Northern Kentucky University’s Institute for Health Innovation SoCap Accelerate, a health innovation accelerator for the region, has announced four partnerships to enhance and support innovative success.
SoCap will select up to seven companies to join its inaugural six-week program. The cohort will be mentored on developing customers and building a product, to make Kentucky a healthier Commonwealth. To support the group, SoCap’s partnerships include connections to legal guidance from Frost Brown Todd, accounting assistance by Rudler, digital presence support by Canned Spinach and crowd investing support through Wunderfund.
“SoCap Accelerate strives to use community-based resources to enhance and propel the leaders in health innovation,” said Kara Willis, operations and marketing manager of SoCap Accelerate. “Focusing a program around the community sets a company up for long-term stability by not only succeeding as a company but propelling our entire region.”
Frost Brown Todd’s Doug Gastright will lead discussions on how to formulate, secure and execute an intellectual property strategy, as well as to engage with counsel to best balance budgets. Rudler, a Cincinnati-based independent public accounting firm, will assist the cohort with a range of services provided in their startup and emerging company services. Canned Spinach, a digital design firm focusing on user experience, will help develop digital presences by constructing a platform and product focused on user experience.
Wunderfund, a portal helping entrepreneurs and small businesses raise capital using an online public offering, will assist cohort companies by providing access to their online crowdfunding portal.
“There is a growing need for early-stage financing and development support for healthcare-related small business startups. They require the dedicated support and determined effort of investors who understand the healthcare system,” said Marvin Abrinica, Wunderfund CEO.
SoCap Accelerate rallied mentors to help guide the cohort and play a pivotal role in its social-based programming. Andrew Savitz, Dan Tillett, David Willbrand, Doug Ladd, Eric Cook, James Marable, Marvin Abrinica and Patrick Henshaw are serving as the inaugural mentors.
“The power of health innovation is real. Across the globe, the need and demand for solutions and pioneering products continue to rise,” Willis said. “These innovative breakthroughs are revolutionizing the possibilities for solving some of the most urgent health challenges around the world.”
NKU’s IHI created SoCap Accelerate to bring the next leaders in health innovation to the forefront of the northern Kentucky region. With community partnerships and mentors, SoCap carries out its mission to find, nurture and grow the next health innovation ideas.
To learn more about SoCap Accelerate, email info@socapaccelerate.com.
From Northern Kentucky University
