CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (March 20, 2012) – Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) announced today the 2012 Health Innovation Challenge. The challenge, sponsored by BCBSNC and supported by Bull City Forward, Queen City Forward and North Carolina State University’s Institute for Emerging Issues (IEI), invites North Carolina’s entrepreneurs, community leaders, citizens and university students to submit solutions to help reduce obesity across the state and increase the competitiveness of the North Carolina economy. Up to three winners will receive $20,000 and mentoring support to implement their winning idea. In addition, BCBSNC has the option to invest in the winning business idea or company to support them beyond the challenge.

North Carolina is the 14th most obese state in the nation, and nearly 30 percent of North Carolinians are obese (1). This impacts North Carolina’s ability to excel and compete in the global economy. The challenge seeks to improve these statistics by inviting for-profit and not-for-profit operations to submit their ideas at www.HealthInnovationChallengeNC.com. Applicants must have a tie to North Carolina, either living or having operations in the state.

Entries will be evaluated by a panel of judges based on their scalability, sustainability, feasibility and ability to improve health metrics. Ideas involving food supplements or special food diets, or projects that require clinical research will not be considered at this time.

Examples of ideas the challenge is looking for include, but are not limited to:

• Development of
• software
• device
• application
• Implementation of a process that can measurably improve BMI rates
• Improving healthy lifestyles, including increased access to healthy food

To learn more about the 2012 Health Innovations Challenge or to submit an idea, visit www.HealthInnovationChallengeNC.com. Applications will be accepted until April 16.