Health Lab accepting applications for next big health-and-wellness entrepreneur
NEW YORK — Have an idea for a new health app? The Health Lab recently announced that it is accepting applications for a dedicated and concentrated mentorship program that includes potential seed capital funding and assistance in writing and submitting proposals for research grants, in addition to a wide range of entrepreneurial support services.
Two or three startup projects, each of which could be led by a single health-tech entrepreneur or a team of entrepreneurs, will be accepted for The Health Lab’s inaugural 2015 session on a rolling admissions basis.
“The Health Lab collaborates with innovators and entrepreneurs to create sustainable, commercially viable businesses that solve health-related problems,” said The Health Lab's founder Charles Platkin. “Our goal is to fully support innovators who tackle an exceptional, untapped opportunity related to health-and-wellness. We do this by providing concentrated and dedicated mentorship to help navigate the unique challenges of a startup.”
A key differentiator for The Health Lab is a focus on projects that are designed to solve problems in underserved areas, as well as in the general population. So too are innovators with personal connections to the problems they’re aiming to solve — for example, having a certain disease or having had to care for someone with the illness.
Startups in practically all stages of development are welcome — from well-thought-out ideas still in their presentation stages to proof-of-concept prototypes.
“Anyone can apply. We widen the funnel of applicants in order to give any potentially great health-tech entrepreneur a real chance to innovate health using technology,” Platkin said.
The Health Lab’s interest areas include analytics and big data, adherence and compliance, care coordination, clinical decision support, electronic health/medical records enhancement, consumer engagement, consumer health, digital medical devices, wearables and biosensing.
In contrast with traditional business incubators that define success based on capital formation, The Health Lab is focused on commercial viability.
“The Health Lab was organized to transition health-tech ideas into businesses. That’s why we plan to work with only two or three groups every 18 months. It takes time, commitment, dedication and a team effort to create a viable business," Platkin said.
Applicants may visit The Health Lab's website to complete and submit their applications. Every application should be accompanied by a 60-second video pitch and a 10-slide deck. The Health Lab will respond to every application within three weeks of receipt.