Newswise — The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) is pleased to announce Ollivate Inc. as a new start-up to its Rm8 Innovation Lab. Through Rm8, healthcare startups are able to transform ideas into scalable and profitable solutions that advance healthcare and patient outcomes.
Co-founded by Joshua Olson, DNP, CRNA, a nurse anesthetist and professor, and April Olson, MS, Ollivate is a gamified learning platform backed by cognitive science. It’s designed to help Resident Registered Nurse Anesthetists (RRNAs) master complex, high-stakes content in a fun, engaging way that reduces study stress through spaced repetition, adaptive learning, and interactive quizzes.
The Ollivate app — think Duolingo, but for healthcare education — is built around a visual, map-based plan that mirrors the National Certification Examination (NCE) content outline, so users always know they're studying the right material. With flexible access, RRNAs can study anytime, anywhere, and at their own pace.
Ollivate also provides real-time feedback to identify strengths and target weaker areas, helping users improve faster and more efficiently. A built-in leaderboard and challenges add a layer of friendly competition and motivation to keep learners on track and engaged.
“This is the first time AANA has offered a board preparation resource for residents, and Ollivate is making studying for board exams fun,” said AANA Chief Innovation Officer Eric O’Connor. “This partnership allows AANA to invest in the future of RRNA and CRNA education, which provides RRNAs with an accessible and research-backed way to maximize their board exam success, and for CRNAs to earn continuing education credits.”
Ollivate offers a completely free plan with access to 6,000+ board-style questions, personalized tracking, and leaderboards. The paid version, Olli SUPER, is available with flexible pricing and unlocks additional features, such as unlimited quizzes and exams and access to previous lessons anytime. Ollivate plans to offer CE for CRNAs in the coming months and is currently accepting beta testers via .
Rm8 (pronounced “Room 8”)’s unique programs and initiatives aim to revolutionize the way healthcare startups are nurtured, supported, and connected with the broader community. Rm8, with a focus on collaboration with the nurse anesthesiologist community, provides a supportive environment for members and teams to incubate product and service ideas or facilitate growth in emerging startups.
“It’s been a privilege to partner with the AANA through Rm8,” said Joshua Olson, co-founder of Ollivate. “As innovators, we’re always looking to collaborate with others who are pushing boundaries—and the creativity AANA has shown through Rm8 is a perfect fit for us. They’ve helped us grow faster while staying focused on what matters most: putting CRNAs and our profession first. Who wouldn’t want a partner that believes in CRNA-led ideas and is committed to advancing our field? I hope more CRNAs get the opportunity to build something meaningful with that kind of backing.”
The American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) is the professional organization representing nearly 65,000 CRNAs who are anesthesia professionals that safely administer more than 58 million anesthetics to patients each year in the United States. CRNAs practice in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered: traditional hospital surgical suites and obstetrical delivery rooms; critical access hospitals; ambulatory surgical centers; ketamine clinics; the offices of dentists, podiatrists, ophthalmologists, plastic surgeons, and pain management specialists; and U.S. military, Public Health Services, and Department of Veterans Affairs healthcare facilities.
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