PHILADELPHIA – (November 27, 2023) – The Science Center has selected twelve health tech startups from across the country for its third cohort of the Capital Readiness Program. The startups will spend five days in Philadelphia alongside industry leaders and investors to prepare the startups for their first institutional investments. The December 2023 Capital Readiness Program cohort is sponsored by Cozen O’Connor.
The Science Center offers best-in-class startup support programming that taps into local, national, and international networks. The Capital Readiness Program is a part of a suite of support offered by the Science Center to enable companies to fail fast and scale smarter. Launched in early 2023, 18 startups who participated in the first two cohorts of the program have gone on to raise $6.9 million.
December 2023 Capital Readiness Program participants:
Behemoth Technologies LLC (Haddonfield, NJ) is a medical device startup company developing innovations that streamline Dermatologic procedures for healthcare providers.
Candlelit Care (Charlotte, NC) is a clinical decision support platform focused on the prevention and management of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs) among expectant parents by leveraging patient-reported data, coaching, and digital cognitive behavioral therapy to finally align birth plans with birth outcomes.
Egality Sciences (Houston, TX) is a Certified Minority Business Enterprise that provides business consulting in the field of clinical trials. Egality Sciences educates, contributes to planning, supervision services, regulatory submission management, and provides implementation of quality management services to ensure every site has what they need to succeed when conducting clinical trials.
Lybbie (Atlanta, GA) is pioneering the future of maternal health with its groundbreaking wearable sensor technology, providing real-time, data-driven insights to support and empower breastfeeding mothers. As a minority, female-led startup, Lybbie is dedicated to transforming breastfeeding experiences into a journey of confidence and fulfillment.
Journal My Health’s (Philadelphia, PA) turnkey solution easily collects and analyzes patient-generated health data for you and your patient population of women with chronic conditions and maternal health needs.
nurtur (Cambridge, MA) is the only digital health application using the power of AI to predict and prevent postpartum depression. nurtur’s digital health application uses a proprietary algorithm that outperforms today's standard depression screening, months before any symptoms arise.
Opal HTM (White Plains, MD) Opal HTM improves hospital safety and efficiency by transforming healthcare technology management. Their patented system of intelligent sensors and data analytics generates deep insights for optimized equipment inventories and maintenance, empowering hospital staff to accomplish more with less.
QuneUp (Philadelphia, PA) is a data-driven software tool that reduces equipment downtime and boosts productivity. All users need is a cell phone to gain access to critical equipment data. QuneUp™ caters to biopharmaceutical manufacturing companies to help them better manage equipment assets and meet production goals.
Unio (Washington D.C.; Philadelphia, PA; Pittsburgh, PA) is a SaaS platform designed for long-term care communities, offering resident-centered communication, engagement, and family connectivity solutions. Unio facilitates streamlined information sharing and enhances the overall experience for residents, their families, and staff.
Vasowatch (Philadelphia, PA) is developing and deploying clinical decision support technology to improve the birthing experience and enhance maternal outcomes.
Viora Health (Philadelphia, PA) is a wellness company with a mission to advance health equity by engaging diverse populations at home to improve health and reduce costs of care. Viora’s tech-enabled, human-centered platform offers social and behavioral programs with culturally relevant support for health education and disease prevention.
VitalStart (Philadelphia, PA and Princeton, NJ) is a University of Pennsylvania startup that has launched the first reproductive and maternity mental health platform using Virtual Reality for clinically guided care across pre-conception, birthing and postpartum.
Designed for companies embarking on their first institutional round of financing, the Capital Readiness Program features insights from due diligence partners, stress test scenarios, mock board meetings, one-on-one feedback sessions with investors, and helps founders finalize their deal rooms over the course of five days.
Investors-in-Residence for the December cohort include:
- Taja Lester, Founder, Managing Partner, & Board Chair of Health Equity Capital
- Lebone Moses, CEO of Chisara Ventures Inc & General Partner of GIV Capital Fund
- Roberto Rodriguez, Founder & General Partner of Sequential Ventures
- Dan Sands, Managing Partner of Factor 7 Medical
- Anish Srivastava, Managing Partner of Telosity Ventures & CEO of Vinaj
“Despite challenging market conditions with startup funding down significantly from its 2021 peak, there remains significant potential for health tech and digital health businesses. To be successful however, startups must demonstrate a level of sophistication across strategy, governance, and operations to earn the trust of already timid investors,” says Tiffany Wilson, Science Center President & CEO. “The Capital Readiness Program gives startups the best chance of success by engaging local and national experts and investors to work hand-in-hand to better prepare founders for this critical next step of their trajectory.”
Companies will participate in the Capital Readiness Program December 4-8 in-person in Philadelphia. The Venture Café Thursday Gathering on Thursday, December 7 will feature the twelve startups along with the Investors-in-Residence who will participate in a discussion focused on startup fundraising myths. Venture Café is free and open to all.
The Science Center is currently recruiting startups for the fourth cohort of its Capital Readiness Program taking place March 25-29, 2024. Applications are due by January 5, 2024.
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-stage companies. Today, the organization advances healthcare innovation from idea to the marketplace through startup support services and building inclusive STEM pathways for Philadelphia youth and adults. For more information, visit sciencecenter.org or follow us @UCScienceCenter.
