Arena Labs + University of Pennsylvania Medicine Selected by the US Air Force to Innovate in Frontline Clinician Wellbeing
The contract enables research and development to evaluate and improve a tailored, data-driven coaching solution for advancing wellbeing in military and non-military frontline medical teams.
NASHVILLE, TN — February 6, 2025 — Arena Labs has been selected for a groundbreaking research and development contract under the Department of Defense’s Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program. This contract, which supports the U.S. Air Force’s efforts to deploy human performance technology, coaching and tools to frontline medical teams, will be executed in tandem with Dr. Anish Agarwal’s research team at University of Pennsylvania Medicine. Dr. Agarwal is an esteemed digital health innovator, Assistant Professor, and Chief Wellness Officer for the Department of Emergency Medicine.
Through this partnership, Arena Labs and Penn Medicine will conduct research with military and civilian clinicians to explore stressors, workflows, and well-being challenges in both environments. These insights will inform the development of advanced coaching and tools for understanding and addressing clinician burnout, a complex issue impacting both military and civilian healthcare professionals.
The STTR program is designed to bridge the gap between innovative small businesses and research institutions, accelerating the transition of cutting-edge technology into operational solutions. Unlike the SBIR program, STTR projects require formal partnerships with academic institutions, combining entrepreneurial agility with research-driven expertise. This initiative aligns with the Air Force’s broader mission to strengthen the resilience and well-being of frontline medical personnel through human performance technology.
“This is a unique collaboration for our team. 8 years of learning in the frontlines of healthcare, with world-class physicians and research leaders like Dr. Agarwal, will allow us to deliver unique data and research insights to the US Air Force. Dr. Agarwal’s advancements in wellbeing innovation are deeply aligned to our pioneering work in High Performance Medicine,” said Brian Ferguson, Founder of Arena Labs. “This collaboration between Arena Labs, Penn Medicine, and the US Air Force is a significant evolution in our desire to drive research-backed solutions for the “Service Archetype” in all healthcare settings.”
About Arena Labs
Arena Labs is a human performance company pioneering the application of wearable technologies, coaching, and performance science for frontline healthcare professionals. Their flagship product, Arena Strive, is healthcare’s first digital performance coach. Strive delivers a micro-learning experience tailored specifically for doctors and nurses, but rooted in human performance techniques of elite military, top-tier athletes, and renowned creative performers. It produces anonymized, population-level data insights enabling healthcare leaders to attract, retain, and develop high performing teams. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, Arena Labs has served over 2,000 clinicians through public and private partnerships in the US and Canada. For more information about Arena Labs, visit www.arenalabs.co and connect with us on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.
About AFRL
The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development, and integration of affordable war fighting technologies for our air, space, and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development. For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.
About AFWERX
As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 370 military, civilian and contractor personnel at five hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed over 6,200 new contracts worth more than $4.7 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability. For more information, visit afwerx.com.
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