The EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator is designed for founders who are building health-focused businesses and navigating complex systems where progress depends on real adoption.
Donor Name: American Heart Association
State: All States
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Program
Deadline: 04/27/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: Less than 1 Year
Details:
This program goes beyond polishing pitches. It helps innovators better understand how decisions are made, where barriers show up, and how meaningful change takes root. Support for the EmPOWERED to Serve Business Accelerator is provided by MATTER.
This eight-week program offers:
- Nondiluted funding to help move your work forward
- Expert mentorship and practical training
- Real-world validation to strengthen your approach
- Narrative intelligence support to help you communicate your impact clearly and authentically
Tracks
Health Tech-Enabled Products & Services Track
- It supports founders, in both nonprofit and for-profit organizations, who are developing technology-enabled products or services aimed at improving health outcomes. Many participants come in with a prototype, pilot, or early traction and want help strengthening adoption and navigating health system pathways.
- This track may be a good fit if your work touches areas like women’s health, nutrition security, cardiovascular health, or other social drivers of health.
Selected participants will:
- Receive a participation stipend
- Have the chance to earn $100,000 for first place and $50,000 for second place
- Strengthen go-to-market strategies
- Learn from mentors across health care, business, and technology
- Connect with health system partners and investors
- Explore thoughtful ways to use AI and data to support impact
Collegiate Track
- This track is for students and professors who are turning health impact ideas into action.
- It supports undergraduate and graduate innovators at the idea-to-prototype stage who are building solutions rooted in lived experience and community need. The focus is on early validation, skill-building, and exposure to the broader health innovation ecosystem.
Selected participants will:
- Receive a participation stipend
- Have the chance to earn $100,000 for first place and $50,000 for second place
- Build entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills
- Validate ideas through structured feedback
- Learn lean startup principles and storytelling for impact
- Join a supportive cohort of student innovators
Eligibility Criteria
Minimum requirements include:
- Applicants must be 18 years or older
- Applicants should be the founder or CEO of a nonprofit or pre-seed, seed, or Series A startup
- Companies must be based in the U.S.
- Innovations should have a positive impact on equitable health in the U.S.
For more information, visit American Heart Association.
