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MIC Resident Company, Health Tech Alley Receives Sprint Challenge Grant

Tuesday, May 18, 2021

Health Tech Alley, a non-profit organization and Maryland Innovation Center (MIC) resident company has received a Sprint Challenge Grant from the U.S Economic Development Administration. The nationwide grant is designed to help address pandemic resilience and health equity through innovation and technology. Only 1 in 5 applicants were awarded a grant in this highly competitive program.

With the Sprint Challenge Grant, Health Tech Alley will focus on addressing community needs and working with local organizations to develop innovative solutions that enhance health equity. Their initiative, entitled “Catalyzing Advances in Technology for Community Health” or “CATCH”, seeks to close the gap between health tech entrepreneurs and the communities they aim to serve. The mission is to empower innovators in the region through its CATCH quick-start accelerator for health tech entrepreneurs.

The CATCH program will facilitate more rapid and scalable adoption of Health IT and Digital Health solutions to benefit under-resourced healthcare organizations and underserved communities across Central Maryland. To accomplish this goal, the CATCH program will work to upskill the Health IT workforce by collaborating with local entrepreneurs focused on primary care and digital health solutions. The program will also focus on fostering alliances between healthcare organizations operating in underserved areas and their local government agencies. “We are very proud of being selected for this award and look forward to working with local partners to best serve our communities”, said the Health Tech Alley Team.

Founded in 2020 by Greg Miller, Arti Varanasi, and Robert Zimmerman, Health Tech Alley is a non-profit organization that exists to serve healthcare organizations in providing quality and affordable healthcare. They work collaboratively across the healthcare ecosystem to bring the most recent advances in digital health and healthcare analytics to medically underserved communities and patients. A critical component of their mission is to build and support the healthcare workforce with the technology-based knowledge and skills required for the health industry tomorrow.

Health Tech Alley is also a resident member of the MIC. “As a MIC member, Health Tech Alley had access to a wide range of support in putting forth a successful application for the Sprint Challenge Grant”, stated Doug Holly, MIC Entrepreneur-in-Residence who worked closely with Health Tech Alley on the proposal. As part of the application the MIC agreed to provide $10,000 in in-kind contributions to support the success of the CATCH program. This in-kind contribution includes use of the MIC facilities for meetings and events, mentoring, marketing, and promotion of activities. The MIC will provide strategic assistance with accelerator services and facilitation of community and industry connections as well. This is an exciting opportunity for the MIC to assist in providing innovative solutions to the health equity needs of our local community.

Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) and the MIC congratulate Health Tech Alley on receiving this prestigious grant and look forward to watching them grow their initiative and mission. To learn more about Health Tech Alley, visit www.healthtechalley.org . More information about the Sprint Challenge Grant can be found at www.eda.gov/oie/sprint/.

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About Maryland Innovation Center: The Maryland Innovation Center (MIC) is for serious entrepreneurs. Combining in-house expertise with established technology and business leadership resources, the Center serves as a beacon of innovation to the Baltimore-Washington corridor community and beyond. With a roster of world-class entrepreneurs and partners, the Center’s focus is on giving entrepreneurs what they need to move to the next level. Our entrepreneurs don’t innovate for the sake of innovation – they innovate to bring new technologies and businesses to market in order to improve the lives of those around them. Focused on the intersection of innovation, cybersecurity, and technology talent, the Center’s prime location and power-house resources make it the perfect “suburban incubator” for seasoned starters looking to bring the next big idea to market. Learn more at www.mdinnovationcenter.com.

About Howard County Economic Development Authority: The Howard County Economic Development Authority (HCEDA) is a public-private partnership whose primary goal is to promote economic growth and stability by supporting existing businesses, targeting new businesses, and attracting corporate/regional headquarters. HCEDA also maintains several programs aimed at the unique needs of small, minority, and agricultural businesses. Additionally, the HCEDA strives to preserve the distinctive quality of life in Howard County. To learn more about Howard County farms and the HCEDA, visit www.hceda.org.

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