Amazon Web Services (AWS) has launched its next AWS Healthcare Accelerator cohort, focused on health equity, the company said on its website Tuesday (May 24).
“The accelerator is one more way we are harnessing the power of the cloud to make access to healthcare equitable,” the company said. “It builds on other efforts we’ve launched in this area, including the AWS Health Equity Initiative, a $40 million, three-year global commitment designed to support innovations in this space.”
Both programs are part of AWS for Health, an offering of AWS services and AWS Partner Network solutions that AWS says are designed to help organizations speed innovation, tap into the potential of health data, and come up with more personalized approaches to therapeutic development and care.
The accelerator, now in its second year, will support 10 U.S.-based startups through a four-week program, aimed at mentoring firms focused on promoting more equitable healthcare.
AWS says participating startups can get up to $25,000 — per startup — in AWS promotional credits, as well as connections to venture capital firms. They’ll also get the chance to collaborate with other AWS healthcare customers and partners, training and guidance from experts in their field and business development and fundraising advice.
See also: Amazon and Walmart Squaring off on Healthcare in 2022
As PYMNTS has noted, healthcare has become an increasingly active battleground in Amazon’s ongoing rivalry with Walmart.
While Walmart has an edge in its physical locations — 4,800 stores in which to house pharmacies and walk-in retail health clinics — Amazon has the online scale and digital expertise to meld pharmacy, telehealth and devices into a connected economy approach to healthcare.
In February, the company announced it was taking the Amazon Care telehealth platform out of the pilot stage with a nationwide rollout to more than 20 U.S. cities planned for 2022.
“Amazon Care is uniquely positioned to fill a critical gap in the health care system because it combines the best of virtual care with a new approach to in-person care. The combination allows patients to receive a wider range of care, from on-demand primary care to chronic care management, in the comfort of their home.”
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