Impact Xcelerator: Driving Innovation in Technology and Health

In January 2023, the IE School of Science & Technology, in collaboration with the IE Foundation, launched the Impact Xcelerator (iX), a technology hub and open innovation platform that connects academic research with technology ventures and industry leaders. This global research hub serves as the school’s outreach arm to converge stakeholders, break silos, and thus promote global advancement and industry evolution.

Through the Foundation and its dedication to advancing world-class knowledge, two spotlight research collaborations came to fruition this year, addressing two separate industry challenges: cryptocurrency and healthcare. The IE Ripple Virtual Asset Regulation Lab arose from a collaboration with Ripple in September, as part of its University Blockchain Research Initiative, and the Health Data Lab was created with Boehringer Ingelheim to harness the power of data science and artificial intelligence for healthcare innovation.

The strategic alliance with Ripple addresses the complex challenges of virtual asset regulation and paves the way towards a regulated digital economy. Its first Collider event, the Ripple x Impact Xcelerator Virtual Asset Regulation Collider, was held in October at the IE Tower, in collaboration with Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA). It aimed to explore regulatory frameworks and discuss the roles of stakeholders in creating a safe and secure financial ecosystem for virtual assets.

That same month, the iX and BI collaboration gave birth to the Health Data Lab, an initiative seeking to catalyze advances in healthcare, initially focusing on the pharmaceutical approval process, with the goal of reducing time and maximizing success rates. The Lab hosted its first Collider event – the Healthcare and Technology Collider – in December, collaborating with Hamad Bin Khalifa University.

In addition to its research labs, the Impact Xcelerator operates several Global Gateway programs to bolster students’ knowledge of entrepreneurship and cutting-edge technology that is developing simultaneous to their studies. The Management Xponential Technology (MXT) program pilot in April featured a talk from the serial entrepreneur Christopher Lynch, AtScale executive chairman and CEO, among other masterclasses and projects. The Tech Venture Bootcamp (TVB) took place for a week in April, aimed at equipping participants with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of tech ventures.

Both programs will take place again this year, as will the IE-Berkeley Emerging Tech and Innovation Leadership Program, which featured a talk by Founding Managing Partner of Celesta Capital and board member of Onx Michael Marks. Additionally, the Impact Xcelerator hosts an ongoing speaker series of world-class entrepreneurs that encourage students to break barriers and forms part of the Catalyst Video Cases available for all academic use.