Techstars and Northwestern Medicine announced on Mar. 16 the selection of startups for the 2026 class of their Healthcare Accelerator program. The three-month, mentorship-driven initiative will be held at Northwestern Medicine's Mansueto Innovation Institute in Chicago.
The accelerator aims to support early-stage companies addressing key challenges in healthcare, such as digital therapeutics, clinical compliance, and advanced proteomics. This effort reflects Northwestern Medicine's ongoing commitment to fostering innovation and improving patient care through collaboration with entrepreneurs.
“Building on the tremendous momentum of our first year, we could not be more excited to welcome this new group of exceptional founders,” said Brad Schnitzer, Managing Director of the Accelerator at Techstars. “Our inaugural class set an incredibly high bar, and we're excited to help this next wave of innovators over the next 13 weeks. We continue to be deeply impressed with the Northwestern Medicine team, whose hands-on support and commitment are invaluable to ensuring these startups succeed in the enterprise healthcare space.”
Doug King, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Northwestern Medicine, said: “We’re excited to welcome the 2026 cohort and continue advancing our mission to inspire the next generation of health care innovation. Our inaugural program last year proved what’s possible when visionary entrepreneurs partner directly with our clinical teams. In the months ahead, we look forward to collaborating with these new founders as we explore emerging technologies and the meaningful, long-term impact they may have on patient care and the broader health care ecosystem.”
The selected startups include Arul Health from Boston (digital cancer survivorship platform), ImmPro from Chicago (proteomics for biopharmaceutical development), Verbal from San Jose (AI-powered clinical compliance), Slideflow Labs from Chicago (open-source AI for digital pathology), and Soihtu DTx from Helsinki (video game-based mental health therapeutics).
Northwestern Medicine is recognized nationally for its programs supporting physician well-being and humanitarian awards honoring community service according to its official website. The organization also acknowledges community contributions through humanitarian awards that reflect values of compassion and impact according to its official website. It operates under parent organization Northwestern Memorial HealthCare according to its official website.
Northwestern Medicine pursues a patient-focused mission that includes world-class care, education, and research according to its official website. Howard B. Chrisman serves as president and chief executive officer for Northwestern Medicine according to its official website. The institution engages in strategic collaborations aimed at advancing clinical research and education according to its official website.
Demo Day for this year's cohort is scheduled for early June 2026, where participating startups will present their progress before mentors, investors, and industry leaders.
