VaxUp Challenge

The Innovation Studio at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles is partnering with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health on the VaxUp Challenge: a three-phase innovation challenge to generate, test and scale creative solutions that will increase COVID-19 vaccinations rates among children and teens in L.A. County, particularly in communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

There are three phases of the VaxUp Challenge. Organizations that are chosen in the first phase will advance to the next phase.

• Phase I:Idea- a-thon: Feb. 10 – 11, 2022, from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. PT
  • Applicants will participate in a two-day virtual event featuring expert speakers who will present on topics related to the challenges of increasing COVID-19 vaccination rates among children and teens in Los Angeles County. Speakers will host office hours and facilitate discussions. Organizations will rapidly generate and discuss feasible, original, creative and relevant vaccine promotion ideas, including digital solutions.
  • A panel of reviewers will select the best, most feasible ideas and award these teams up to a $5,000 grant to use for the next phases of the VaxUp Challenge.
• Phase II – User Research and Prototyping: Feb. 12 – March 11, 2022
  • Teams willhave one month to generate a prototype. At the conclusion of Phase II, teams will pitch the idea, strategy, design and functionality of their prototype. Teams must submit a list of key stakeholders that can further their solution development and a high-level budget of expenses for a general pilot to scale the product.
  • Teams will be provided with support, mentorship and coaching to facilitate their prototype development during this phase.
  • A panel of reviewers will select the most scalable ideas and award these teams up to a $20,000 grant to use for the final phase of the VaxUp Challenge.
• Phase III – Pilot: March 12 – April 8, 2022
  • Teams will design and begin to pilot their concept during Phase III. They will meet and seek key stakeholders interested in deploying their solution or supporting the development of their solution. Teams will present a pilot design and develop a summary of findings related to feasibility and sustainability.
  • Teams will be provided with support, mentorship and coaching to facilitate their pilot development during this phase.
  • A panel of reviewers will select the most feasible and sustainable projects and award these teams up to $75,000 grant to use post-VaxUp Challenge.