Singularity University, BD establish collaborative relationship to tackle global healthcare challenges

Singularity UniversityJan 21 2016

Singularity University (SU), a benefit corporation focused on empowering leaders to leverage exponentially growing technologies to tackle the world's greatest challenges, and BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) (NYSE: BDX), a leading global medical technology company, have established a collaborative relationship where BD will leverage SU's expertise, innovation space, tools and inspiration to create new growth opportunities for healthcare and BD.

BD will amplify its legacy of pioneering new solutions to address global healthcare challenges. BD plans to create a number of startup opportunities each year by establishing teams of BD associates to accelerate the creation of new, effective and safe solutions that will address some of the world's most pressing health needs. As part of BD and SU's work together, these challenges will be defined and evaluated, with the overall focus on combining medical technology with information technology to make medical devices smarter and improve clinical decision making. Initially, the program will address topics under the theme of digital health.

"We are very excited about this new approach to innovation, and this collaboration with Singularity University further strengthens BD's long-standing commitment to ensure new medical technology solutions can reach every patient around the world who needs them most," said Dr. Ellen Strahlman, executive vice president of R&D and chief medical officer at BD. "Through our shared commitment with Singularity University to leverage the power of exponential technologies to address humanity's grand challenges, together we have a unique and powerful opportunity to design and develop a new era of healthcare solutions."

BD joins Singularity University's corporate partners that include Lowe's Companies, Inc., Harman International Industries, The Coca-Cola Company and Bayer Healthcare at SU Labs, an innovation community where large organizations, startups, nonprofits, governments and universities connect to apply exponential technologies and leverage SU's tools and methods to identify, incubate and accelerate big ideas aimed at solving the world's important challenges. BD has also announced the hiring of an entrepreneur-in-residence, who will lead the daily efforts with the entrepreneurial community at the SU campus in Silicon Valley while working in close collaboration with senior management at BD's corporate technology facility in Research Triangle Park, N.C.

"As we aim to fight large scale, global problems here at Singularity University, we realize the importance of providing the entrepreneurs and companies at the forefront of these issues with a unique kind of international community," said Rob Nail, CEO and associate founder, Singularity University. "By combining a deep understanding of powerful tools like artificial intelligence, computing, genomics, robotics and design thinking, with deep innovation expertise and connections to corporations, governments, academia, nonprofits and investors, we provide partners such as BD an opportunity to do things differently, innovating like a startup outside of their own company's walls to create transformative new business opportunities."

Albert Lauritano, director of strategic technology partnerships, BD Technologies said, "Singularity University's ability to assemble and rapidly mobilize talent, coming from diverse cultures, education and experiences, to address the global challenges we face, has inspired BD. We will use our presence on the SU campus as our 'startup garage', building on existing processes and expert networks, to drive BD innovation and growth by establishing global teams of BD associates to tackle critical healthcare needs in a very hands-on way, which is SU's trademark."

While BD has incubated many companies and initiatives within BD, the relationship with SU marks a new frontier in working outside of the company's walls. Teams of BD associates will work together with SU faculty, staff and partners to develop and test business models and prototypes before presenting their ideas to BD's executive team for further advancement.