Program Overview

StartUp Health Academy

StartUp Health is a long-term Academy for Healthcare Transformers providing a structured curriculum and peer networks designed to help leaders and innovators navigate the unique challenges of building a sustainable growth business in the health sector. StartUp Health represents a new model for helping innovation succeed in the health sector and is based on a simple premise: the best way to transform healthcare is to support and promote entrepreneurs with ongoing inspiration, education, and access to customers, capital, and other critical resources so that innovation and growth can occur more quickly.

One of the key things that makes StartUp Health Academy unique is that we have a long-term focus on connecting health and wellness startups with customers, pilot programs, strategic capital partners, and the critical resources needed to grow. The Academy is structured as a three-year curriculum with strategic thinking tools and collaborative peer groups designed to help Healthcare Transformers navigate the many challenges of building a sustainable growth business in the health sector. There is great power in these networks and in the access we provide to the community of customers, investors, and partners we have organized to transform healthcare.

A Stage-Agnostic Program

StartUp Health Academy is “stage” agnostic, meaning we encourage Healthcare Transformers at every stage of development to apply. Many Healthcare Transformers participating are experienced entrepreneurs or executives who have built and sold other companies. Others are doctors and innovators who are inventing game-changing technologies. All are passionate leaders on a mission to improve care.

Selecting 75 Healthcare Transformers in 2013

We accepted 24 companies in 2012, and our plan is to enroll approximately 75 more Healthcare Transformers in 2013. Entrepreneurs, doctors, researchers, and health innovators at all stages are invited to apply to the StartUp Health Academy.

First Class Kicked Off in March 2012

Our inaugural class of 10 Healthcare Transformers was announced at SXSW in March. These extraordinary and passionate entrepreneurs and innovators are on a mission to solve one of the great challenges of our time: fixing a broken healthcare system in ways that significantly reduce costs and dramatically improve care. Additional Healthcare Transformers will be admitted to StartUp Health Academy and will be announced throughout the year, so if you haven’t applied yet there is still time because of our rolling review process.

To date, we have received nearly 700 applications from an incredibly diverse and deserving group of Healthcare Transformers (serial entrepreneurs, doctors, researchers, and health innovators). We’ve had the opportunity to meet with hundreds of companies in the past few months and we continually scout new applicants as well as review and check in with companies who may have already applied. While we won’t be able to have a one-on-one meetings with every company, we do review every application and provide many free resources to the entire community and ecosystem including free events, learning sessions, perk programs, and discounted resources to help you succeed. If you are not invited to attend right away, that doesn’t mean you won’t be selected in the future so we hope you will continue to take an active role in the community and events and keep us updated on your progress. We see this as a long-term vision and we plan to support all of the Healthcare Transformers in this rapidly growing ecosystem.

More Healthcare Transformers Enrolled in September 2012

In September of 2012, StartUp Health announced the addition of 12 additional Healthcare Transformers who were selected to join our rapidly growing national academy for health and wellness entrepreneurship. StartUp Health Academy now operates on a “rolling admissions” basis so we will continue to review all applications and check in on the progress of past applicants. Over the next year we will be able to add approximately 75 additional Healthcare Transformers to the Academy! With over 700 companies who have already applied we won’t be able to accept everyone, but we will be able to open the program up to many more in the coming months.

StartUp Health Academy is a Nationwide Program

StartUp Health is location agnostic and we encourage people to apply regardless of where they reside as there is no need to relocate. We are able to do this by implementing a collaborative approach to coaching entrepreneurs, building peer-groups, using a structured curriculum, and leveraging Web and mobile technologies. Entrepreneurs accepted into the program are required to participate in the following ways:

• One Day Live Workshops: Once every 90 days, you completely remove yourself from your business to participate in a one-day workshop that puts the focus on you and your startup.
• Monthly Video Web Workshop: Once per month via two-hour peer group sessions with fellow Healthcare Transformers and subject matter experts.
• Demo Days: Coordinated around workshops and special events, we host customer demo days to introduce you to strategic customers, partners, pilot programs, and capital.
• Online Tools: Online tools and exercises to help you collaborate and work through your most important challenges and opportunities.
• Virtual Office Hours: Get one-on-one coaching to help you answer specific questions or navigate stage-specific challenges.

The Academic Experience:
Collaborative Power with Theme-based Peer Groups

StartUp Health Academy Healthcare Transformers Meet at White House Eisenhower Executive Office Building

Each class in StartUp Health is focused on a specific innovation theme, such as Mobile Health, Improving Access to Care, Health Home, Quantified Self, Behavior Change, Health Tech Innovations for Providers, Digital Wellness, Payor Health Tech Solutions, and many more based on the make up of market needs, current trends, and the applicant pool.

A key part of our process is that we structure peer groups of Healthcare Transformers who we believe will compliment one another and help propel each other forward based on expertise, stage, and area of focus. We believe the power of these small teams of complimentary companies, combined with the entire StartUp Health network, will create tremendous leverage and a support infrastructure for the growing ecosystem.

Focused on Customers and Strategic Partners

StartUp Health Academy Healthcare Transformers Meet in an Intimate Setting with Investors

At the end of the first year, our goal is for all enrolled startups to have paying customers, pilot partners, or outside strategic investors to validate their long-term sustainability as a business. (Individual target goals are also set up with each company at the outset of the program.)

Our desired outcome is for each company to complete the entire first year of The StartUp Health Academy Curriculum (which includes 13 customized modules) in order to graduate and advance to the next year’s class.

Apply to StartUp Health Academy

Provide Scholarships to Help Support Innovation

If you or your organization would be interested in becoming a StartUp Health Scholarship Partner to help sponsor a class, please contact us today. This program would not be possible without the generous support of our corporate partners and foundations who provide scholarships to entrepreneurs.