Detroit-based Henry Ford Health System today announced that it has received nearly $2 million in grant funding from the William Davidson Foundation to support and advance its innovations unit. For the next two years, Henry Ford Innovations on the campus of Henry Ford Hospital will receive $1.3 million to support its core programs, and up to $675,000 to help build its new Global Technology Development Program (GTDP).
The health system’s programs include commercialization of new technology, corporate collaborations, education and training of healthcare innovators, and global licensing. In addition, the William Davidson Foundation grant will help fund the new GTDP to identify and co-develop technologies developed in Israel and bring them to the U.S. market.
“To continue the revitalization of southeast Michigan and expand opportunity and prosperity for generations to come, we need to cultivate ideas and entrepreneurial talent here, while tapping into innovations from around the world,” says Darin McKeever, chief program and strategy officer for the William Davidson Foundation. “That’s why we’re pleased to continue our support for Henry Ford Innovations in this way.
“Our relationship with their team is a long and rewarding one, as is our interest in strengthening Israel. We’re especially delighted to support a pilot program that facilitates collaboration between Henry Ford Innovations and Israeli inventors and entrepreneurs so that they can bring their best products to market — and do it here.”
Henry Ford has built a global network, including relationships with healthcare leaders, entrepreneurs, and investors in Saudi Arabia, India, and, now Israel.
“We’ve met with more than two dozen Israeli digital and mobile health startups in both Tel Aviv and Jerusalem,” says Dr. Scott Dulchavsky, CEO of the Henry Ford Innovation Institute and chairman of surgery and surgeon in chief at Henry Ford Hospital. “This new funding will help us expedite our outreach, identify key partners, and start working to bring more technology solutions to healthcare.”
Dulchavsky adds that Israel continues to be a global leader in technology and innovation. In addition to being the highest per capita research and development spender globally, it is also home to more startups than anywhere outside Silicon Valley.
The portion of the foundation grant earmarked for the GTDP is a challenge grant, encouraging Henry Ford to raise matching support for its work in Israel.
