We partner with rare disease foundation to bring patient advocacy, design thinking, and AI together for innovative solutions to rare disease patients and communities.
Why should you invest in AI?
Short answer, because it can transform care for rare disease patients and communities. From accelerating drug discovery, to enabling empowering and safe communities at scale, generative AI can transform care for rare disease patients, caregivers, researchers and beyond at a massive scale.
What is happening in the workshop?
It is usually a highly energetic half day. We'll give 2-3 talks about AI and Design Thinking, and we’ll walk the audience through everything they need to work on problem discovery, validation, and prototyping solutions. Participants work alongside experienced mentors in various fields to develop their ideas.
Who is this for?
This AI Innovation workshop is thoughtfully designed for rare disease communities who want to discover and incubate Generative AI solutions. Our workshop brings together industry, researchers, advocacy groups, AI experts and product designers together to discover, conceptualize, and prototype patient centric solutions.
Customizable design for your community
We develop each workshop agenda in collaboration with you. We believe the participation and engagement of rare disease communities in shaping how technology empowers them is critical. Therefore, each workshop will be designed based on the specific needs of your community.
During our design-thinking workshops, we’ll start by setting up a straightforward framework for brainstorming new ideas together. Participants will then validate their problem statements with real patients, and—guided by experienced mentors—we’ll shape potential solutions that honor the nuances of rare diseases and tap into the possibilities of AI.
We invite leading voices from AI, design thinking and product development to share their expertise with the participants. These sessions dive into the newest breakthroughs and practical applications of AI—from discovery and diagnosis to patient care coordination—so participating groups leave with actionable knowledge and a broader perspective.
Take a look at our event on Rare Diseases X AI Innovation at UC Berkeley.
For this event, we helped shape a day that combined hands-on problem-solving with thoughtful discussion:
Mentor-Guided Workshop: Focusing on Real-World Needs
The day kicked off with an engaging workshop centered on design thinking, with mentors helping teams to find user-focused solutions. Participants brainstormed, shared experiences, and even began to sketch out initial prototypes for tools and strategies that could offer real support.
Expert Panel: A Thoughtful Look at AI’s Role
Following the workshop, we facilitated a panel discussion with knowledgeable experts working at the intersection of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and rare diseases. These specialists shared insights into the exciting potential AI holds; from research breakthroughs to improving daily life.
Key Takeaways:
Connection Innovation and a Path Forward
The energy at UC Berkeley was truly special. By combining a practical, patient-focused workshop with a forward-looking discussion on AI, the event created a unique space:
Real Solutions Emerged: The Design Thinking workshop empowered attendees to actively co-create, leading to fresh ideas for addressing tangible challenges.
Knowledge was Shared: The expert panel provided valuable, down-to-earth insights into AI, demystifying a complex topic and highlighting its supportive potential.
Community was Strengthened: Most importantly, the event fostered connection, reminding everyone that they are not alone and that by working together, we can find better ways to support one another.