The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) will add five accelerators to its network to enhance biotechnology innovates with technical and entrepreneurial support.
The new accelerators include Emory University & Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta; the Plug and Play Tech Center in San Francisco; the University of Missouri Midwest BioAccelerator in Columbia, Missouri; the University Enterprise Labs in partnership with gener8tor in St. Paul-Minneapolis; and Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind. All five will help create medical products that help address health security issues and help round out the network’s geographic coverage.
They also join a well-established network created by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA).
“In the first year, our accelerator network reached audiences outside of normal government channels, fostering innovative solutions to improve national health security and to provide business expertise and laboratory space for startups and small businesses,” said Dr. Rick Bright, deputy assistant secretary for preparedness and response and director of BARDA. “By expanding the network into new geographic locations, we will connect with even more companies and entrepreneurs to solve systemic health challenges. The network is helping revolutionize the way we do business and catalyze innovation across the country.”
These accelerators will be responsible for finding innovative products and solutions created by individuals and groups throughout the country, based on their ability to help biodefense and other health security needs. They will then provide innovators with business, as well as services like introductions to BARDA funding, regulatory support, and laboratory space.
Currently, BARDA is especially interested in technologies and platforms that can provide early, actionable information for detecting illnesses, reducing the incidence, morbidity, mortality, and cost of sepsis as well as new technologies that can transform health security and disrupt the status quo.