March 10, 2021 – Baptist Health Innovations and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation announced the Knight Foundation Fellowship in Healthcare Technology Innovation. Generously funded by the Knight Foundation’s $1 million grant to Baptist Health Foundation, the non-clinical, yearlong Fellowship will attract, train and empower a diverse group of healthcare visionaries and entrepreneurs at Baptist Health and in South Florida. Baptist Health Foundation will match the $1 million grant to sustain the program for years to come. Fellowship applications open June 1, 2021.
“We are thrilled to partner with the Knight Foundation on this first-of-its-kind initiative here in South Florida,” said Alex Villoch, CEO of Baptist Health Foundation. “The philanthropic investment from Knight Foundation paired with those of donors participating in our gift-matching program will ensure Miami continues to be a hub for innovation in healthcare and technology. We are excited to share we have reached 100% of our $1 million goal to match Knight Foundation’s grant. To all who have donated, we extend our sincere appreciation to you for your commitment to our community.”
The Knight Foundation Fellowship in Healthcare Technology Innovation will provide participants a comprehensive understanding of the need and opportunity for developing new products, services and interventions in healthcare. The curriculum augments classroom lectures and presentations with multidisciplinary, team-based experiential projects focused on opportunities identified and selected by the teams. Themes include exposure to the importance and impact of intellectual property, regulatory environments and investment capital sources on the development of new products and services. Fellows will also gain skills in innovative arts, including opportunity assessment, economic modeling and investment presentations.
“The Knight Foundation’s generous grant will enable us to execute on culture change in our healthcare system and the community through an educational process that will disseminate the practical aspects of implementing innovation,” said Barry T. Katzen, M.D., chief medical innovation officer of Baptist Health, and founder and chief medical executive of Miami Cardiac & Vascular Institute. “The grant also provides recognition of the work we have done over the past several years to solidify the innovation infrastructure at Baptist Health.”
The multidisciplinary teams will ideate, assess and refine potential solutions to self-selected healthcare needs, culminating with an end-of-year presentation to a panel of professional innovators and investors. Additionally, fellows are eligible to participate in a series of team-based Innovation Challenge programs commencing in 2022.
“I am excited that an element of the initiative will be brokered interactions among the fellows with healthcare experts and business leaders to share their respective personal and professional journeys,” said Mark Coticchia, vice president for innovation at Baptist Health. “The perspectives and networks gained through these exchanges will be of mutual benefit in developing a vibrant regional innovation economy.”
Knight Foundation’s $1 million in support is part of a broader $15.3 million investment in three Miami institutions — Baptist Health, Florida International University and the University of Miami — to expand Miami tech talent and accelerate innovation. In Miami, Knight’s work focuses on growing the pipelines that develop tech talent to meet growing demand and supports initiatives that build stronger ties and a sense of community among startup leaders.
“Baptist Health South Florida is a landmark institution and key part of the region’s globally recognized health sector,” said Raul Moas, director of Knight’s Miami program. “Through the Fellowship in Healthcare Technology Innovation, Baptist Health is activating one of Miami’s greatest strengths — our people — and in turn, directly contributing to the city’s continued growth into a hub of tech and entrepreneurship.”
For more information on the Fellowship, visit BaptistHealth.net/Innovations/Fellowship or email InnovationPrograms@BaptistHealth.net.
Donors who made the $1 million match possible include: Avanade, Karel Foti, Maria Gabriela and Enrique Cusco, Monica L. and Blake R. Grossman, the Manuel and Ana Kadre Family, Pedro López Jácome and Family, Microsoft, Jennifer and Joe Natoli, NV2A Group LLC, Ophelia A. and Juan J. Roca, Mr. and Mrs. Robert W. Spiegelman, Sahil and Rupa Tak, and other anonymous donors.
About Baptist Health South Florida
Baptist Health South Florida is the largest healthcare organization in the region, with 11 hospitals, more than 23,000 employees, 4,000 physicians and 100 outpatient centers, urgent care facilities and physician practices spanning across Miami-Dade, Monroe, Broward and Palm Beach counties. Baptist Health has internationally renowned centers of excellence in cancer, cardiovascular care, orthopedics and sports medicine, and neurosciences. In addition, it includes Baptist Health Medical Group; Baptist Health Quality Network; and Baptist Health Care On Demand, a virtual health platform. A not-for-profit organization supported by philanthropy and committed to its faith-based charitable mission of medical excellence, Baptist Health has been recognized by Fortune as one of the 100 Best Companies to Work For in America and by Ethisphere as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies. For more information, visit BaptistHealth.net/Newsroom and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Baptist Health Foundation
The mission of Baptist Health Foundation is to inspire philanthropy and build extraordinary donor relationships in support of excellence, innovation, community wellness and global leadership in healthcare at Baptist Health South Florida. Through philanthropy, the Foundation supports and expands Baptist Health’s ability to provide outstanding patient care and bring the latest treatments to patients and families affected by a serious illness. Donor contributions also allow the Foundation to assist Baptist Health facilities in keeping pace with technology and equipment advances, perform cutting-edge research and offer continuing education opportunities to medical staff. Learn more at BaptistHealth.net/Giving.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation is a national foundation with strong local roots. We invest in journalism, in the arts, and in the success of cities where brothers John S. and James L. Knight once published newspapers. Our goal is to foster informed and engaged communities, which we believe are essential for a healthy democracy. For more, visit kf.org.
