April 24, 2011
Rock Health Launches –The First Seed Accelerator to Promote Interactive Health
Written by: David
A new startup seed-accelerator, Rock Health, wants to give you $20,000, no strings attached, along with mentorship and office space for five months, in order to turn your health-related startup or idea into a reality. Supported by some serious names (see below), Rock Health aims to catalyze software-based innovation in the health sector. They’re structured as a non-profit, and are opening doors to their first startup class this June.
SAN FRANCISCO, April 4, 2011 – Rock Health, a seed accelerator for interactive health, announces its new incubator program linking developers and entrepreneurs with the most innovative minds in health and technology.
Rock Health’s sponsors include Aberdare Ventures, Accel Partners, the California HealthCare Foundation, Fenwick & West, Microsoft, Mohr Davidow Ventures, NEA, Nike and Qualcomm. Rock Health also has an expansive network of medical advisors, led by the Mayo Clinic Center for Innovation and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.
The first five-month incubator program will commence in June 2011 in San Francisco, and aims to catalyze health app innovation, turning ideas into products and businesses. “We’re creating an environment where entrepreneurs and developers from other sectors can approach problems in health care in new, product-centric ways,” says Rock Health’s managing director, Halle Tecco.
Selected startups receive a $20,000 grant in addition to free office space, mentorship, and access to Rock Health’s medical experts and partners.
“Health care is the most important challenge facing our nation, yet patient care and healthy living do not yet exhibit the technological creativity found in social media, games and other verticals,” adds Rock Health’s medical director, Nate Gross. “Physicians are excited to work with our developers because they recognize that product design should not be an afterthought.”
Rock Health is building a diverse advisor and mentor community with experts from design, data science, gaming and health care IT. Rock Health’s advisory board includes Frank Moss, head of the New Media Medicine group at the MIT Media Lab, and Michael Abbott, VP of Engineering at Twitter. Startup mentors include Charles Huang, co-founder of GuitarHero, and Linda Avey, co-founder of 23andMe. A full list of advisors and mentors can be found at http://rockhealth.com/.
Applications to join Rock Health are open until May 13.
About Rock Health
Rock Health is a seed accelerator that challenges developers and entrepreneurs to address issues in health and wellness through consumer web and mobile technologies. Founded in 2011, it provides early stage funding and strategic support as well as mentorship and office space to new companies. The incubator is backed by Aberdare Ventures, Accel Partners, the California HealthCare Foundation, Fenwick & West, Microsoft HealthVault, Mohr Davidow Ventures, NEA, Nike, and Qualcomm and is in
partnership with the Mayo Clinic and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. For more information, or to apply, visit RockHealth.com.
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[...] into leaders of the evolution of mobile apps in the healthcare industry. That article can be found here. RockHealth has now selected their 10 start-ups who will begin an intensive five month program. [...]
[...] Rock Health – Another startup seed-accelerator program that offers $20,000 along with mentorship and office space for 5 months. It just started this month in San Francisco and has connections to a lot of the major players in healthcare. [...]