Entrepreneurship Grant Award

Cogon Systems, LLC

Cogon Systems, LLC was awarded a $100,000 Entrepreneurship Grant which it is matching with a $500,000 investment. Cogon was formed in 2004, offering an enterprise software solution for healthcare data. The Pensacola-based company assists hospitals with providing better patient care through its Virtual Health Network, a platform that enables healthcare facilities to access, share and import medical records securely. Cogon’s product compiles and presents the data in an easy to read format that equips healthcare professionals to make informed decisions.

Under the grant funding, Cogon has been able to add five new employees. The company currently has 12 employees, including software developers and data integrators. That total does not include the employees of Omada Technology Solutions, a consulting firm Cogon recently acquired.

“We realized that as we were going out to install the technology, we were giving away some great ideas for free,” explains Cogon founder and CEO Huy Nguyen, M.D. “Adding the consulting expertise of Omada has allowed us to add even more value for our customers and capture revenue.”

With around 90% of its customers outside the region, Cogon is bringing those revenues back home to Northwest Florida. The federal government is one of Cogon’s largest clients, but sales in the private sector are steadily increasing.

Cogon is currently facilitating the largest ever health information partnership between military and civilian healthcare providers. Modeled after a public utility, Cogon’s Virtual Health Network connects patient information systems at Naval Hospital Pensacola with civilian organizations such as Sacred Heart Health System and Baptist Health System. The prototype is under evaluation and could lead to nationwide implementation. “We hope that this project will demonstrate the value of data sharing in elevating care to the folks that serve our country,” says Nguyen, a former Navy physician.

Though business is thriving today, Nguyen acknowledges the impact the funding infusion from the grant had on the young business. “The grant allowed Cogon to survive as healthcare innovators during tough times,” states Nguyen. “When the company was founded, there was no real incentive in the healthcare industry to utilize information technology to increase efficiency. We made a long bet that is beginning to pay off as we see the market move in our direction.”

That sustainability drew the attention of another Pensacola IT business, Hixardt Technologies. Hixardt, the recipient of an Employees Skills Training Grant under the WIRED Northwest Florida Initiative, recently took 51% ownership in Cogon. Executives from both companies say this move allows them to leverage the assets of both businesses for more maneuverability in a tough economy.

“The alliances with Hixardt and Omada have increased our resources and capabilities,” Nguyen affirms. “Cogon is well-positioned for growth.”