Fort Worth lands a first-of-its-kind business accelerator. Here’s why it’s a big deal.

Jenny Rudolph

Fort Worth will be home to a first-of-its-kind business accelerator program this fall for 10 leading startup companies that are aiming to revolutionize physical health through technology.

The 10 companies, chosen from hundreds of applicants, have developed everything from gaming to improve physical therapy to high-tech attachments for eyeglasses that measure vital signs behind the ears.

The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth has partnered with Techstars, a global investment business that supports early-stage entrepreneurs, to launch the Techstars Physical Health Fort Worth Accelerator. Other partners are the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County and Goff Capital.

This is the world’s first accelerator program for physical health entrepreneurs. The startups are getting access to capital, one-on-one mentorships and customized programming over the next three years.

The 10 companies will call Fort Worth home for the next several months as they engage with team members from HSC, Techstars and Goff Capital.

“We are thrilled that Techstars chose Fort Worth and HSC for its next accelerator class,” said Cameron Cushman, HSC’s assistant vice president of innovation ecosystems, in a release. “At HSC, we are leaders in innovation in Fort Worth and in the state of Texas, and this first-of-its-kind accelerator focused on physical health startup companies is perfect for our mission to create solutions for a healthier community.”

During the first several months, the startups will participate in a 13-week intensive program where they will meet and network with mentors, corporate executives, investors and alumni. They will receive up to $120,000 in funding. HSC’s president, Dr. Sylvia Trent-Adams, will act as a program mentor.

“We believe that Fort Worth can become the physical health innovation capital of the world, and this is an incredible next step to making that vision a reality,” Trent-Adams said in a release. “HSC is working to establish itself as a leader in whole health, and we know that physical health is a vital component of improving the health and well-being of all Americans.”

The city and county provided HSC with $4.8 million to partner with Techstars and create a physical therapy-focused accelerator program. While the city and county are supporting the initiative on the operations side, they will not take equity in the companies, according to Cushman.

HSC and Goff Capital plan to make nearly $10 million in equity investments over the next three years to support the startups. Fort Worth has lacked a true early-stage accelerator program for innovative startup companies until now, according to HSC.

These are the 10 companies selected for the accelerator, according to HSC:

  • Articulate Labs of Dallas, which has developed platform technology enabling faster physical rehabilitation through movement-synchronous electrical muscle stimulation. The first application of this platform will address quadriceps atrophy and inhibition related to chronic knee conditions or following knee surgery.

  • BOOMROOM of Charlotte, North Carolina, an integrated platform that equips fitness entrepreneurs with tools and technology to host virtual experiences and manage their businesses.

  • GoManda, a digital solution to building social skills through building vocabulary. It provides a tablet-based flashcard platform for educators.

  • Neurofit of Toronto, which creates virtual therapy exercises that assess, monitor and personalize care for neurological impairments.

  • Pulsewave AG, a Swiss company whose TempleGuard is a wearable attachment for existing eyeglasses that measures vital signs behind the patient’s ear. The device combines real-time patient monitoring with AI algorithms to predict cardiovascular disease.

  • Stabl, Toronto and Chicago company whose product is a computer vision-enabled platform entirely accessible through the internet that tracks biomechanics as patients perform recovery exercises.

  • STRAFFR, a Germany company that develops a smart resistance band that connects to an app for personalized training with real-time feedback.

  • Verapy, based in Tampa, helps providers and payers increase compliance and decrease no-show rates by leveraging XR technologies to gamify physical and occupational exercises.

  • Wellest Inc. of San Francisco has created an AI coach for managing nutrition and activity plans.

  • ZAMA Health of Washington, D.C., is developing a behavioral health integration for athletic programs, fitness companies and gyms.

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