FDA may regulate smartphone apps. LifeComm closes. Best Buy stocks connected health devices. Apple invites LifeScan on-stage. The West Wireless Health Institute is founded. CardioNet’s reimbursement rate cut. Consumers want wireless health. Three-quarters of Americans are interested.
2009 was a big year for wireless health and in many ways it was this industry’s break out year. Activity in the sector quickly ramped up as the second half of 2009 saw nearly a 50 percent rise in the number of deals inked for wireless health joint ventures, acquisitions and pilots, over the first half of 2009. Likewise, twice as many venture capital investments (10) were announced in the second half of 2009, than were announced in the first half (five) of the year. (We suspect a good number were just kept quiet.)
In keeping with our mission to chronicle the emerging wireless health industry, MobiHealthNews has spent these last few weeks combing through our more than 700 news posts, 2,000 reader comments and 45 weekly newsletters to bring you a snapshot of the wireless health industry as it looked at the end of these busy 12 months. We are happy to announce the MobiHealthNews Wireless Health: State of the Industry — Year End Report 2009. (Download Here (pdf))
As 2009 comes to a close, so too does MobiHealthNews’ first year of publishing. Please accept this report as our holiday gift to you. Feel free to re-gift it to colleagues, friends and family. For those scrappy wireless health startups reading, this may be an opportunity to approach that wealthy uncle or aunt you had hoped would come on as an Angel investor—N.B. this report contains nearly all of the wireless health market metrics publicly released this past year as well as a round-up of other startups that received funding in ‘09. The quarter-by-quarter deals charts also read like an industry timeline that chronicles much of the higher-level activity that took place throughout 2009.
If the quickening of activity in the sector at the end of the year is any indication, 2010 looks to be an even more active year for the industry. Will the industry’s overall revenue generation double from 2009’s $304 million figure as some analysts predict?
Stay tuned to MobiHealthNews’ daily coverage to find out. We look forward to serving you in the New Year — Happy Holidays!