Groundwork: An Emerging Innovator Accelerator

Groundwork is MATTER’s newest offering — an 11-week accelerator program for digital health innovators at the earliest stages of developing their ideas and turning them into businesses. Designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of healthcare and lay the groundwork for building a successful healthcare startup, the program is now accepting applications.

Through expert-led workshops, mentorship, peer learning and practical application, participating founders will deepen their understanding of how healthcare works — from industry incentives and buying dynamics to compliance, go-to-market strategy and building a company.

The program will bring together a cohort of up to 12 founders for weekly virtual sessions, culminating in an in-person showcase at MATTER in Chicago.

Building a healthcare company requires more than a promising idea. Founders need to understand a complex ecosystem of people, organizations, incentives, regulations and workflows — and how those factors shape whether a solution can succeed.

For founders entering healthcare for the first time, that learning curve can be steep. A limited understanding of healthcare buying dynamics, clinical and operational workflows, compliance or commercialization can make it harder to define the right problem, develop a viable business model and build a solution that fits the way healthcare organizations operate.

Groundwork helps founders develop healthcare knowledge earlier through practical education and guidance from experienced leaders, with opportunities to apply what they learn directly to their companies.

Groundwork supports aspiring and early-stage digital health founders who are preparing to build a healthcare solution.

The program may be a fit for:

• First-time founders looking to build a stronger foundation in healthcare innovation
• Clinicians and healthcare professionals working to commercialize an innovation
• Entrepreneurs entering healthcare from another industry
• Researchers translating academic or clinical research into a commercial venture

The program is virtual-first, enabling founders from across the United States to participate. The closing showcase will take place in person at MATTER in Chicago.

Participating founders will receive:

• An 11-week, healthcare-focused curriculum led by experienced operators and subject matter experts from across healthcare
• Practical guidance on navigating healthcare
• Mentorship through group discussions, office hours and/or 1:1 conversations
• A peer community of aspiring and early-stage healthcare founders
• Opportunities to build relationships with leaders across the healthcare ecosystem
• Structured opportunities to apply program learnings to their own companies
• Participate in an in-person closing showcase at MATTER in Chicago

Healthcare is complex, and building in the industry requires insight from people who understand it firsthand.

Throughout the program, founders will learn from experienced leaders across healthcare and the broader innovation ecosystem. Participating organizations will bring expertise in areas including healthcare strategy, company building, governance and compliance, team development, design and go-to-market strategy.

Participating organizations include:

Interested in supporting this program? Reach out to groundwork@matter.health to express interest.

• Program fit: Does the applicant align with the program’s focus on aspiring and early-stage digital health founders actively working to build a novel healthcare solution?
• Problem: Is the applicant addressing a meaningful healthcare problem or opportunity, and do they demonstrate a clear understanding of the problem they are trying to solve?
• Founder commitment: Does the applicant demonstrate serious commitment to building the company, along with genuine passion and energy for the problem they are solving?
• Stage: Is the company at an appropriate early stage to benefit from the program while being developed enough to actively apply the curriculum?
• Product readiness: Does the applicant have a functioning prototype or early proof of concept that can be put in front of potential customers or users to gather feedback?

• Applications open: October 13, 2026
• Applications close: November 22, 2026
• Application review and finalist confirmation: * Late November–December 2026
• Cohort announcement: Mid-December 2026
• Program: January–April 2027
• Closing showcase at MATTER: April 2027 (exact date to be announced)

If you’re an aspiring or early-stage founder preparing to bring a digital health solution to market, Groundwork can help you develop the healthcare knowledge, guidance and connections to move forward with greater clarity.

Apply to join a cohort of founders learning how to navigate healthcare and strengthen the foundation of their emerging companies.

See our Terms and Conditions for more information

Applications will be reviewed and accepted until November 22, 2026 at 11:59pm CT.

MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, includes more than 1,000 current and alumni 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. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.