Propel your vision forward

The Trailblazer HealthTech Accelerator is a dedicated platform for Ohio’s health care startups, offering targeted support and critical resources to fuel innovation and prepare startups for venture capital investment.

This 3-month intensive program helps a cohort of 10 ambitious startups accelerate their journey by providing intensive advising, significant non-dilutive funding for critical services, and unparalleled access to experts and resources.

 

Who Can Apply?

  • Startups based in Ohio or planning to relocate.
  • Startups with a venture-backable model or plans to develop one, with an understanding and willingness to pursue venture capital.
  • Founding teams with complementary skills and resources to achieve a minimum viable product (MVP).
  • Founders who are solving significant problems with the potential for high growth and scalability.
  • Startups with demonstrated initiative and tangible progress, supported by evidence of market validation.

 

 

Why Apply?

  • Gain 360-degree support with no fees or equity stakes required.
  • Receive up to $125K* in expert services to fast-track your startup from concept to commercialization.
  • Access dedicated EIRs for tailored advising and mentorship.
  • Work with subject matter experts and business analysts who understand the sector.
  • Learn from a targeted and proven education curriculum.
  • Enjoy lifelong entry to an influential alumni network.
  • Seize the chance to pitch to leading investors and corporates.

*JumpStart covers 100% of the first $50K of eligible expenses and 35% of the next $215K of eligible expenses.

 

 

Review Process

  • All applicants are pre-screened and assessed for alignment with the program’s objectives and offerings.
  • Strong applicants are advanced to interviews with our Entrepreneur-in-residence team.
  • EIRs score finalists according to the following criteria to determine if companies are likely to raise venture capital within the next 12 months or less: Market Need / Value Proposition; Market Size; Product Development Status; Product Execution; Competition and Competitive Advantage; Understanding of the Sales Process / Target Customer; Sales Execution; Team Composition; CEO Coachability; Projected Outcomes
  • Selection Committee discusses top candidates until the cohort of 10 is determined.
  • Selection notifications are sent approximately 3-4 weeks after applications close.

 

 

Program Highlights

  • 3-month hybrid program blending virtual learning with in-person sessions.
  • Additional 2-month advising support by a dedicated EIR.
  • Regular cohort sessions for peer networking and collaborative growth.
  • An in-person showcase to conclude the program and present your progress.

A Curriculum For Growth

The HealthTech accelerator is designed to help you level up, providing a deep dive into regulatory, clinical, reimbursement and commercialization strategies. This includes quantifying clinical and economic potential and building a roadmap for commercialization to get your startup ready to raise capital, navigate the regulatory path and demonstrate commercial value.

Additionally, the three-month intensive prepares you to demonstrate the benefits or your solution to a range of healthcare stakeholders including physicians, patients, health systems, payers and commercial partners.

 

Meet The Experts

Surround your startup with industry leaders and health care experts. The accelerator provides direct access to seasoned entrepreneurs and sector specific advisors.

Entrepreneurs-In-Residence

Ethan Cohen

President of Cohen Consulting LLC

Gary Smith

President and CEO of INFINITY Angioplasty Balloon Co., LLC

Howard Greenman

JumpStart Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Digital Health)

Subject Matter Experts

Andrew Pagels

Head of Portfolio & Managing Partner at Investable

Arnon Chait

President & CEO of Cleveland Diagnostics, Inc.

Bill Nemeth

Managing Partner at Carmen Ventures LLC

Carrie Nixon

Managing Partner at Nixon Gwilt Law

Charu Ramanathan

Co-Founder & CEO of vitalxchange

Donald B. Hawthorne

President of GTM® Hawthorne, Inc.

Duane Mancini

CEO & Founder of Project Medtech

Elizabeth Berezovsky

President and Founder of Red Oak Bio, LLC

Evan Bernath

Investment Associate at Rex Health Ventures

Jamie Easterling

Director, Commercial Group at Project Medtech

Jennifer Palinchik

President at JALEX Medical

Jim Sergi

President & Founder at CSSi LifeSciences

Josh Borstein, Ph.D.

