Los Angeles-based UCLA Health is adding a new cohort of startups to its TechQuity Accelerator, an initiative focused on supporting startups that feature inclusive technologies and platforms to improve health outcomes in underserved and vulnerable patient populations.
The initiative launched in 2021 in partnership with UCLA Biodesign, BioscienceLA and ScaleHealth, to focus on providing resources to combat COVID 19-related issues. This year, the initiative is focusing on three main areas: mental health and youth well-being, environmental justice and healthcare access in areas where structural inequalities still persist, according to a July 11 news release from UCLA Health.
Selected startups receive personalized mentorship, co-working space, clinical expertise and product development support over a course of three months. The program aims to integrate companies into the communities they serve by connecting patients with the creators of the tech products they use, with the overarching goal of improving healthcare outcomes for patients in vulnerable communities, according to the release.