CED Mentor Partner Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina has sponsored a competition to challenge entrepreneurs to develop, implement and scale high-impact ideas that support healthy lifestyles. Particularly, BCBSNC hopes to engage entrepreneurs who are developing innovative methods for reducing obesity.
Why? Well, one could look at the statistics: North Carolina ranks 11th (of the 50 states) in childhood obesity and 14th in adult obesity; the obesity rate in North Carolina has doubled in the past 20 years; 67% of adults and 33% of children in North Carolina are currently considered overweight or obese.
The initiative is supported by Bull City Forward and Queen City Forward as well as NC State University's Institute for Emerging Issues. Ideas can now be submitted (the deadline is April 16, 2012) at the Health Innovation Challenge website.
The winners will receive funding to pursue their idea. Blue Cross and Blue Shield have recommended the ideas come in the form of tech or mobile applications that track activity or nutrition, businesses or organizations set up to improve the delivery of healthy and affordable foods, gadgets or toys to help kids stay active, or anything else innovative that encourages a healthy lifestyle.
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