20 Fathoms is a hub of startup mentorship in northern Michigan, located in Traverse City.

Traverse City's 20Fathoms just announced its new HealthSpark Accelerator for digital and telehealth startups, to be held virtually starting April 12, 2021, running through June 30. Preference is given to Michigan companies, but the cohort is not restricted to Michigan only so the virtual format means this could be a great opportunity for a startup from any location. "HealthSpark is a 12-week high-intensity program," 20Fathoms Executive Director Lauren Bigelow tells Cronicle. "We have pulled experts from across the country who are both leaders and practitioners," she says, so that startup founders gain experience and can network with leaders in their space who know what it is to build a digital or telehealth startup on the ground.

Why Digital & Telehealth Startups?

Bigelow will run the accelerator along with HealthSpark President Jack Miner. “Digital and telehealth startups often provide advanced life-changing and lifesaving technology, but it can be difficult for them to get a foothold in the highly complex and traditional healthcare industry,” says Miner. “Through the HealthSpark Accelerator, startup leaders will learn critical information on how to successfully introduce their products to payers, providers, and strategic partners. They’ll graduate from the accelerator in a position to get their products to the people who need them more quickly.”

Lauren Bigelow is Executive Director of 20 Fathoms in Traverse City and will run the HealthSpark Accelerator with HealthSpark President Jack Miner, supported by a diverse group of healthcare and technology industry leaders as well as investors.

The focus of this program is to help startups who want to build a pilot program in a rural healthcare system to be ready when COVID is over to walk in the door and hit the ground running. Bigelow says the reason for the program's focus is simple: "healthcare is a main industry in northern Michigan." Startups will learn from and network with leaders in the field in everything from best practices in rural healthcare programs to security to funding. "It's not a full-day program," Bigelow says. "It's intense but runs 11-6 pm every day, so there's time afterward for networking, and there's still time to run your company."

The biggest barrier? The deadline is only in a few days. Bigelow encourages startups who are thinking of applying to start an application online and follow up with any missing information next week to be sure to get in under the wire. She says that she's really looking forward to the virtual format, because it will help so many founders "vastly expand their network in this area."

Program Information

HealthSpark Speakers Include

• Casey Cowell, Co-founder, U.S. Robotics; Principal, Boomerang Catapult
• Aashima Gupta, Director, Global Healthcare Solutions, Google Cloud
• Salim Hasham, Director and Global Head of Business Transformation Partnership, Google
• James Nicholls, Partner and Managing Director, Fitzroy Health
• Peter Rasmussen, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Cleveland Clinic/Amwell Digital Health Joint Venture
• Quinn Solomon, Partner, Bain & Company
• Sarah Sossong, VP, Virtual Care and Winter Street Ventures at Commonwealth Care Alliance

Keynote presentations will be open to the public. Registration information will be shared at a later date.

Who Is Eligible For HealthSpark?

"Pre-seed, seed, and A-round digital and telehealth companies who are looking to hone their value proposition, expand their knowledge of health systems, and vastly expand their network are invited to apply for the HealthSpark Accelerator." Selected participants will work with healthcare experts to learn how to bridge operational and delivery gaps on topics including supply chain, reimbursement, IT, regulatory, clinical application, business justification, budgeting, venture capital, and strategic investors.

Applications & Deadlines

Applications are now open but the deadline is approaching quickly. Learn more at 20 Fathoms.

Application Deadline is Feb. 26.

Link to apply: 20fathoms.org/accelerator#apply