StartUp Health launches tech incubator in Colorado
Healthcare tech incubator StartUp Health on Monday said it has launched a regional health innovation hub with several partners in the Colorado area to validate and commercialize emerging companies.
Unity Stoakes, co-founder and president of StartUp Health said in an email that it is the organization’s most significant move “since our launch at the White House five years ago because it signals several important trends in the health innovation landscape.”
Called StartUp Health Colorado, the initiative involves collaboration with three health institutions: the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Children’s Hospital Colorado, and UCHealth. The goal is to create a health innovation hub in the Rocky Mountain region for health entrepreneurs, "doctorpreneurs," investors and industry stakeholders, the company said.
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StartUp Health Colorado said it will work with each institution to develop a custom innovation portfolio and plans to build, validate and commercialize at least 30 innovative health startups. Candidates will be selected based upon the needs of each institution and its patient populations.
The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus (CU Anschutz) is the largest academic health center in the Rocky Mountain region. Children's Hospital Colorado is a leading pediatric network entirely devoted to the health and wellbeing of children. UCHealth combines Memorial Hospital, Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, Colorado Health Medical Group, and University of Colorado Hospital into an organization dedicated to health and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West.
StartUp Health Colorado will also receive additional support and funding through The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade and the Advanced Accelerator Grant Program.
Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper welcomed the initiative. “We are proud to see the launch of StartUp Health Colorado and welcome its global community of Health Transformers,” Hickenlooper said in a statement. “We’re seeing innovators flock to Colorado because there’s no better region for entrepreneurs to invent and grow.”
Entrepreneurs and startups selected to join StartUp Health Colorado will receive exclusive opportunities to help commercialize and grow their businesses. They will also be invited to StartUp Health Academy, a lifetime coaching program, and receive ongoing access to StartUp Health’s network of over 30,000 industry leaders, investors and entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurs interested in joining StartUp Health Colorado can learn more and apply via the incubator's website.
Colorado is emerging as a leading startup hub,” said Kim Muller, Director of CU Innovations at CU Anschutz.
“StartUp Health is bringing their knowledge and experience of building early stage health companies directly to the Rocky Mountain Region," Muller said. "We are confident that we will build long lasting relationships and partnerships with the entrepreneurs based right here in Colorado.”
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“We’re excited to partner with the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus and chose Colorado to expand StartUp Health because of the entrepreneurial spirit and health focus in the region," said Steven Krein, cofounder and CEO of StartUp Health. "It’s entrepreneurs like Phillip Anschutz and leaders and creators like those at Children’s Hospital Colorado, CU Anschutz and UCHealth, who provide fuel for entrepreneurs to change the world.”
With a digital health portfolio of more than 165 companies spanning 5 continents, 16 countries and 60+ cities, StartUp Health’s long-term platform for entrepreneurs includes the StartUp Health Academy, StartUp Health Network, StartUp Health Media and StartUp Health Ventures.
The company also revealed that it will invest in 10 moonshot health initiatives with the long-term goal of improving health worldwide.
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