Editor’s note: Rachael Newberry is Program Director for Internet of Things users group NC RIoT.

RALEIGH – Last week, in the second of RIoT’s  live RIoT Underground webinar series, RIoT gathered the technology and entrepreneurship community and local government to discuss the community’s response to COVID-19. Panelists, including VitalFlo CEO Luke Marshall, Director of the NC Defense Technology Transition Office Denny Lewis, and the City of Raleigh’s Economic Development Manager Veronica Creech, shared ways in which their organizations and others are contributing solutions, support, and funding, to the challenges posed by the global pandemic. 

COVID-19 uncovers unique challenges and pitfalls in our modern economic and healthcare systems. Our under-preparedness is causing massive issues for hospitals and healthcare professionals on the front lines. The world as we’re experiencing it during this public health crisis is one in which collective action is vital for keeping as many people safe, healthy and economically stable as possible without overburdening our healthcare system.  

We’re presented with many problems that innovative technologies can help us avoid or overcome. Panelists shared several examples of entrepreneurs stepping up in the community to tackle critical issues. 

Luke Marshall, who leads VitalFlo, a digital health company focused on chronic respiratory health, noted that their customers are among the most at-risk during this time. The company has recently pivoted to double-down on remote monitoring and telehealth capabilities. Luke said that the more they can help healthcare shift to remote care, the more hospitals can conserve severely limited personal protective equipment and protect frontline healthcare workers and patients alike. 

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RIoT also highlighted a project entrepreneurs in their ecosystem are leading. Jim Smith, CEO of Klarrio, a data engineering and analytics company, and Steven Guido and Zach Fearnside, founders of Aeva Labs, a liquor distilling technology startup, started 3D printing face shields to help meet the massive demand for PPE in NC. They are currently delivering to the Durham and Fayetteville VA hospitals and are recruiting others with 3D printing capabilities to join the effort. 

The RIoT panel also highlighted that we are not just fighting healthcare challenges, but also significant economic challenges. Veronica and Denny shared insights on the challenges local government are experiencing and ways they’re contributing resources to support small businesses and entrepreneurs. Veronica shared that Raleigh worked quickly with their parking department and was among the first to implement efficient curbside pickup that enabled local restaurants to continue serving customers. Denny shared several grant opportunities available to support COVID-19 innovation and the sustainment of small businesses that can be found on DEFTECH’s web site

Finally, RIoT announced their own organized response to the critical health and economic battles we’re fighting, the MISSION-R initiative. MISSION-R (“Making Innovation and Startups Succeed in Our New Reality”) is an innovation support program . We are learning to connect with each other professionally and socially, as well as support our local economies, in new ways. These universal shifts in day to day life bring many opportunities for innovation to emerge RIoT aims to leverage their smart, active, and resourceful network to crowdsource and develop existing startups and new innovation ideas related to the global challenges and community changes we’re experiencing due to COVID-19. 

The program kicks off with a call for solutions related to health and economic challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. RIoT is accepting submissions for new innovation ideas (via a MISSION-R portal at riot.org) and from existing startups with applicable solutions (via the RIoT Accelerator Program application portal).  

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Everyone has valuable contributions to the MISSION-R initiative. RIoT is calling on idea creators and startups to submit their innovation concepts– from supporting population health initiatives, to boosting local economies in times of crisis, to solutions addressing the post-pandemic reality or inventing ways to solve global or community challenges related to policy, communications, or healthcare. Entrepreneurs and technology professionals can raise their hands to participate in the teams to develop top ideas. Corporates and local governments can contribute mentors, technical resources, or capital to support MISSION-R teams. 

Select MISSION-R projects will win a stipend for solution development and a spot in the summer cohort of the RIoT Accelerator Program, where they will connect with expert advisors, technical resources, and support from RIoT’s ecosystem to push the new innovations forward.  

Submissions for MISSION-R innovation projects are due by April 9th, and top ideas will be presented to the public via RIoT’s live RIoT Underground webinar series.