In January 2019, the Italy-America Chamber of Commerce Texas (IACC Texas) launched a new healthcare industry startup mentorship program in coordination with the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna. The partnership was born thanks to the IACC Texas’ successful bid in the region’s request for tenders for its Project for Promotion in Foreign European and extra-European markets (Progetti di promozione sui mercati esteri europei ed extra-europei).
The initial objective of the campaign was to connect Emilia-Romagna-based innovation/healthcare technology startups with high-tech accelerators and incubators in Houston, Texas, where the IACC Texas is headquartered and where the world’s largest healthcare complex is located.
Houston’s “Medical Center” includes 35 specialized hospitals, 18 research centers, and six medical schools and employs more than 100,000 persons full-time.
Texas is also the number-two state, after California where Silicon Valley is located, for the big data industry, which goes hand-in-hand with healthcare technology development. So it was a natural fit for the Emilia-Romagna program and the ideal setting for startups who applied to take part in the campaign.
Startups from the following sectors were encouraged to apply: High tech, big data, biomedical and medical tools, biomedical information services and healthcare services, biotechnology, and nanotechnology.
The long-term goal for participants was to deliver their new products to the market through strategic planning, partnerships with Texas-based healthcare companies, and partnerships with Texas-based startup accelerators and incubators.
Thanks to its connections in the Texas healthcare, high tech, and big data industries, the IACC Texas successfully matched selected startups with leading figures in the above industries who served as mentors to the companies.
The application and review process took place from January through March 2019. And a handful of specialized startups were chosen for the program.
In upcoming posts we will share profiles of both the startups and mentors who were selected for this innovative and exciting campaign.