PHILADELPHIA, PA (June 16, 2025) – The Science Center has selected 10 innovative companies for its eighth cohort of the Capital Readiness Program, designed for health tech startups preparing to raise their first round from institutional investors. The startups will join investors, subject matter experts, and healthcare leaders in Philadelphia from June 23-27 for the intensive bootcamp.
Cohort 8 companies are leveraging innovative technologies, including AI, wearable sensors, and advanced therapeutics, to address critical and unmet healthcare challenges such as cardiovascular diagnostics, spinal cord injuries, addiction, and healthcare accessibility.
As part of the program, the participants conduct a due diligence deep dive, finalize their deal room, engage in simulated stress test scenarios and work hand-in-hand with investors and renowned service providers to better prepare them for their raise.
Capital Readiness Program Cohort 8 companies:
- AssurTek Surgical (Lebanon, NH)
AssurTek transforms a dentist's preference of drill into a smart, AI-powered tool, providing real-time surgical feedback to prevent injuries, improve outcomes and increase accessibility to quality oral health care.
- HEARTio (Pittsburgh, PA)
HEARTio is a digital diagnostics company pairing AI with the most commonly administered cardiovascular test, the electrocardiogram, to predict the presence, severity, vessel, and impact of coronary disease with their FDA breakthrough, near real time algorithms.
- HyperVigilant, Inc. (Baltimore, MD)
HyperVigilant Inc. detects, prevents, and manages cardiometabolic health risks using AI-powered tools and insights.
- Lisnom Health (Beverly Hills, CA)
Lisnom Health is a biotechnology company developing spinal cord transplant technology to restore neurological function and improve quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injuries.
- OxyDial, Inc. (Philadelphia, PA)
OxyDial delivers breakthrough blood analysis tools, enabling hemoglobin modulation and improving care across Hematology, Pulmonology, and ICU Medicine.
- Pinco Biotherapeutics (Silver Springs, MD)
PincoBio is pioneering a novel DNA plasmid-based therapy that targets the Nav1.7 sodium channel to develop effective, longer-lasting, and precisely tunable therapeutics for neuropathic pain without the addiction risks and side effects associated with opioids.
- ReMinded, Inc. (San Francisco, CA)
ReMinded, Inc. is a medical device startup commercializing the first clinical-grade saliva test for cortisol, aimed at advancing the treatment of addiction and PTSD.
- Rhythio Medical (Houston, TX)
Rhythio Medical is revolutionizing the way we manage heart rhythm with an injectable electrode. - Samay (Mountain View, CA & Medellín, Colombia)
Creating a new lung function method with a wearable sensor that delivers hospital-level performance.
- Swishvo (Atlanta, GA)
Swishvo is an AI-powered platform helping holistic wellness providers build and scale reimbursable businesses by automating credentialing, billing, and culturally competent care delivery.
Industry-relevant investors from across the country provide each cohort with critical feedback, insights, and access to the investor decision-making process. Representing $180 million in venture capital, Cohort 8 Investors-In-Residence include:
- Shalanda Armstrong, Managing Partner, 100KM Ventures (Arlington, VA)
- Samir Batra, Managing Partner, HIP (Campbell, CA)
- Alicia Hanf, Venture Partner, Desert Forge Ventures (Los Angeles, CA & Las Vegas, NV)
- Rick Jones, Advisory Partner, BioAdvance Capital (Conshohocken, PA)
- Erica Murdock, Managing Director, Unseen powered by Seae Ventures (Boston, MA)
“The Capital Readiness Program is more than just a resource. It’s a catalyst that helps founders grow into the role of CEO and asset manager,” says Alicia Hanf, Venture Partner at Desert Forge Ventures. “What makes the program truly special is the access it gives to real-time investor feedback, something most startups never get. That kind of facetime and insight can supercharge a founder’s confidence and clarity. The Science Center has created an environment that not only prepares founders to raise capital with precision but also supercharges their networks for continued success long after the program ends.”
The Science Center does not take equity and by design, there is no demo day or pitch competition as part of the program. This is a key differentiator that enables the Science Center to help de-risk companies by providing founders with tactical guidance, access to a highly relevant industry network, and insights into critical factors they might otherwise overlook. Since its inception in 2023, Capital Readiness Program alumni have raised over $38 million. The Science Center has engaged close to 30 investors in the program who collectively represent more than $3.7 billion in venture capital across the capital stack.
The Capital Readiness Program is funded in part through a Grant with the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).
About the Science Center
The Science Center is Philadelphia’s premier catalyst of entrepreneurial activity, healthcare innovation, and economic growth. Established in 1963, the nonprofit has been recognized by The Brookings Institution as a best-in-class investor, mentor, and economic development partner for young technology companies. Working alongside industry partners and leading research and academic institutions across the globe, the Science Center has supported hundreds of early and growth-stage companies that have a combined $7.8B annual economic impact on Greater Philadelphia. Today, the organization advances healthcare innovation from idea to the marketplace through best-in-class startup acceleration initiatives and provides nationally recognized STEM education curricula for Philadelphia youth. For more information, visit sciencecenter.org.
