As part of their efforts to advance innovation in healthcare, several health systems and tech companies are launching accelerator programs to provide young start-ups with the resources they need to develop digital health products.More recently, more accelerators focused on health equity have emerged, such as by Amazon, UCSF and Boston Medical Center.
two weeks ago, UCLA Health announced Inaugural cohort Startups from its health equity accelerator, known as TechQuity Accelerator. These seven digital health startups represent the seed stage of Series A companies developing digital health solutions to address chronic disease management, respiratory disease and healthcare access for vulnerable populations.
Recognizing that the pandemic has exacerbated health inequalities among America’s most vulnerable populations, UCLA Health engaged regional stakeholders across diverse industries to identify four themes that its accelerator should focus on to improve Los Angeles Resident health security and resilience: prevention, diagnosis, treatment and community impact.
These themes “are relevant to the overall health care delivery framework and represent opportunities to deliver higher value to patient care,” said Jennifer McCaney, executive director of UCLA Biodesign, the project is a risk creation and leadership development program for the University and the healthcare system.
Through TechQuity, startups have access to UCLA Health’s clinical and public health experts, as well as end users across the health system’s network of more than 250 hospitals and clinics. Companies will also participate in a curated series of workshops and roundtables with leading domain experts, and receive direct product development support over the four-month program.
Typically, accelerators take equity stakes in the startups they support in exchange for being selected for the program. McCartney, however, said that was not the case with the UCLA accelerator.
Onike Williams, program director at UCLA Biodesign, added that guidance from community partners such as community clinics and the Los Angeles Department of Public Health is a cornerstone of the program.
“Most life sciences accelerator platforms focus on training innovators in their teams, not their communities,” she said. “Health equity spans the entire care continuum, and technology intersects the patient journey at multiple points. Innovation Fields often overshadow communities that need them most.”
UCLA launches TechQuity in partnership with Bioscience Los Angeles, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit focused on advancing innovation in the life sciences. McCaney said BioscienceLA is a “natural partner” because of their regional connectivity and mission to catalyze the field of life sciences through economic growth and workforce development.
Here are the seven startups selected to participate in TechQuity:
- aviation technologywhich is developing an artificial intelligence-based remote patient monitoring platform to identify acoustic digital biomarkers in chronic respiratory disease
- Amptron Medicala startup that makes respiratory care devices to keep patients off ventilators
- Etude DXwhich is creating instant Covid-19 tests for low-resource settings
- IHP Therapya company developing a home rescue therapy for sickle cell pain using a glycobiology targeting platform
- Ion batterya startup creating an epidemic management platform to facilitate access to community health resources
- shared harvesta building mobile platform that provides telemedicine, tethering and rapid diagnostic tests to vulnerable populations
- Telebionixa company creating a patient data management system that delivers patient data to clinicians in real-time
Photo: Rawpixel, Getty Images
