KCALSI helps boost health care startups at Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator
By Kevin McGinnis, Vice President, Pinsight Media+ powered by Sprint
Last spring when more than 40 entrepreneurs from across the U.S. and Australia arrived at the Sprint Accelerator in Kansas City’s Crossroads District, we knew we had something special. Techstars Accelerator programs are known internationally for attracting outstanding startup participants and delivering excellence during every step of the program. This class was no exception. Support from the Kansas City Life Sciences community, business leaders and entrepreneurs really made the Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator program stand out.
The Kansas City Life Sciences community contributed to the accelerator by mentoring teams, lending their expertise and insights, and engaging in clinical trials. Through this involvement startup companies established long-lasting business connections and friendships. In fact, two of the 10 companies from the 2014 Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator have decided to relocate their businesses to Kansas City.
By supporting entrepreneurial initiatives like the Sprint Accelerator, the Kansas City Life Sciences community is on the cutting edge of developing and delivering new solutions for health care and continuing to establish this region as a leader in this space. It’s where we need to be, as health care institutions, as businesses and as corporate citizens. Mobile solutions will play an increasingly important role in how we manage health and wellness, treat illnesses, and manage health care. Mobile health is now a $1.3 billion industry and is projected to reach $20 billion by 2018, according to mhealthshare.
Sprint is excited to be planning the 2015 Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, powered by Techstars to take place next spring at the Sprint Accelerator facility in the KC Crossroads. Recruiting is ongoing now through mid-December. Last year we attracted hundreds of applicants from 19 countries, and we expect to build on that for the 2015 program.
The rich variety of health care expertise and resources in Kansas City is a key reason Sprint chose health care as the focus of the Sprint Accelerator in 2014 and again in 2015. On behalf of Sprint, I invite you to join us in accelerating the health care movement. To get involved, contact Doug Dresslaer at doug.d.dresslaer@sprint.com, or Kevin McGinnis at kevin.t.mcginnis@sprint.com.
Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, powered by Techstars
The Sprint Mobile Health Accelerator, Powered by Techstars, is a three-month, immersive, mentor-driven program for startups. Participating companies relocate to Kansas City for the duration of the program to build and strengthen their businesses. Each company receives up to $120,000 in funding. In 2015, Techstars is adding a first-of-its-kind equity back guarantee.
Sprint is supporting this startup accelerator initiative as a way of driving innovation at a transformational time in health care. Sprint leverages its capabilities and broad partner relationships to help startups create the future of mobile health.