The new Health Innovation Cohort from 2Gether-International supports entrepreneurs with disabilities whose start-ups are driving innovation in health and wellbeing. Ten founders have been selected and each will receive $10,000 in seed funding to advance their ventures upon completion of the program.
WASHINGTON, April 2, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- 2Gether-International (2GI), the largest nonprofit startup accelerator run by and for entrepreneurs with disabilities, today announced the launch of its Health Innovation Cohort, an initiative designed to support disabled founders tackling some of the most pressing challenges in healthcare. Each founder selected for the Cohort will receive $10,000 in seed funding to advance their ventures upon completion of the 10-week program.
The accelerator program, which runs from March 31 to June 6, 2025, also provides the entrepreneurs with strategic business guidance and resources, industry mentorship, and access to opportunities for additional capital, ensuring that innovative solutions in the healthcare sector are not only developed but also scaled for broader impact.
Investing in Health Innovation as a Strategic Imperative:
Despite advancements in healthcare, persistent gaps in access, affordability, and outcomes remain, particularly for people with disabilities. These barriers—ranging from inaccessible healthcare systems to limited representation in medical research and innovation—underscore the need for investment in solutions designed by and for the disability community.
"Entrepreneurship is a powerful driver of innovation, and this is particularly true in healthcare, where lived experience informs breakthrough solutions," said Diego Mariscal, Founder and CEO of 2Gether-International. "Yet, despite their expertise, entrepreneurs with disabilities often face systemic challenges in securing capital and scaling their businesses. Our Health Innovation Cohort seeks to change that by providing direct investment, technical assistance, and a collaborative ecosystem where founders can thrive."
The Health Innovation Cohort prioritizes direct 'pass-through' funding—ensuring capital reaches those best positioned to address systemic health disparities. By investing in founders with disabilities, 2GI and its partners are fostering solutions that advance healthcare accessibility, improve patient outcomes, and create more inclusive health systems.
Founders selected for the Cohort include:
- Neunetix (Sally Ragab, Founder): Automates prior authorization for healthcare providers by integrating EMR data.
- SDRG (Evan Boiko, Founder): Developing an app to reduce billing errors for people with disabilities.
- Deaftronics (Tendekayi Katsiga, Founder): Creates solar-powered hearing aids for children in Africa, tackling battery accessibility issues.
- Peachy Day (Sophia Fang, Founder): An app offering health tracking, telehealth visits with specialists, and one-on-one wellness coaching.
- EntreVita AI (Cory Mitchell): An AI-powered app providing personalized nutrition recommendations for chronic conditions like diabetes and anemia.
- Green (Jacopo Cardinali, Founder): Educating people with disabilities on financial health and wealth management.
- HapWare (Bryan Duarte, Founder): Haptic Emotional Translator (HET) is a wearable assistive technology that provides people who are blind, low vision, or have autism with real-time information about nonverbal communication cues during social interactions.
- CompleteVision (Zeeshan Khan, Founder): Building a leading eye care management service organization powered by smart technologies.
- XR Navigation (Brandon Biggs, Founder): Creates the world's first fully inclusive digital map, ensuring accessibility for blind users.
- Tarka Manufacturing (Brett Quigley, Founder): Patented wheelchair seating system for skin protection, pressure ulcer prevention, and microclimate control.
This initiative is building a pipeline for sustainable change, as selected participants will receive:
- Customized business strategy guidance, leadership training, and mentorship.
- Connections to industry leaders and potential investor meetings.
- $10,000 in seed funding to advance their ventures.
- Access to 2GI's private digital platform, The Get2Gether, connecting founders to a global network of disabled entrepreneurs.
"These founders are not just building businesses—they are shaping the future of healthcare," said Santiago Garcia Mendez, Program Director at 2Gether-International. "By investing in their work, we are not only supporting individual success but also helping drive long-term solutions to some of the most urgent health challenges."
Since the launch of its first accelerator in 2019, 2GI has supported over 700 startups, helping them raise approximately $84 million USD in combined investment, revenue, and acquisitions. This initiative is made possible through partnerships with leading corporations, including Comcast NBCUniversal, Google, and JPMorgan Chase.
For more information on 2Gether-International, its programming, and its corporate partnerships, visit https://2gether-international.org.
About 2Gether-International (2GI):
2Gether-International (2GI) is the leading nonprofit startup accelerator dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs with disabilities. 2GI champions disability as a competitive advantage, equipping founders with the tools, networks, and capital necessary to build high-growth, high-impact businesses. Learn more at https://2Gether-International.org.
Media Contact
Alexandra Rush, 2Gether-International, 1 7186643517, [email protected], https://www.2gether-international.org/
SOURCE 2Gether-International
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