MBA grad’s winning text technology prompts health efficiency

A new mobile phone platform co-created by a Simon Fraser University MBA alumna is helping health organizations use their resources more efficiently.

Texts 4 Health can also help health care professionals provide better care.  Patients respond to automated text messages that are automatically categorized by the software and analytics platform, increasing efficiency in hospitals and clinics and allowing for greater patient load.

The technology recently won first place at SFU Venture Connection’s inaugural Coast Capital Savings Venture Prize competition.

“Winning this prize really helps validate our concept and provides useful feedback during this early-stage of our business,” says SFU Beedie School of Business grad Bella Hwang, who recently completed her MBA and co-founded the venture with Jesse Coleman, health project manager at the BC Centre for Disease Control.

Hwang has worked with start-up non-profit and private health clinics and developed public health promotion programs in Canada and developing countries. She also served as executive director of the Shanti Uganda Society, an NGO focused on women’s health and community development in Uganda.

Other Venture Prize winners from the Beedie School of Business include second-place VenueWize, a wireless events system that enables event organizers to capture analytics, measure team performance and build their guest database, created by student Arvand Alviri.

Third-place Ads on Naps specializes in printing and distributing high definition advertisements on high quality napkins, including QR codes directing users to online ad offers and websites, created by students Jag Manhas, Philip Chow and Raymond Dich. The winners shared $5,000 in prize fund.

The competition jury included Beedie student Milun Tesovic, founder of MetroLyrics.com, as well as representatives from program partner Coast Capital Savings, the SFU Innovation Office, and industry entrepreneurs.