Tech4SickKids, a grassroots campaign to raise $25 million for Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), raised $50,000 in its inaugural e-auction on November 4.
Tech4SickKids was founded in 2017 and in June this year, it launched its goal of raising $25 million by 2022 to modernize SickKids. This includes driving the hospital’s Artificial Intelligence in Medicine for Kids initiative, a resource hub to lead AI projects, as well as building emergency rooms equipped to use tech and AI to deliver better health outcomes for kids.
The $50,000 came from the e-auction as well as sponsors, including CIBC Innovation Banking, Uberflip, Interac, Osler, Silicon Valley Bank, Vidyard, Wavy, and AmberMac Media Inc.
Some of the prizes were a meet and greet with Hootsuite founder and executive chair Ryan Holmes, which sold for $630, and a year-long pizza subscription from General Assembly that is valued at $600 but sold for $950.
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Hosted by media entrepreneur Amber Mac, the e-auction’s funds will be used to leverage technology such as artificial intelligence (AI) to “deliver better health outcomes for Canadian children.”
Tech4SickKids calls on tech companies to support the development and procurement of lifesaving, innovative technologies in the hospital, citing examples such as the cardiac health risk calculator that accurately predicts risk for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Erin Bury, CEO of Willful and Fatima Zaidi, CEO of Quill, took over as co-chairs of the campaign in March to accelerate its fundraising efforts (BetaKit Director of Operations Laura Gabor currently sits on the advisory council in an independent capacity).
Tech4SickKids had raised $8.25 million to date, with hopes to hit the $25 million goal by next year. A number of Canadian tech companies are part of Tech4SickKids, including Uberflip, Ecobee, Achievers, Maple, and TribalScale.