MedNexus Innovation Challenge
Posted on 09/08/2021
The University of North Florida, along with the City of Palm Coast and Flagler Schools, is
presenting the 2021 MedNexus Innovation Challenge open to all Flagler, St. Johns, and Volusia
high school students. The MedNexus Innovation Challenge is a team-based entrepreneurship
competition that will showcase top regional high school students tasked to pitch their solutions
to Florida’s evolving healthcare needs.
New, innovative services and technology-focused solutions are needed to meet the demands of
Florida’s growing healthcare systems and to help underserved healthcare areas. The Mednexus
Innovation Challenge is a competition that encourages high school students to participate in
designing ideas for the future of healthcare through purpose-driven education and to apply
innovation, science, and technology to solve real state/local healthcare challenges.
The 2021 MedNexus Innovation Challenge competition will have teams of 2–5 students, ages
16–18, that will come up with products or service ideas to address three main health areas:
-
Advancing Telemedicine
- Improving Mental Health Services for Young Adults
- Enhancing Soft Skills in Healthcare
The competition is ideal for any aspiring student considering a healthcare or technology career
path as participants will develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills while receiving
personalized coaching from their team’s assigned UNF faculty member and other healthcare
and business professionals.
Flagler Schools Superintendent Cathy Mittelstadt says, "This is an amazing opportunity for our
students and just the beginning of the impact UNF and the MedNexus concept will have locally. I
look forward to seeing the innovative solutions our students will propose during this challenge."
“We’re excited that the City of Palm Coast is able to partner alongside UNF and Flagler Schools
to offer this incredible opportunity to local high school students,” said Palm Coast Mayor David
Alfin. “The importance of the MedNexus concept centers on providing education and career
opportunities right here in our City. This Innovation Challenge plays right into the goal of getting
young adults interested and engaged in the medical and technology fields right here in our
community.”
Teams will receive mentoring by top UNF faculty, opportunities to provide innovative solutions to
real healthcare needs within Florida’s First Coast, and a chance to receive cash and in-kind
prizes.
Interested students are encouraged to put together a team and research the 3 challenge areas
(Advancing Telemedicine, Improving Mental Health Services for Young Adults and Enhancing
Soft Skills in Healthcare) to determine where they can adopt a change or improvement.
Applications are open from Aug. 23 to Sept. 26. Decisions of the participating teams will be
released by October 1. More information can be found on the UNF website.
