The Roddenberry Foundation, based in Los Angeles and established in honor of “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry, announced Wednesday that health tech startup iCardio.ai is the recipient of the organization’s most recent $1 million prize for artificial intelligence innovation.
iCardio.ai’s AI-driven platform automates the interpretation of cardiac ultrasounds. According to the foundation, it offers real-time analysis of heart health and detects structural heart disease with remarkable accuracy.
“iCardio.ai’s groundbreaking technology has the potential to save millions of lives, making it a well-deserved recipient of the Roddenberry Prize,” stated Rod Roddenberry, foundation board member and son of Gene Roddenberry. “We’re inspired by Star Trek to boldly go towards a future where today’s diseases are easily detectable and preventable, and it’s an honor to continue my father’s legacy by supporting medical advancements that will make this future a reality.”
The Roddenberry Prize, a competition held twice a year, is awarded by the science-supporting philanthropic organization to early-stage ventures that use AI “to benefit humanity.”
Founded by a team of healthcare professionals in Los Angeles, iCardio.ai combines sophisticated machine-learning algorithms with one of the world’s largest organized datasets of echocardiograms, the foundation explained.
The startup’s technology could substantially improve the speed and accuracy of cardiovascular diagnoses. The organization noted that this allows healthcare providers to make timely interventions and prevent life-threatening conditions.
“We are honored to receive the Roddenberry Prize,” said Joseph Sokol, co-founder and chief executive of iCardio.ai. “This award will enable us to scale our technology to reach more people, especially those in regions where cardiovascular care is lacking. Our goal is to empower clinicians with knowledge about their patients and, ultimately, improve the quality of care for those suffering from cardiovascular disease.”
In addition to iCardio.ai, Noetik, a Roddenberry Prize finalist, has received a $250,000 grant to further its work in cancer immunotherapy. The foundation indicated that Noetik’s AI platform creates precision therapies by utilizing advanced machine learning to forecast and develop individualized cancer treatments. This approach has the potential to significantly enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapies for cancer patients globally.
According to its website, the Roddenberry Foundation was “inspired by the life and legacy of Gene Roddenberry” and “supports innovation, risk-taking, and experimentation to disrupt existing dynamics, inspire action, and discover new ways to help the world move towards a better future … for a more equitable, inclusive, and harmonious society.”
Gene Roddenberry passed away in 1991 in Santa Monica at the age of 70.
