MATTER Selected to Lead the Digital Health Hub in the Next Generation of the BARDA Accelerator Network
MATTER to support the development and commercialization of next-generation digital health technologies for preparedness and response to health security threats.
September 17, 2024, CHICAGO, IL - MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, announces its selection by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) as the Digital Health Hub for the BARDA Accelerator Network. BARDA, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, is responsible for ensuring the nation has emergency medical countermeasures necessary to respond to health security threats.
The new Digital Health Hub, called Paratus — the Latin word meaning “ready for anything” — will focus on developing and validating innovative digital health solutions to empower the nation to prepare for and respond to health security threats and improve the continuum of clinical care. The Paratus Digital Health Hub will launch a series of accelerators to support entrepreneurs developing relevant solutions and fund the technical and clinical validation of technologies. Entry into the accelerators and selection for funding opportunities will be by application only, with the first program to be announced in October 2024.
“We are honored that BARDA selected MATTER to support BARDA’s efforts to advance digital health entrepreneurship needed for emergency preparedness,” said Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER. “MATTER has a ten-year track record of finding great entrepreneurs, accelerating their trajectories, and validating their solutions, and we look forward to harnessing our capabilities to help our country prepare for future health security threats.”
MATTER joins four other hubs, each focusing on a different area, comprising the BARDA Accelerator Network. Two additional hubs also announced today are: the Enabling Technologies Hub, led by MedTech Innovator, focused on the acceleration and development of technologies to improve biomanufacturing, drug development, and clinical support; and the Special Populations Hub (with a specialized focus on pediatrics), led by Children’s National Hospital, focused on the acceleration and development of technologies and startups that promote health security for special populations, with a primary focus on pediatrics. Two hubs were announced in May 2024: The International Consortium for Research, Engineering, Acceleration of Technology Excellence (I-CREATE), led by University Lab Partners, focused on medical diagnostics and devices; and the Vaccine Innovation and Therapeutics Acceleration Launchpad (VITAL), led by Start2 Group, focused on therapeutics and vaccine innovation.
The BARDA Accelerator Network provides comprehensive support to health security innovators, startups and BARDA portfolio companies through wrap-around accelerator services, technical and business expertise, and other resources. The network facilitates the rapid development, evaluation, validation, and commercialization of medical countermeasures.
To learn more about the Paratus Digital Health Hub, visit matter.health/paratus
This project has been supported in whole or in part with federal funds from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), under agreement number 75A50124C00028.
About MATTER
MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, includes hundreds of cutting-edge startups from around the world, working together with dozens of hospitals and health systems, universities and industry-leading companies to build the future of healthcare. Together, the MATTER community is accelerating innovation, advancing care and improving lives. Since its inception in 2015, MATTER has supported more than 1,000 current and alumni healthcare technology startups from around the world that have created more than 10,000 jobs and raised more than $5.1 billion in capital. Their products have been used by more than 1.25 million clinicians. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.
###