Investment Principal at JumpStart Ventures

Julianne Roseman

Principal, Digital Health Ventures at Plug and Play Tech Center

Julie Jacono

CEO of JumpStart

Dr. Kenneth Goetz

Medical Director, Clinical, Quality and Health Services at Medical Mutual

Larry Yost

Managing Partner at The Atticus Group, LLC

Liz Todia

Principal at Mutual Capital Partners

Matt Zenker

Director of Deal Flow and Investments at UH Ventures

Maura Rosenfeld

Chief Business Officer of MindUP

Patrick Murray, MD

Lead Medical Policy Consultant at Medical Mutual

Rebecca Walters

Principal Regulatory Consultant at Kaleidoscope Innovation

Rich Mazzola

CFO & Co-Founder of Project Medtech

Sean Ganley

Partner at Thompson Hine LLP

Taylor Aronhalt

JumpStart Entrepreneur-in-Residence (Healthcare Product Commercialization)

Todd Schwarzinger

Partner at Cleveland Clinic Ventures

Tony Siebel

Director of Design at Kaleidoscope Innovation

Accelerator team

Alison King

Director, Burton D. Morgan Mentoring Program at JumpStart

Chris Smith

Director, Preferred Partnerships at JumpStart

Haley Burk

Director, Network Management at JumpStart

Jaclyn Williams

Sr. Analyst, Market Research at JumpStart

Kaleigh Gallagher

Vice President, Tech Services and Network Management at JumpStart

Ke’Lani Hall

Venture Analyst at JumpStart

Phelan Spence

Manager, Business Strategy Services at JumpStart

Rachna Lather

Director, Commercial Strategy at JumpStart

Tyler Kohrt

Program Manager at JumpStart

Zeenat Nadvi

Venture Analyst at JumpStart

Access Exclusive Services

Gain access to up to $125K in high-impact business and product development services through our Preferred Partner Program.

The Atticus Group
The Atticus Group works with medical technology and molecular diagnostic companies to assist in the development of comprehensive strategic plans and tactical marketing solutions that drive revenue growth.

CSSi LifeSciences
CSSi LifeSciences is an innovative regulatory consulting group specializing in advancing therapeutics and medical device technologies through development and regulatory approval.

Innovate MedTech
Innovate MedTech specializes in bridging the gap between patients, clinicians, and transformative technology, providing comprehensive support throughout product development, clinical and commercial strategy, customer discovery, and exit strategy.

JALEX Medical
JALEX Medical is a medical device development company offering full-service support to clients from concept to commercialization for Class I and Class II medical devices.

oBuilds
oBuilds is a custom-software development firm working extensively in the healthcare space, with a track record of producing HIPAA-compliant mobile apps, web applications and analytics tools.

Project Medtech
Project Medtech harnesses years of experience in business and product development to bring together some of the most influential industry stakeholders from across the world to share their expertise.

Realizability
Realizability is experienced in prototyping, manufacturing strategy and launch strategy with expertise in medical device design and development, as well as consumer packaged goods.

Smartshape Design
Smartshape Design offers vertically integrated services including strategic innovation, product design/development and integrated manufacturing optimized for increased speed-to-market.

WynHouse Software LLC
WynHouse provides market validation and customer discovery services, buildout of software products and design/development of brand guidelines, logos and websites.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of the Trailblazer Accelerators?

The Trailblazer Accelerators are programs designed to prepare pre-seed and seed-stage technology startup companies for their next dilutive fundraise. Companies that are considering applying should have plans to raise venture capital within 12 months of completing the program.

How do I know which accelerator I should apply to?

Our accelerators are industry-specific, but some companies may be a fit for multiple accelerators. For example, a software company selling to hospital systems may fit both the Software and HealthTech accelerators. We recommend scheduling time with a JumpStart advisor to discuss which accelerator will be the best fit for your company.

I saw that each participating company receives $50,000. what can I spend that money on?

JumpStart provides each cohort company with $50,000 to be spent on projects with members of our Preferred Partner Program (PPP). The PPP is a regional network of service providers that offer discounted rates on product development, business development, and strategic/advisory services. The money must be used on new projects, and must be used within the time frame of the accelerator.

Can my company reapply for the accelerator again in the future?

Yes! We encourage companies to reapply once they have integrated the feedback they received from the last application cycle to achieve new progress and demonstrate new traction. We encourage companies to take advantage of our Office Hours—a recurring meeting that is set with a JumpStart advisor—to update us on the progress of your company.

What support can my company receive from JumpStart if we are not ready to raise venture capital, or do not make it into an accelerator program?

JumpStart has a number of Network Partners throughout Ohio who we can connect you to. These partners will meet you at the current stage of your company’s development to help grow and guide you to become a more qualified candidate for a future accelerator.

Trailblazer HealthTech Accelerator Application

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