessed from a digital health and market perspective.
Whether the assembled team has the requisite skills and experience to contribute to the project's success.
The degree to which the solution impacts improved healthcare with a significant digital health component.

You are encouraged to address the following in the video submission:

Have a clear value proposition of your product. Does it really solve a problem in a smart way?
Clearly define what is being impacted. What systems are being disrupted on a fundamental level? Clearly define what metrics will be measured (people helped, revenue, etc.)
How will the impact/solution be scaled? Can this be a solution for your community, city, country, or even a continent? How many people will it impact?

Note: Video should be recorded on YouTube, or a similar platform and URL provided in the Application. All submissions must include a video and be submitted in the application.

PITCH FINALIST SELECTION

The selection committee will review all submissions against the selection criteria. and will identify Pitch finalists; Pitch finalists must be available in-person at HIMSS24 in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday March 13, 2024 for the competition.

COMPETITION JUDGING CRITERIA

Qualification of judges: judges will be nurse leaders, venture capitals, investors, and other thought leaders in the digital health space selected by HIMSS in its sole discretion.

JUDGING PROCESS

Applicants will submit a pitch during HIMSS24 Global Conference in Orlando, Florida on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at a time and location to be further specified. Applications will be evaluated on the criteria of competitiveness, potential of growth, strength of the pitch, digital health information and/or technology component, and the overall application.

Competitiveness in terms of the company and the product’s competitive environment in the market in their relevant fields.
Potential of growth in terms of market growth of the product
Strength of the pitch include, but is not limited to:
- Thorough responses of the open answers
- Detailed business plan and product overview
- Including a demo video of the product
Digital health information and/or technology component
Overall application includes but is not limited to: Whether the application is complete and adheres to the requirements of the application website.

Judges will select award recipients at their sole discretion.

AWARDS

Scholarships (confirmed):

First place $8,500
Second place $2,500
Third place: $1,500

Additional engagement opportunities (in development):

Mentorship with innovation leader
Recognition spotlight across HIMSS vehicles such as:
- HIMSS news announcement on NursePitch
- Invitation to present to HIMSS Nursing Informatics Community
- Invitation to author to Computers Informatics Nursing ANI (Alliance of Nursing Informatics) Corner
One complimentary HIMSS one-year individual membership
Photo and announcement of finalists in a HIMSS News Item and posted on social media with acknowledgement of sponsor.
Interview with finalists and sponsor on the value of NursePitch and Innovation. (Quote or section from BD Leadership)
Podcast for HIMSS Media (BD participates with finalists)

SPONSORSHIP

Organizer has the right to secure sponsorship for the competition and include sponsor in planning and promotion of the event and following promotions. Sponsor invited to select a judge for the competition and also join the pitch competition as an observer.

DISQUALIFICATION

The organizer has the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify a Participant for a violation of the rules or an incomplete application.
Organizer may prohibit certain companies or individuals from participating in the competition or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines the Participant has attempted to undermine the legitimate operation of Organizer by cheating, hacking, deception, or any other unfair practice.
Organizer has the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any Participant who attempts to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other Participants or representatives of Organizer.
Entries containing pornographic material, defamatory statements or are otherwise deemed offensive by Organizer are prohibited from participating in the competition and will automatically be disqualified.
Ineligible entries may be disqualified at any time without notice.

CANCELLATION

The Organizer has the right to cancel or suspend the competition with or without notice and for any or no reason.
Organizer, and Organizing Partners, are not responsible and Participants hereby waive any claim for damages, claims, losses, or inconveniences caused by cancellation or suspension of the competition.

INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY (IP)

By providing a submission to the competition, each Participant represents and warrants that the submission does not violate any applicable law or any third-party intellectual property rights.
Organizer does not make any claims to or take responsibility for IP that emerges from the competition.
Each Participant must determine ownership of any work created and developed during the pitch competition.
Organizers accept no responsibility for resolving IP disputes among Participants.
Be aware that the risks of exposing an idea and/or IP may be outweighed by the benefits of the feedback and collaboration Participants may receive if people get excited about Participants submission; any risk of the same is born solely by Participants.
If Participants have concerns about the IP in your submission, we recommend consulting a lawyer before participating or sharing said IP.

PUBLICITY AND PRIVACY

Participant hereby grants Organizers the right to use or refrain from using Participants’ name and/or likeness in any video, photo, recording or media b-roll without Participants’ review, approval or compensation.
By applying and participating in competition, Participants are consenting to having HIMSS provide Participants’ information to third-party judges and partners (“Organizing Partners”). Personal information is collected for the purpose of registering teams for the pitch competition, administrating and promoting the pitch competition, communicating about current and future events, and will be provided to sponsors of the event (“Sponsors”).
Participants expressly consent to receiving electronic messages relating to participation in the competition.

LIABILITY RELEASE AND INDEMNITY

Under no circumstance will Organizer, Organizing Partners or Sponsors be liable for any direct, incidental, indirect, special or consequential damages incurred by any participants or third parties in connection with, arising out of, or relating in any way to the competition or the official rules.
Participant shall indemnify and hold Organizer, Organizing Partners, Sponsors and their officers, directors, employees, successors and assigns harmless against any claims, losses, damages, liabilities and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ and other professionals’ fees) incurred by Participant in connection with, arising out of, or relating in any way to the competition or the official rules.
All disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the competition, prizes, or the official rules, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action.
Participant agrees not to use in any advertising, publicity, marketing, press release, or in any other way, the name, trademark, logo, symbol, image, likeness or other intellectual property of Organizer, Sponsors, or Organizing Partners without the prior written consent of Organizer, Sponsors, or Organizing Partners, respectively.