MATTER announces new Advancing Brain Health Innovation Challenge with support from the Lundbeck US Charitable Fund
New initiative aims to redefine care for people facing rare neurological diseases by addressing and overcoming barriers today
December 4, 2024, CHICAGO, IL — MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, with support from the Lundbeck US Charitable Fund, a corporate foundation dedicated to responsibly giving back to the community, today launched the Advancing Brain Health Innovation Challenge. The focus of the challenge is addressing barriers to redefine care for people with rare neurological diseases.
Every year, millions of people with rare neurological diseases encounter challenges in receiving timely and accurate diagnoses.¹ These challenges arise due to the complex nature of rare neurological disorders, limited specialized resources and a general lack of public awareness.¹ However, recent advancements in medical science and a growing commitment to improving the healthcare journey offer promising early steps toward overcoming these obstacles. With continued progress, enhanced diagnostic and treatment pathways have the potential to deliver quicker answers, improve quality of life and achieve better outcomes for individuals with rare neurological conditions.¹
“Our accelerators are designed to support great entrepreneurs building solutions to solve challenging healthcare problems,” said Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER. “We’re grateful for the support of the Lundbeck Charitable US Fund, which allows us to develop this accelerator focused on advancing brain health. We look forward to supporting entrepreneurs building solutions to improve referral systems, enhance patient literacy and streamline diagnostic pathways so we can make strides in enhancing health outcomes.”
This ten-week, cohort-based accelerator will provide participants with mentorship, exclusive resources and an interactive curriculum to help them build their solutions and accelerate their growth. Each participant will receive a $10,000 stipend upon completion of the program, and one participant will receive funding and support to conduct a study to help validate their solution. All participants will have the opportunity to pitch their solutions to investors, health systems and others at a final showcase the week of May 5, 2025. Each participant will graduate from the program with actionable next steps to further advance their solutions over the subsequent six months with a free MATTER membership.
“MATTER’s Advancing Brain Health Innovation Challenge is an exciting opportunity to address the myriad barriers encountered by people facing rare neurological diseases,” said Molly Poarch, head of the Lundbeck US Charitable Fund. “The innovative solutions sourced from MATTER’s challenge could serve as the catalyst for new innovations, solutions and ultimately, an improved outlook for so many people and their loved ones, supporting our mission to advance brain health and transform lives.”
Learn more about the Advancing Brain Health Innovation Challenge here.
Sources:
- “Barriers to Rare Disease Diagnosis, Care and Treatment in the U.S.: A 30-Year Comparative Analysis,” NORD Rare Insights, 2020.
About MATTER
At MATTER, we believe collaboration is the best way to improve healthcare. The MATTER collaborative 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 we are accelerating innovation, advancing care and improving lives. For more information, visit matter.health and follow @MATTERhealth.
About the Lundbeck US Charitable Fund
The Lundbeck US Charitable Fund is an independently managed nonprofit 501(c)(3) committed to responsibly and appropriately supporting organizations and programs that share our dedication to advancing brain health and transforming lives. The Lundbeck US Charitable Fund is wholly owned by H. Lundbeck A/S, a global pharmaceutical company specialized in brain diseases. For more than 70 years, Lundbeck has been at the forefront of neuroscience research, tirelessly dedicated to restoring brain health so every person can be their best.