Henry Ford Innovations Establishes William Davidson Center

DETROIT - Henry Ford Innovations has been awarded a $3 million, three-year grant from the William Davidson Foundation to establish the William Davidson Center for Entrepreneurs in Digital Health. The Davidson Center will bring together innovators, educators, and corporate partners from around the globe to create the next generation of digital applications and platforms, as well as the leaders who will drive their implementation.

The Davidson Center will incubate new technologies and companies focused on the intersection of health care and IT, create future digital health care leaders through a world-renowned fellowship program, and foster innovative talent in the Southeast Michigan community through a series of educational programs.

"One of our main goals is to generate digital health solutions that transform medicine,” says Mark Coticchia, vice president and chief innovation officer of Henry Ford Health System. “We are developing the next generation of precision digital applications and platforms, and validating their clinical functionality and value."

To foster entrepreneurship and innovation at Henry Ford Health System and across southeast Michigan through educational programs, Henry Ford Innovations will create cutting-edge curriculum that integrates entrepreneurship, healthcare, and digital technologies. Specific programs will be created for Henry Ford physicians and staff, medical residents, and community middle and high school students.

“The Davidson Center will act as the cornerstone of Henry Ford Health System Innovations’ commitment to developing entrepreneurial talent and cutting-edge health care solutions, right here in Southeast Michigan,” says Scott Dulchavsky, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer of the Henry Ford Innovation Institute and chair of Surgery at Henry Ford Hospital. ”We are lucky to have visionary supporters such as the Davidson Foundation to drive this type of work.”

“We’re proud to establish the Davidson Center at Henry Ford Health System, building on an already successful effort focused on innovation, talent attraction and job creation. These are fundamental considerations in our funding efforts to improve the economic prosperity of Southeast Michigan,” says Jonathan Aaron, president, William Davidson Foundation. “We’re excited by the prospects of this program to bring about transformational benefits to the community, something Mr. Davidson always valued in his philanthropic giving.”

About Henry Ford Innovations

Henry Ford Innovations aligns the Henry Ford Health System’s intellectual and clinical assets with best practices in technology commercialization, venture funding, product development, and corporate partnerships. Its mission is to translate leading-edge discoveries for clinical uses in the rapidly changing world of technology and consumer-impacted health care. Through clinical activities and interaction with a growing array of corporate and institutional affiliates across the globe, Henry Ford Innovations addresses challenging health care problems to create solutions and bring them to market.

About the William Davidson Foundation

The William Davidson Foundation, a family foundation, was established in 2005 in Detroit to honor our founder's memory by continuing his philosophy of giving. We are committed to efforts to preserve and enhance Jewish life in the United States and abroad. In addition, we are funding efforts to improve the economic prosperity of our home community in southeastern Michigan in order to make the region an even more desirable place to work and live.