Medline Industries, Inc. is looking for the next big thing in medtech with the launch of the 2014 Medline Innovation Challenge. The inaugural Medline Innovation Challenge aims to find and reward institutions for licensable technologies in the areas of medical devices and healthcare solutions.

“At Medline, we believe the key to innovation is collaboration,” says Francesca Olivier, corporate sustainability and innovation manager at Medline. “This contest will allow us to build an innovation engine that will advance healthcare through a wide range of solutions, from incremental improvements to game-changing concepts.”

The Medline Innovation Challenge is looking for inventions in medtech, including but not limited to the areas of surgical solutions, infection prevention and patient care. Entries must be submitted on behalf of an office of technology transfer affiliated with a university, a healthcare provider or research institution.

Finalists will be invited to Medline’s corporate headquarters in Mundelein, IL, to compete for $17,500 in cash prizes, along with an opportunity to network with medical-device experts and company executives. Prizes include: $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second and $2,500 for third.

“We’re excited to see the new ideas and inventions we’ll receive from this challenge,” says Andy Mills, president of Medline. “Innovation is what allows an organization to not only survive, but thrive – especially in the healthcare industry.”

Submissions are due October 20, 2014. For more details, rules and to submit ideas, go to:
www.medline.com/about-us/innovation/2014-medline-innovation-challenge.