Christina York, United States, was named the 2019 Global Innovation through Science and Technology (GIST) Catalyst pitch competition Grand Champion. The announcement came in during the closing plenary of the 2019 Global Entrepreneurship Summit in the Hague, Netherlands. 

Her startup, SpellBound, has a mission is to use immersive 3D technology to increase patient cooperation with treatment, including patient education and procedure simulation. SpellBound is now used as a tool in top hospitals across the United States as well as globally in countries like Kenya and Japan.   

Her startup, SpellBound, aims to use immersive 3D technology to increase patient cooperation with treatment, including patient education and procedure simulation. Ms. York had previously won the Road to GES - Heartland showcase to secure her spot at the GES Catalyst competition.

The five-finalists at the GIST Catalyst competition competed for the opportunity to elevate their pitch, showcase their startups on a global stage, and compete for over $150,000 USD in startup resources.  

As the Grand Champion, York will receive $50,000 USD in Amazon Web Services credits, $48,000 USD in IBM Cloud Computing Credits, $50,000 USD in Google Cloud Computing Credits, $12,000 USD in Microsoft Azure Credits, Microsoft Office 365 and Visual Studio Enterprise one-year subscriptions, two mentoring sessions for each of the teams with Microsoft engineers, a Silicon Valley Bank mentoring session, Consumer Technology Association is proving a booth in Eureka Park at the CES And $5,000 USD.  

Also, Phillips is giving an opportunity to have automatic entry into the HealthWorks Startup Academy. This would entitle the winner to the following:  
20 hours of coaching with one of the HealthWorks Program Directors  
Access to experts within Philips, as appropriate.  
Airfare and Accommodation costs for 2 co-founders to one of the HealthWorks Global Innovation Hubs for three days to engage with coaches and experts.  
Potential access to HealthWorks clinical and investor ecosystem if appropriate.  

IGOR ŽÁČEK, founder of Nice Visions, from Slovakia; Christina York, founder of SpellBound, from the United States, Katie Taylor founder of Khethworks, from the United States, Daphne Tsevreni, founder of Clio Muse, from Greece, and Zoe Welz, founder of Drovr, from the United States; all made the finals for the GIST Catalyst pitch competition.  

As finalists, they will receive $10,000 USD in Amazon Web Services credits (AWS); $18,000 USD in IBM Cloud Computing Credits, and $10,000 USD in Google Cloud credits, $12,000 USD in Microsoft Azure Credits, Microsoft Office 365 and Visual Studio Enterprise one-year subscriptions, and two mentoring sessions for each of the teams with Microsoft engineers. 

Runner-ups received $25,000 USD in AWS credits; $25,000 USD in credits from IBM Cloud Computing and Google Cloud Computing, $12,000 USD in Microsoft Azure Credits, Microsoft Office 365 and Visual Studio Enterprise one-year subscriptions, and two mentoring sessions for each of the teams with Microsoft engineers. 

Semifinalists in the GIST Catalyst competition were chosen based on a combined score that took into account their performance during the public vote portion of the competition, their pitch video, and feedback from expert judges who reviewed each of the over 75 startups that competed. 

During the competition, semifinalists were split into four pitch sessions based on the four GES focus industries, which are Healthcare and Life Sciences, Digital Economy and Financial Technology, Energy and Infrastructure, and Media and Entertainment. One finalist was chosen by a panel of judges from each focus industry during the pitch sessions. The four finalists then competed in one final pitch session, after which a panel of judges picked Shah as the GIST Catalyst Grand Champion.   

The GIST Initiative works to empower and strengthen science and technology entrepreneurs around the world through online and in-country programming and partnerships. 

A full list of semifinalists, including name, country and description of startup, can be found online at GISTNetwork.org.