Ten more startups are joining Matter, the healthtech-focused incubator set to open in the Merchandise Mart early next year.
The companies, which join 10 charter members and 10 members announced in November, include motivational platforms to promote better health, a developer of cancer screening technology, and a talent-recruiting program for health care professionals, among others, according to an announcement from the incubator.
Funded with state grants and loans, plus $4.4 million in support from industry partners, Matter aims to help healthtech startups through mentorship, networking opportunities, partnerships with established companies and affordable workspace.
The 25,000 square-foot space will sit next to 1871, the tech incubator in operation since 2012.
The 10 new members are:
• 4D Healthware, which translates data into personalized, actionable suggestions to help users manage their weight, physical activity and chronic disease symptoms.
• Azuba, a cloud-based health-information network for patients, caregivers, physicians, hospitals and medical researchers, designed to let patients aggregate medical records from all of their health providers in a secure data vault.
• Benecure, a platform, initially focused on hypertension, designed to help users manage chronic conditions using smart devices and motivation through gamification.
• ClaimDocs, a centralized platform to help hire doctors for medical second opinions in workers’ compensation and personal-injury cases.
• doc&i, pricing software for health care providers aimed at giving patients the best prices for prescription drugs.
• Double Helix Group, which is developing tele-health solutions for the prevention and self-management of chronic disease. The company hopes to provide affordable care online, supporting patient-doctor engagement between regular doctor visits.
• MedMatch, a hiring platform for health care workers that offers a cloud-based service for medical facilities to find, qualify, verify and get medical professionals started in new jobs.
• NanoCytomics, which is developing and commercializing non-invasive, low-cost, pre-screening cancer tests, using partial wave spectroscopy (PWS) technology developed at Northwestern University.
• Prana Diabetes, a service that brings together technology and social interaction to promote good lifestyle habits. The Prana platform keeps records of key health parameters, while creating a personal support network for diabetes patients.
• Purple Binder, which connects needy patients with services, such as housing support, counseling and food pantries, then verifies that the services were delivered.
Matter also announced its first mentors-in-residence, described as industry leaders who will spend at least one day per week at the incubator, working with member startups.
Participating in the program are Jordan Dolin, co-founder of Emmi Solutions; Dr. Richard Ferrans, a physician and former executive of several healthcare delivery companies; Dr. Steve Gould, interim executive director of Chicago Innovation Mentors and an entrepreneur-in-residence at UChicagoTech; and Sachin Gupta, co-founder of Skyline Global Partners.
The 10 companies the incubator announced in November are:
• Cypris Medical, which develops technology for plastic surgeons, including a device for delivering sutures during surgery that the company says is easier to use and less invasive.
• Diagnostic Photonics (DxP), which is commercializing a handheld, high-resolution imaging system for cancer surgery.
• Fibroblast, which automates the physician-referral process to help health care providers keep patients in their provider networks.
• Foundry Health, which is commercializing an cloud-based clinical trial management system.
• Gradient Therapeutics, which is developing a trans-vascular, catheter-based technology to treat pulmonary hypertension.
• Janus Choice, which uses mobile technology to improve current hospital-to-extended-care-facility discharge processes.
• Quant HC, which aims to improve the speed and quality of patient medical data to improve care and lower costs.
• Real Dietitian, which provides phone and video appointments, connecting patients to a nationwide network of specialized dietitians.
• Shamrock Structures, which provides drug-discovery services in structural biology, medicinal chemistry and biological screening, with the goal of accelerating the identification of novel lead compounds.
• SugarSnap, which develops video-education platforms to update clinicians on current standards of care.
CORRECTION: This version reflects that Matter has named 30 companies, not 20. This version also adds names and descriptions of the 10 companies announced in November.
Source: Chicago Tribune
