09/04/2024
Axxon over the years -- a HUWIB blog post by former Axxon intern and HUWIB fellow, Lara Zeng:
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Axxon is a digital health and technology accelerator designed to help innovators innovate. Throughout my fellowship, I’ve learned from digital strategists, software engineers, CEOs, and physicians, all working together to solve problems in areas like telehealth, in order bring the present of telemedicine into the future. Going into the internship, I wanted to get a sense of the startup life cycle, learn as much as I could, and contribute my student perspective to an early-stage company. So far, I’ve had the opportunity to tackle all this and more, taking on responsibility in roles I never dreamed an intern could fill. I get to meet with successful business leaders. I source startups for the accelerator. I reach out to establish company partnerships. My input isn’t just acknowledged, but is valued and put into effect. A project I work closely on this summer, a novel orthopedics device based in machine learning, represents one aspect of how the company brings together experts from a wide variety of disciplines to actualize creative solutions. While remote work takes some getting used to, being a part of this product development has taught me about some useful tools and workflows that really work to facilitate productivity. The internship is adjusted to my interests. At the same time, it constantly pushes me out of my comfort zone. I get to explore the technology side of the product and participate in its development, while at the other end conducting market research and learning how to pitch both a startup and a product. Every day, I realize something new, not just about the telemedicine or innovation space, but about how to be a better collaborator, communicator, and leader. Of course, I have had a lot of help during the internship. Axxon’s leaders, Amy Kabaria and Ravi Viradia, have been a huge part of my journey and have guided my success throughout the summer. Being able to meet daily, work closely, and engage in mentorship calls with them is a huge plus of the fellowship, and I strongly urge future interns to learn as much from the inspirational founders and mentors around them as they can. There is a lot we don’t know, and that’s a golden opportunity to expand our horizons and make an impact.
