CancerX Startup Accelerator
Cohort 2025
Applications close on Nov 18, 2024 by 11:59 pm EST
About CancerX
The CancerX Accelerator program catalyzes innovation in cancer research and prevention, treatment and control of cancer by uniting pilot sites, investors, startups as well as larger digital health organizations.
We developed themes as a collaborative effort with CancerX accelerator champions, which include fostering inclusivity, improving equitable access to care and personalized treatments, supporting families and caregivers, reducing costs, and empowering patients and their families.
Together, we will transform cancer care on a relentless quest to supercharge digital health innovations that stand to benefit both our patients, providers, and communities.
CancerX Startup Accelerator
Cohort 2025 Themes
Equitable
Care For All
Driving equitable care access for all communities through developing data analytics and AI tools, improving resource navigation, and building effective processes.
Clinical Trial
Acceleration
Developing approaches and tools (including AI) to expedite the eligibility and accessibility of clinical trials for patients, while optimizing the technology and data for clinical researchers targeting improved care outcomes.
Connected & Individualized Care – Care beyond the clinic
Delivering personalized, seamless, and connected care for patients and their support community. Enabling monitoring of patients across the care pathway and beyond the clinic.
Our Program
The CancerX Accelerator offers startups a unique opportunity to propel their solutions by providing critical resources, support, networking and connections across industry leadership and the public sector through our collaboration with the federal government
Who You Are
Startups eligible for the program must have a validated product or solution ready for scaling, with at least two completed proof of concept(pilots) involving 50 live patients in clinical settings. Companies should have a minimum of 10 full-time employees, including a designated liaison to engage with the selection team during the accelerator. We’re excited to invite pediatric oncology companies to the CancerX Accelerator partnership with KidsX. If you have a pediatric focused solution, we invite you to apply. Learn more.
Join us to harness the power of innovation to reduce the burden of cancer for all people.
Committed Champions Accelerating Growth
Gain the ability to be matched with leading healthcare organizations and investors to pursue validation, refine product/market fit and obtain funding.
Exclusive Mentor
Network
Access the largest mentor network with deep expertise in digital health and oncology. Benefit from expert guidance, support, and resources throughout the program, helping you navigate the complexities of healthcare innovation.
Network Targeted Programming
Offer startups a tailored curriculum based on your strategic objectives. The programming combines virtual and in person events to foster learning and networking with key stakeholders across the public and private sector.
2025 Champions
Key Dates
Oct 21, 2024
Application Open
Nov 18, 2024
Application Close
Feb, 2025
Announcement at ViVE 2025
Mar-Jun, 2025
Accelerator Programming
Jul, 2025
Demo Day Showcase
2024 Accelerator Impact
The 16 startups in the inaugural cohort were selected for their combined impact on patient lives and existing traction in revenue/funding, in addition to a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitment.
The Atrium Health team has been an outstanding development partner and champion for us at Lind during the CancerX accelerator. Over the past six months, their unparalleled commitment of time, expertise, and access to over 50 clinicians has truly demonstrated Atrium’s dedication to innovation. Throughout our collaboration, consistent themes have emerged—Atrium’s compassionate patient-first approach, commitment to delivering exceptional care, drive for safe innovation, and remarkable clinical expertise have truly set them apart. We at Lind are deeply grateful for the support we’ve received and look forward to continuing our partnership to offer every patient access to clinical trials as part of their care journey, by reducing the operational challenges of trial matching and discovery.
-Oggie Nikolic, CEO @ Lind
Our business model uses AI for summarization and second opinions. We didn’t think the process we built out to assist with our final goal (retrieving and organizing medical records quickly and meaningfully) was the piece that made all the difference to Moffitt. Because of the CancerX Accelerator, we are thrilled to have our product tested out to solve for record retrieval, something we previously have not pursued uniquely. The way Moffitt as a health system framed their use cases achieves outcomes we hadn’t thought of and expands use cases our product can make an impact for. It is also equally exciting that Moffitt and Navya are learning together about how best to leverage AI, and I think we will emerge stronger together.”
-Naresh Ramarajan,
MD. Chief Medical Officer, Navya
We are excited to pilot our AI-driven clinical workflow technology at Moffitt Cancer Center as part of the CancerX Accelerator’s inaugural cohort. We appreciate the opportunity to pilot our technology in a real world clinical setting to evaluate its impact on clinical efficiency, operational excellence and patient experience. Moffitt’s leadership in being an early evaluator and adopter is key to a sustainable and scalable healthcare innovation.
Together Employed
Have Collectively
Generated Revenue
2024 Startups
2024 Champions
2024 Startups
2024 Champions
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know if I’m eligible to apply?
