Philips Korea has picked local startups Mezoo, Medipixel and Vuno to seek shared growth in the field of digital healthcare, the company said Wednesday.

Philips Korea will collaborate with these three startups and aid their overseas business.

As part of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups’ policy to create synergy between corporates and startups, Philips Korea has taken charge of a contest since July to find startups with the best blueprint for better hospital management, clinical results, patient-doctor experience and overall feasibility of the plans.

Philips’ target assignments had sought technologies that can provide non-face-to-face monitoring of patients, and support clinical decisions made by doctors, to lessen the burden on medical professionals caught in the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 35 startups applied, of which six went on to a four-month-long coaching sessions to pitch their ideas. Mezoo, Medipixel and Vuno were the final winners of the competition.

Mezoo is a company that combines medical devices with internet of things software. It has a small, attachable electrocardiograph that can enable remote patient monitoring.

Medipixel has a deep-learning solution that can measure and analyze cardiovascular irregularities and Vuno has deep-learning artificial intelligence software that can make early diagnosis of cardiac arrest and other illnesses.

The Ministry of SMEs and Startups‘ policy seeks to foster startups with potential in the six areas of artificial intelligence, immersive media, digital heathcare, future mobility, food tech and ecofriendly materials.

The nine corporates selected to partake in the project are KT, LGU+, SK Telecom, TheBornKorea, Lotte R&D Center, L’oreal, LG Display, KBS and Philips Korea.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)