PHILADELPHIA, PA (April 20, 2026) – Most early-stage health tech founders don't fail for lack of vision. They fail because they walk into fundraising conversations without the financial strategy, governance discipline, regulatory clarity, or commercialization readiness that investors now expect. The Science Center's Capital Readiness Program (CRP) was built to close that gap, and today it announced its 11th cohort: 10 promising health tech startups from across the U.S. and Canada, gathering in Philadelphia April 27–May 1 for an intensive five-day bootcamp.
Now in its fourth year, CRP has supported 99 companies to date that have collectively raised over $143M. Cohort 11 companies reflect the program's national reach and breadth of innovation, spanning immuno-oncology and regenerative implants to AI-powered parenting support and insurance-covered holistic care. Each arrives scientifically and technically validated, but focused on translating that foundation into the traction, market fit, and operational rigor that de-risks the investment case.
“Each cohort reinforces why we built this program. We’ve selected founders who are ambitious and building genuinely transformative solutions. What the Science Center gives them is the strategic and operational foundation to walk into investor conversations with confidence. After 99 companies and $143M raised, we know that readiness is the differentiator," said Tiffany Wilson, President & CEO of the Science Center.
Capital Readiness Cohort 11:
Accencio LLC (Philadelphia, PA) Accencio unifies fragmented scientific and biological data across all complex systems — from molecules and materials to human performance — creating a single decision-grade intelligence fabric for predictive, cross-domain insights.
AdoptOR Therapeutics, Inc. (West Chester, PA) AdoptOR Therapeutics is developing breakthrough immuno-oncology therapies by targeting the NR4A orphan receptor.
Avocado Health (San Diego, CA) Avocado Health is a hybrid AI + human, 24/7 SMS-based parenting decision-support platform that delivers real-time, evidence-based guidance to families - helping parents make more informed care decisions, improving child and maternal outcomes, closing gaps in social determinants of health and reducing unnecessary healthcare utilization and costs at scale for payors while solving the $300 billion parenting gap in knowledge, awareness and support.
Biocartesian (Philadelphia, PA) Biocartesian combines novel chemistry and microscopy to generate molecular maps of diseased tissue, offering unprecedented insights into new therapies and disease biology.
CytexOrtho (Durham, NC) CytexOrtho is a clinical-stage company developing regenerative implants for early joint disease, addressing the treatment gap between conservative care and total joint replacement.
EmTech Care Labs (Portland, ME) Care-Wallet™ is an Al-enabled digital health platform providing person-centered care planning and management for complex neurological conditions like dementia.
Hyivy Health (Kitchener, Ontario) Hyivy Health is building the first clinically validated, data-driven platform to diagnose, monitor, and treat chronic pelvic pain.
Icarus Therapeutics (San Diego, CA) Icarus Therapeutics is a global TechBio company that delivers site-based clinical trial automation while providing patient-facing matching to connect eligible people to trials faster and improve enrollment and outcomes.
Phylloceuticals (Wilmington, DE) Phylloceuticals, Inc. is a cutting-edge biotechnology company dedicated to democratizing medicine access by revolutionizing the production of therapeutic proteins, using proprietary plant-based technology.
Swishvo (Atlanta, GA) Swishvo is the healthcare technology platform making holistic, spiritual, and ancestral care covered by insurance, starting with maternal health and expanding across the lifespan for a 9.6 million provider workforce that has been structurally excluded from the healthcare system until now.
The 10 companies will be joined by five investors who will spend the week working alongside founders, offering them valuable insights into investor thinking.
Cohort 11 Investors-in-Residence:
- Chirag Goel, Principal, Propellant Ventures (Chicago, IL)
- Greg Howard, General Partner, Quorum Capital Partners (Wilmington, DE)
- Paulo Machado, CEO/Impact Investor, Health Innovation (Chicago, IL)
- Erica Murdock, Managing Partner, Unseen Capital powered by Seae Ventures (Boston, MA)
- Kavya Sharman, PhD, Managing Partner, Phase Capital (Nashville, TN)
While each company and investor is listed by home city, many of their teams operate remotely and/or source opportunities nationally.
The Capital Readiness Program is funded in part through a grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration and the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), in addition to financial support from Duane Morris. Following the cohort, CIC Labs + Innovation Campus will provide each company with a six-month membership to support continued growth and collaboration.
The program is free to selected participants. There is no pitch competition or demo-day — the focus is entirely on building investment readiness and strategic maturity.
Applications are currently being accepted for Cohort 12, scheduled for December 7–11, 2026. Learn more and apply at sciencecenter.org/programs/capital-readiness.
About the Science Center
The Science Center is a premier catalyst of entrepreneurial activity, healthcare innovation, and economic growth. Recognized by The Brookings Institution as a top-tier investor, mentor, and economic development partner, the Science Center has supported hundreds of early- and growth-stage companies, driving a combined $7.8B in annual economic impact in Greater Philadelphia alone. Today, the organization works across the globe to accelerate the translation of health innovations into real-world solutions, while delivering nationally recognized STEM education to Philadelphia youth. For more information, visit sciencecenter.org.