We welcome companies with a diverse leadership and founding team. If you can demonstrate you have a validated, scalable product or solution that has impacted over 50 patients with clinical involvement. “Highlight Two” successful pilots demonstrating your ability to turn innovative ideas into practical solutions. Ideally, your company has a team of 10+ employees (Contractors and / or FTE), with one dedicated liaison for the Accelerator program.
What are the theme areas?
Equitable Care for All
Driving equitable care access for all communities through developing data analytics and AI tools, improving resource navigation, and building effective processes.
Theme elements include:
- Match patient needs to support mechanisms e.g., financial resources, caregiver support
- Provide care closer to home
- Reduce the time to right treatment
- Embed predictive analytics in care settings to proactively identify health related social needs and drive patient engagement
- Develop communication tools that are appropriate for each patient e.g., adult and pediatric populations, range of languages, styles of communication
- Provide equitable pediatric cancer care by addressing unique barriers like family-centered support, transportation, and child-friendly care navigation, ensuring all children receive quality care regardless of location or resources
Clinical Trial Acceleration
Developing approaches and tools (including AI) to expedite the eligibility and accessibility of clinical trials for patients, while optimizing the technology and data for clinical researchers targeting improved care outcomes.
Theme elements include:
- Enhance the speed and accuracy of reviewing the latest cancer literature and research
- Mine public data sources to identify current research studies, collaborators and partners
- Develop tools for statistical analysis, multi-modal classifications and quality metrics tracking, and submissions
- Create tools that improve the efficiency of research report development
- Build tools to support pragmatic trials and scale advanced testing
- Design tools to support the acceleration of drug trials and approvals
- Accelerate and improve the clinical trial eligibility process. Develop technology to make it easier to offer clinical trials in rural and other underserved areas
- Improve pediatric cancer clinical trial access by leveraging AI for trial matching, and designing child-specific trials that minimize disruption to education and daily life, ensuring better outcomes for rare pediatric cancers
Connected & Individualized Care- Care beyond the clinic
Delivering personalized, seamless, and connected care for patients and their support community. Enabling monitoring of patients across the care pathway and beyond the clinic.
Theme elements include:
- Connect providers, patients and caregivers more effectively, and reduce administrative burdens
- Ensure proactive goals of care discussions
- Provide personalized patient education and resources
- Improve monitoring across the care continuum and support care transitions
- Improve management of oral therapeutics and maintenance drugs taken at home to monitor medication adherence/ compliance
- Ensure continuous pediatric cancer care through home-based solutions, mental health support, and tools for smooth transitions to adult care, focusing on long-term survivorship and developmental tracking
What is the application process?
The applications close on November 18th, 2024. We will conduct 3 rounds of review including a pitch day to a panel of judges composed of the CancerX Champions. If you proceed to the rounds, the CancerX Accelerator team will communicate next steps and timing, but expect Round 2 to begin mid- December and Final selection round in mid January. In the process, you may be asked to provide more information and detail to the teams in order to proceed through the rounds.
Due to the volume of applicants, we will not be able to provide individualized feedback to all that apply. The final cohort will be announced at Vive 2025.
For any questions, please contact accelerator@cancerx.health and we can help you.
We will host an info session on November 4, 2024 at 12pm EST. DETAILS TO FOLLOW
What can I expect if I’m in the accelerator?
We will be inviting the final cohort to attend Vive for the announcement.
We will share more details to finalists about in person events, but please expect travel to on-site events in March (Tampa), April/May (site to be confirmed), July (showcase in Boston). We will confirm final details for you and your team to plan accordingly.
We will also be hosting virtual curriculum sessions once a month across a variety of topics for example: Innovation in Government, Front Lines of Healthcare, Scaling your Business, Partnering with Industry. The CancerX accelerator will send communications for program details once the Accelerator begins.
This is a very hands-on and targeted program and the more you can participate and be involved, the more benefits you will gain for your accelerator experience.
We will work together towards a successful outcome for you during the course of the accelerator but cannot guarantee results.
How do the champions get engaged?
Our champions are closely involved in the selection process and the finalists in our 2025 cohort will have 1 or more champions leaning in to accelerate your company. Each champion will meet with you and discuss goals and approach. Recognize they are large organizations with many complexities so be prepared and be patient. The accelerator team is here to help you along the journey.
How is CancerX partnering with KidsX?
This year, we are excited to announce the collaboration with KidsX. We are inviting pediatric focused oncology solutions in the challenge themes above. When you apply, you will select your interest in being considered for the KidsX/CancerX cohort. We expect to accept 2 finalists in this cohort. The target patient population for KidsX applications is 0-18 years old.
To learn more, we will host an info session on November 6th, 2024 Click here to sign up
I have more questions, who can I contact to ask?
We welcome your questions. Please email accelerator@cancerx.health
