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UB, VCAMP partner to accelerate health care software startups

By JULIE MOLENDA

Published June 17, 2016 This content is archived.

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The Buffalo Institute for Genomics and Data Analytics (BIG) at UB is partnering with VCAMP, a private venture fund-backed digital health accelerator, to form a lean startup health care software venture accelerator that will assist in the university’s regional economic development efforts.

“This partnership is a great example of how UB can leverage its extensive resources — world-class faculty, specialized facilities and equipment, and well-trained students — to support the new startups in our community,” says Christina Orsi, associate vice president in UB’s Office of Economic Development.

“It’s about much faster, responsible access,” adds David Thiemecke, managing director of VCAMP. “The partnership streamlines processes for startups to engage with world-class resources in Buffalo at a much earlier stage.”

“With BIG as a partner, health care, safety and wellness software startups can build on tomorrow’s tools and expertise,” says Brian McIlroy, BIG executive director. BIG will offer in-kind packages that include leading-edge capabilities and consulting services, secure high-performance computing, storage, visualization, networking and health care data that will improve the companies’ growth potential.

VCAMP plans to recruit five to 10 pre-seed-stage health care, safety and wellness startups per year to Buffalo for a 14-week accelerator program to determine the validity of their software products.

“VCAMP provides a new way for our community’s health care delivery system to solve problems and innovate,” Thiemecke says. “Successful pilot outcomes complete a key step in the life of young, high-growth companies before they begin to scale.”

The accelerator program also will create UB-sponsored opportunities for undergraduate and graduate student internships and expert mentoring, bringing the startup culture deep within the UB experience.

“This partnership builds on UB’s support of entrepreneur activity by offering students hands-on experience with startups and making New York State Hot Spot or STARTUP NY tax incentives available to the VCAMP companies. This is one of many exciting new partnerships UB is forming to accelerate the growth of technology startups,” Orsi says.

Interested startups, investors, mentors and corporate partners can contact VCAMP at info@vcamp.co or visit its website.