Plug and Play Health Partners With Launc[H]artford
HARTFORD, Conn., April 5, 2022 – Plug and Play Health has partnered with Launc[H] to select five startups within the health equity field that will participate in the Plug and Play Health Batch 14 program. These five startups will participate in this accelerator program along with the 12 other health startups selected from around the globe.
The goal of the combined effort is to discover cutting-edge digital solutions that can have a meaningful impact on improving the delivery of care, patient experience, and outcomes, and enhance the health startup ecosystem in Silicon Valley, the Hartford region, and beyond.
The five startups working with Launc[H], and its other program partners in Hartford, including Hartford HealthCare, Trinity College, and CTNext, are:
- Bloomlife
- CareAdvisors
- NourishedRx
- Sonavi Labs
- Viora Health
Each of these companies offers different ways of improving health equity by addressing social determinants of health, expanding access to healthcare, and bridging the digital divide. More information about each of them is included below.
“We are very excited to partner with Launc[H] to accelerate their effort to transform healthcare. Their members, including Hartford HealthCare, have identified that patients’ needs have shifted to include digital solutions, and they are committed to establishing their region as a leader in the digital health space,” said Jennifer Thomas, Managing Director of Plug and Play Health. “The startups will have the best chance to make a positive impact in the industry with their participation in these programs.”
In addition to the vast resources and connections provided by the Plug and Play network, each company will also receive significant support from partners in Hartford. Hartford HealthCare will provide specialized clinical feedback and support. Trinity College is providing working space in Hartford and pairing each startup with student interns. And Launc[H] is helping to facilitate connections across the community that will help accelerate each company’s path towards their goals.
“Hartford HealthCare is proud to continue our commitment and investment in the future of our region and our state,” said Jeff Flaks, President & CEO of Hartford HealthCare. “Launching the second cohort of the Hartford MedTech Accelerator will bring attention and focus on the important topic of health equity, while also driving new business and industry in the capital city. Connecticut’s health care systems are an important catalyst for the economy, business development and job creation. Last year, a third of all venture capital investments were made in healthcare- and we want the world’s venture capitalists to invest in our communities. We are eager to work with our partners to help bring those investment dollars to Connecticut. This investment supports innovative MedTech technologies which in turn support the state and will help transform the lives of those in the communities we are privileged to serve.”
Joanne Berger-Sweeney, Trinity College President and Professor of Neuroscience, said, “Trinity College is proud to be a partner in this accelerator program and to continue to contribute to Hartford’s growth as a national hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. We are particularly excited about opportunities this spring for Trinity students to intern with the five selected medical technology start-ups and for Trinity to host related programming in person at the Trinity Innovation Center on Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford.”
“This partnership is another big step forward for Hartford’s rapidly growing innovation ecosystem,” said Mayor Bronin. “This is a powerful partnership between Hartford HealthCare, Trinity College, Plug and Play, and Launc[H], focused on supporting firms that are providing tech to provide better health outcomes, and these growing tech firms will get the benefit of both clinical feedback and access to top student talent. Cultivating those connections between entrepreneurs and our city’s large, established institutions – whether it’s insurance companies, global manufacturing companies, or leaders in healthcare – is what makes our innovation ecosystem so strong, and this is a perfect example of that work.”
Selected startups will receive assistance including mentorship, corporate connections, office hours with health experts, VC introductions, and industry-specific workshops, from both Plug and Play, and Launc[H] partners in Hartford. All this activity will culminate with an Expo in June 2022, when the startups will have an opportunity to present the progress that they have made, along with the next steps. There is no equity requirement for startups to participate.
Bloomlife combines clinically validated wearables with data analytics to improve the health and wellbeing of women and their babies through personalized prenatal care.
Care Advisors helps millions of individuals gain rapid access to healthcare and social service benefits by automating the manual enrollment process taken on by healthcare providers.
NourishedRx sources healthy food vendors and gathers clinical context and preferences to make high-quality, individualized, nutritious meals accessible to the people who need it most.
Sonavi Labs creates AI-enabled medical devices and software that are intended to transform the way respiratory diseases and infections are detected and managed.
Viora Health improves health and reduces costs by implementing a personalized engagement solution to address social and behavioral determinants of health.
About Plug and Play
Plug and Play is the leading innovation platform, connecting startups, corporations, venture capital firms, universities, and government agencies. Headquartered in Silicon Valley, we're present in 35+ locations across five continents. We offer corporate innovation programs and help our corporate partners in every stage of their innovation journey, from education to execution. We also organize startup acceleration programs and have built an in-house VC to drive innovation across multiple industries where we've invested in hundreds of successful companies including Dropbox, Guardant Health, Honey, Lending Club, N26, PayPal, and Rappi. For more information, visit https://www.plugandplaytechcenter.com/.
About Launc[H]
Launc[H] is the driving force behind the recent growth of Hartford’s innovation ecosystem. The organization has partnered with over 30 private corporations, higher education institutions, and community groups in order to co-invest in initiatives to improve conditions for innovators and entrepreneurs in the Capital Region.
About Hartford HealthCare
With 33,000 colleagues, Hartford HealthCare’s unified culture enhances access, affordability, equity and expertise. Its care-delivery system — with more than 400 locations serving 185 towns and cities — includes two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, an acute-care community teaching hospital, an acute-care hospital and trauma center, three community hospitals, a behavioral health network, a multispecialty physician group, a clinical care organization, a regional home care system, an array of senior care services, a mobile neighborhood health program and a comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation network. On average, Hartford HealthCare touches more than 17,000 lives every single day. The unique, system-wide Institute Model offers a unified high standard of care in crucial specialties at hospital and ambulatory sites across Connecticut offering unparalleled expertise at the most affordable cost. The institutes include: Cancer, Heart and Vascular, Ayer Neuroscience, Orthopedics and Tallwood Urology. Visit Hartford HealthCare at www.HartfordHealthCare.org and stay connected through newsletters and social media.
About Trinity College
Trinity College (www.trincoll.edu), founded in Hartford in 1823, is a top liberal arts college with more than 2,200 students from 48 states and 71 countries and nearly 800 primary and affiliated employees. Contributing to the innovation ecosystem in Hartford, Trinity faculty conduct research in diverse disciplines, and undergraduates have the opportunity to conduct faculty-mentored research. The Trinity Innovation Center at One Constitution Plaza in downtown Hartford offers space for programming related to startups in the health equity field, as well as for innovation and entrepreneurship programming for Trinity students, and for Trinity’s Applied Learning Initiative partnership with Infosys—a set of programs for Infosys employees, designed to link the liberal arts and the future of digital technology.
Plug and Play Contact
Nathan Sundheimer
n.sundheimer@pnptc.com
Trinity College Contact
Kathy Andrews
kathy.andrews@trincoll.edu
860-989-0140