A new Global Impact Award winner has been selected. Epharmix, a healthcare software that uses SMS and phone-based technology that helps the sickest, toughest patients stay in touch with their care teams automatically, will receive $50,000 in equity-free funding. They join the ranks of past winners, Nanopore Diagnostics (2014), ViFlex (2014), and Applied Particle Technology (2015).
The Global Impact Award awards WashU students, postdoctoral researchers, and recent alumni whose ventures are scalable, sustainable, and quick-to-market with proof of concept and a broad impact. It is hosted by the Skandalaris Center for Interdisciplinary Innovation and Entrepreneurship (Skandalaris Center), and it is made possible by the generous donation of alumnus Suren G. Dutia and his wife, Jas K. Grewal.
In June, we announced the finalists for the award. From that moment on, the finalists worked with the Skandalaris Center and hand-selected mentors to refine their ventures and pitches. On November 7th, the finalists gave their pitches to the judges, and Epharmix was selected.
Epharmix, consists of several WashU alumni and current students (WashU-affiliated students emboldened):
- Blake Marggraff, CEO (WUSTL College of Arts & Sciences, BS ‘15 Biology)
- Evan Huang, CTO (WUSTL School of Engineering, BS ‘15 Computer Science)
- Avik Som, PhD, Chief Medical Officer (WUSTL School of Medicine, MD/PhD ’17)
- Joe McDonald, COO/CFO (WUSTL School of Engineering, BS ’15 Biomedical Engineering; WUSTL Olin Business School, MBA ‘15)
- Christine Stavridis, Creative Director (WUSTL Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts, BFA ’11 Communication Design; WUSTL School of Engineering, BS ’11 Computer Science)
- Andrew Garvin, Engineer (WUSTL School of Engineering; Olin Business School, BS DNC)
- Cody Meyer, Account Manager
Blake Marggraff, CEO of Epharmix, commented, “The Epharmix team is thrilled and humbled by the award, and I’m personally so grateful for the mentorship provided by the Skandalaris Center and Washington University alumni across the country.
“To our team, the Global Impact Award reflects the combination of innovation and magnanimity that makes the WU community so powerful.
Blake Marggraff giving his elevator pitch at the Global Impact Award Reception on Monday, November 7th. Source: Skandalaris Center
“The Award will go toward further acceleration of research and development, and will help support and engage researchers here in St. Louis and throughout the entire country.
“As Epharmix carries the torch for 2016 with a focus on using high-impact digital health to support the patients who need it most, my team and I will derive even more motivation from the knowledge that some of Washington University’s most esteemed alumni believe in our mission and approach to driving sustainable, scalable improvements in healthcare.”
It is teams like Epharmix that make what we do so rewarding. “This is an exciting event for the Skandalaris Center,” says Emre Toker, Managing Director for the Skandalaris Center. “The Global Impact Award allows us to encourage interdisciplinary participation in entrepreneurship, to connect teams with expert mentors and to build a strong support network of mentors and entrepreneurs over time. I am eager to watch each of the teams’ progress.”
Congratulations to Epharmix, and thank you to everyone who came out to help us celebrate our finalists and winners!
Learn more about Epharmix here.
