They include The Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator and Plug and Play Healthtech Accelerator
For startups, there are numerous paths for getting their name out there. One way, which Vator has been covering recently, are startup competitions, but another popular method to get a foot in the door, as well as some funding and traction, are accelerators. These are programs that provide companies advice, guidance and various forms of support for startups in their early stages. They also often invest in the companies, for a certain equity stake.
Need a list of startup competitions, challenges, accelerators, etc. from around the world? Check out VatorX. You can find them, or list yours!
There are some very well-known accelerators out there, including Y Combinator and 500 Startups, which have made their names through various successful alumni. Those programs fairly general, accepting companies from a variety of different spaces.
For some companies, it may help to join an accelerator that only focuses on their specific area. That's especially true for those in more specialized spaces, which will have their own unique challenges and regulations.
Here are some of the accelerators for telemedicine companies:
"With the establishment of the Innovation and Digital Health Accelerator (IDHA), Boston Children’s is taking the next step in shaping the future of health care and extending our pediatric leadership through new technologies, collaborations with industry, and the development of a comprehensive digital health platform. IDHA draws together a team from across Boston Children’s, including innovators and trailblazers in the fields of informatics, technology, clinical, digital, business development talent, and the TeleHealth team, and provides Boston Children’s with a mechanism for sourcing, vetting, resourcing, building, piloting and commercializing innovations in collaboration with others across the enterprise."
Investment amount: Not specified
Program benefits:
- Application development
- Consulting
- Technology evaluation
- EMR integration advising
- Software prototyping and development
- Project structure, scoping, and project management
- Pilot design and testing in clinical settings
- Business strategy and innovation consulting
- External partnerships or application build support
- Population Health and Social Media consulting
- Research support for selected projects
Portfolio companies: Circulation, Dock Health, Health Voyager, Mightier
"We connect the best startups in the world to corporations who want to disrupt the healthcare industry. We focus on digital health technologies that challenge clinical practices, improve data analytics, and enhance the patient journey across the continuum of care."
Investment amount: Stop giving equity to accelerators. We do not ask participating startups to give up any ownership. We would much rather invest in your next round of funding fairly.
Program benefits:
- Our venture team invest in over 260 startups globally every year and our check sizes run from $25,000 to $500,000. Become a portfolio family member today.
- We have partnered with over 220 of the world’s largest corporations to help them discover startups. Our startups pitch in private sessions to land pilots and grow faster.
- With over 25 locations across The Americas, Europe, Middle East, and Asia, we can help you scale to new markets faster.
- Our 180,000 square foot building in the heart of Silicon Valley makes it easy for teams to grow hassle free.
- We might not have kombucha on tap (yet), but we do have 300 of the world's best venture capital funds as regular visitors. This has helped our ecosystem raise more than $7bn.
Portfolio companies: Guardant Health, Kenzen, Mammoth Diagnostics, TalkSpace
"Vesalius Ventures is a unique venture capital vehicle solely dedicated to supporting the business development and funding of early stage technologies to advance the evolving world of medicine. The acceleration begins with identifying promising technology, developing the business opportunity, financing and bringing them to market at the intersection of healthcare, telecommunication, and information technology."
Investment amount: Vesalius Ventures utilizes a model for supporting the critical aspects of creating business opportunities. First, the “venture capital (VC) accelerator” business model is a special vehicle that provides business development support to companies and entrepreneurs.
Second, the firm will actively identify funding sources to fund new ventures and provide support after the investment is made. When a potential technological investment is identified, the management team at Vesalius performs due diligence, assessing the business for its strengths and weaknesses. The decision to invest is based on the established investment criteria.
Vesalius Ventures then supports the development and growth of the business. The firm helps select specific markets with large opportunities and cultivates the start-up team, business plan, product and market strategy. In addition, Vesalius provides infrastructure support when necessary, including office space, equipment, accounting and administrative support. The end goal is to create a profitable business that has sustainable growth and is ready for initial public offering (IPO) or corporate acquisition.
Program benefits: Not specified
Portfolio companies: Monebo Technologies, Health Hero, LifeOnKey, RMD Networks
(Image source: qtxasset.com)
Steven Loeb
