JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Ponte Vedra couple made a landmark $50 million donation Monday to the Mayo Clinic and will be honored by having the hospital’s innovation exchange program renamed in their honor.
Gilchrist and Amy Berg made the “transformative contribution” to the program, which will now be called the Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange.
Recommended Videos
The program serves as a dynamic marketplace to connect global innovators with essential expertise, resources and opportunities at Mayo Clinic — streamlining solutions development and eliminating critical barriers to success.
“The Bergs have been champions of Mayo Clinic’s Innovation Exchange since its earliest days through their gifts of time, thought leadership and financial support,” says Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, president and CEO of Mayo Clinic. “We are truly grateful for their remarkable generosity and commitment to bringing more innovations to patients.”
The Bergs have played a vital role in the development of the exchange since its inception in 2019.
Their commitment extends beyond financial support; they engage with leadership and contribute to shaping the exchange’s strategic direction.
“To us, this is about more than financial support — it’s about helping shape the future of health care innovation with an organization whose culture values excellence, compassion and discovery,” Gilchrist Berg said. “When you work alongside Mayo Clinic’s visionary leaders, you cannot help but feel energized about Mayo’s abilities to lead on a global stage.”
The Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange fosters collaboration among a curated network of experts in artificial intelligence (AI), digital health, regulatory science, investment, product design and entrepreneurship. The program’s innovators are currently working on advancements in diagnostics, digital tools, devices, research and therapeutics.
This generous gift will:
- Fuel research: Advance research leveraging emerging technologies to address critical patient needs.
- Foster knowledge: Provide mentorship, peer networking and educational opportunities.
- Accelerate collaboration: Enhance collaboration, identify synergies and expedite the development of innovative solutions.
“The Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange advances science by facilitating and enabling connections that otherwise would not be possible, a key component of Mayo Clinic’s bold vision to transform healthcare,” says Dr. Kent Thielen, CEO of Mayo Clinic in Florida and vice president of Mayo Clinic. “Gilchrist and Amy Berg are strengthening the program’s capacity to form partnerships that deliver faster, stronger solutions to complex medical challenges. We are incredibly grateful for the active partnership and support provided by the Bergs and excited about the impact the Mayo Clinic Berg Innovation Exchange will have on the future of healthcare.”
Gilchrist Berg is the founder of Water Street Capital, a private investment firm. Amy Berg currently serves as chair of the World Affairs Council of Jacksonville and president of the Berg Family Foundation.