MassChallenge, a nonprofit connector of startups, founders, entrepreneurs, corporations, and communities, kicked off a partnership with Lyda Hill Philanthropies at the MC | Innovate 2023 Conference July 11-13 at Pegasus Park in Dallas.
The MassChallenge event launched a strong North Texas presence with Pegasus Park serving as home for the Health Tech Track within the nonprofit’s U.S. Early Stage Accelerator Program.
Tom Luce
“Lyda Hill Philanthropies is pleased to participate in the MC | Innovate experience as entrepreneurial leaders from various locations and industries convene to help solve some of our world’s most critical challenges.” Tom Luce, CEO of Biotech Initiatives for Lyda Hill Philanthropies, said in June.
The collaboration between Lyda Hill Philanthropies and MassChallenge aims to transform healthcare technology by providing resources to early-stage startups.
“MassChallenge’s expansion to North Texas has helped fuel the region’s burgeoning innovation economy,” Luce said.
‘Building a robust ecosystem’
Jon Nordby, head of community and ecosystems for MassChallenge, said the partnership benefits both the North Texas health tech ecosystem and aligns with the values and vision of other partners by advancing the health tech sector globally.
“By joining forces, Lyda Hill Philanthropies and MassChallenge are building a robust ecosystem that nurtures innovation and accelerates the development of transformative health tech solutions in the heart of North Texas at Pegasus Park,” Nordby said.
Nordby hopes the new venture will serve as a beacon of hope for millions of people globally, ultimately creating a “healthier and more vibrant future for all.”
Kicking off the U.S. Early Stage Accelerator
The event at Pegasus Park also kicked off MassChallenge’s 2023 U.S. Early Stage Accelerator with its 186 startups from around the globe. The startup’s founders can get assistance from experts, investors, and mentors.
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The nonprofit’s U.S. Early Stage Accelerator is a four-month program that provides intensive support, guidance, tools, and connections to the MassChallenge community.
MassChallenge offers an equity-free cohort to selected early-stage startups, helping them find support, funding, and pathways to success.
The program, which is industry agnostic, supports startups at a range of stages, from discovery to validating a technology or service. It typically runs in a hybrid format, with the kickoff and final weeks of the program in-person and virtual options in between.
MassChallenge announced the 2023 cohort, which includes 186 startups from North Texas and beyond, earlier this summer. Last year, the nonprofit’s 2022 cohort included 13 North Texas companies.
Offering insights on innovation and entrepreneurship
Hope Hopkins, head of acceleration at MassChallenge, said she was excited to convene the 2023 selected startups from around the world in Dallas.
“The in-person gathering is a unique opportunity for the startups to experience firsthand the global network that sets MassChallenge apart,” Hopkins said.
Over three days, startups connected with mentors, corporate partners, investors, government agencies, thought leaders—and each other.
MC | Innovate also offered keynotes with insights on innovation and entrepreneurship, plus opportunities for startups.
Featured speakers included Ash Maurya, founder of LEANSTACK; Fahad Khawaja, founder and CEO of Hue; Kirk Barnes, author, entrepreneur, speaker, co-founder and CEO of TransPharMed; and Joshua Boger, founder of Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate partners came together and drive innovation and entrepreneurship, Cait Brumme, CEO of MassChallenge, said. Leading entrepreneurs, not only from Texas but from around the world, shared their experiences with the 2023 founders at Pegasus Park.
Dallas Innovates is a media sponsor of MassChallenge MC | Innovate. This story is independently written by the author for Dallas Innovates.
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