Awards, Ratings & Rankings

Medtronic LABS Work Honored As World Changing by Fast Company

Recognition highlights organizations tackling the world’s biggest challenges
May 2, 2023 3:30 PM ET
Campaign: Accelerating access to healthcare technology
Medtronic LABS

The bold, innovative work of Medtronic LABS to reimagine global healthcare is being recognized in five categories of Fast Company’s 2023 World Changing Ideas, awarded to organizations tackling the world’s biggest challenges through ingenuity that propels social good. Medtronic LABS is being honored as a 2023 finalist in the General Excellence, Health, and North America categories, with honorable mentions in Established Excellence and Mid-Sized Business.

“Hundreds of millions of people around the world still do not have access to quality healthcare,” said Ruchika Singhal, President of Medtronic LABS. “Our goal is to close that gap. We’re honored that Fast Company is recognizing our efforts to help build a better world by bringing quality healthcare to more people.”

Fast Company received more than 2,200 nominations for this year’s World Changing Ideas Awards. A panel of editors and reporters selected 561 honorees for recognition based on feasibility and the potential for greatest impact.

LABS is being recognized for our community-based, tech-enabled solutions for underserved patients across sub-Saharan Africa. Key highlights included:

  • We are transforming healthcare by combining three elements: our technology platform (SPICE), our hyperlocal field services, and implementation partnerships with local health systems. 
  • We specifically design technology and programs to reach patients by bridging the digital divide: 10% of our patients cannot access any phone, only 20% have access to a smartphone, and 70% have access to a basic non-smartphone. 
  • Our designers represent the communities we serve, we make a point of hiring and training local talent in the countries where we operate. 
  • Our programs have demonstrated improved outcomes for non-communicable diseases at the population level.

“These programs have the potential to bring better healthcare to hundreds of millions of people,” Singhal said. “There’s a long way to go, but we’re making progress and it’s gratifying that such work is being recognized.”