Autism Speaks’ 2015 Autism Investment Conference (AIC2015) – at Boston’s Seaport Hotel and World Trade Center, March 10 and 11 – will explore the rapidly expanding business opportunities in the development and delivery of much-needed products and services for the growing autism community.
Follow the link above or email AIC@autismspeaks.org for information on attending, speaking or sponsoring.
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Also see “Autism Speaks and Google Announce ‘App Pitch Playground’ Competition,” a half-day event for autism app developers immediately following the Autism Investment Conference, on March 12. This optional event is free for registered AIC2014 attendees. But room is limited, so reserve your space now. Learn more here.
The two-day AIC core program is structured into eight individual sessions, each focusing on a different area of products and services needed by the autism community. Each session, in turn, will include a company showcase highlighting businesses working in the field and a panel of experts to lead a discussion of promises and challenges. The eight sessions include:
Treatment: Bringing new treatments for autism to market is an on-going challenge. This session will address the opportunities, challenges and associated risks, including empirical support of approaches, regulatory pathways, clinical endpoints and patient population. Discussion will include the diversity of treatment modalities and associated development opportunities.
Diagnosis & Risk Assessment: This session will focus on commercial products and/or businesses involved in the clinical diagnosis or assessment of risk for developing autism. Topics will range from the challenges of diagnosis to the diversified approaches to screening and include exciting new technologies as biomarkers for clinical research or symptom detection.
Assistive Technology: This session will focus on one of the fastest growing fields in the autism market, currently dominated by an array of apps for tablets and phones. Discussion will include key issues surrounding app development and marketing claims, regulatory paths, economics and a look at the rapidly expanding world of wearable technology and hardware.
Residential Supports and Housing: This session will explore opportunities to meet the challenge of helping adults with autism live as independently as possible. The discussion will include the latest in innovative, supportive solutions to maximize independence and safety.
Employment: This session will focus on business models and other for-profit enterprises that capitalize on the strengths of employing individuals with autism. It will include first-hand testimonials from business owners and managers who increased productivity and gained a competitive edge in their market through the employment of adults with autism.
Services: Autism’s growing prevalence has dramatically increased the need for services to aid affected individuals and their families. This session will highlight businesses that provide services that enhance the quality of life for those with autism and their families.
Gaming-Driven Platforms: This new session will focus on the emerging use of games in a variety of applications including therapeutics, diagnosis and outcome measurement. Games are an innovative approach to understanding the strengths of those with autism and using these strengths to promote employment, post-secondary education and daily function a fun and rewarding way.
Google-Autism Speaks Pitch Playground: Join us for a fun and challenging half-day event immediately following AIC2015, sponsored by Google and Autism Speaks. Select companies will pitch their business ideas for autism apps for tablet/phone platforms and wearable technology. The event will be hosted at the Google Cambridge Campus. Cash prizes will be awarded by DELSIA. Click here for the submission form.