Oklahoma Universities, Tulsa Innovation Labs Partner to Launch Canopy HealthTech

TULSA, Okla., Jan. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The University of Oklahoma, University of Tulsa, Oklahoma State University, and Tulsa Innovation Labs has announced the launch of Canopy HealthTech, a new multi-year initiative to accelerate the commercialization of virtual health innovations from Oklahoma universities. The program will catalyze start-up growth and improve healthcare outcomes by supporting the development of critical virtual health technologies that address regional healthcare delivery gaps.

"Oklahoma innovators have developed technologies with the potential to positively impact human health via emerging virtual and hybrid in-person care models, but to reach their potential, these technologies need business, regulatory and marketing expertise," said Shawna Khouri, director of the Virtual Health portfolio at Tulsa Innovation Lab and architect of Canopy HealthTech. "Canopy will surround clinical and technical faculty members with the necessary funding and business, regulatory and quality systems expertise critical to bridging these innovations from bench to business."

A key feature of the program is the unique multi-university partnership, leveraging the strength of each institution to develop technologies that will expand healthcare access to traditionally underserved patient populations.

"Through the vision and leadership of OU's Tom Love Innovation Hub, OSU's Center for Health System Innovation, and the University of Tulsa, as well as the support of the George Kaiser Family Foundation, we will catalyze startup formation across the state that will address gaps in health care delivery, particularly in rural, indigenous and inner-city communities," Khouri said. "Canopy will connect Oklahoma researchers to industry experts to support the development of virtual health technologies that address these pressing regional health-delivery needs."

Canopy HealthTech is led by Executive Director Rachel Lane, Ph.D., RD and senior staff member of OU's Price College of Business Tom Love Innovation Hub. Lane joins OU from BIO Alabama, where she served as CEO.

"Canopy will meaningfully impact health and economic outcomes in Oklahoma and beyond with funds and mentoring that support startup formation from Oklahoma ideas," Lane said. "As these companies choose to stay and grow in Oklahoma – fortified by the supportive environment Tulsa Innovation Labs and the George Kaiser Family Foundation have built – the state will gain a critical mass of business and workforce that differentiates and distinguishes our industry with a competitive economic edge."

Requests for proposals for funding through Canopy HealthTech are now open and must be submitted by 5 p.m. on March 1, 2023. To learn more about Canopy HealthTech, or the RFP process, visit www.canopyhealth.tech or contact [email protected].

Founded in 2016, the Tom Love Innovation Hub, a part of the OU Michael F. Price College of Business, originated as a cutting-edge facility to foster the creation, development and implementation of innovative ideas. For more information about the Innovation Hub, visit ou.edu/innovationhub 

Founded in 1894, The University of Tulsa is Oklahoma's top-ranked private college.TU provides educational opportunities to 4,000 students in the arts and humanities; social and natural sciences; business; engineering and technology; nursing and applied health sciences; and law. To learn more about TU please visit https://utulsa.edu.

Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant university that prepares students for success. OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research, and outreach. For more information visit https://go.okstate.edu.

Recognizing that the jobs of the future are rooted in a thriving innovation economy, the George Kaiser Family Foundation pioneered Tulsa Innovation Labs (TIL) to develop a city-wide strategy that positions Tulsa as a tech hub and leader in the future of work. Through a diverse coalition of public and private partners, TIL creates economic and workforce development initiatives within four industry areas -- Virtual Health, Cyber and Data Analytics, Advanced Mobility, and Energy Tech -- to make Tulsa the nation's most inclusive tech community. To learn more about TIL please visit www.tulsainnovationlabs.com.

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SOURCE The University of Oklahoma Price College of Business