The American Heart Association and MATTER announce Heart of Innovation HBCU Challenge finalists

Innovators to present solutions to improve social drivers of health, cardiovascular health and environmental health for the chance to win a $10,000 grant

January 24, 2025, CHICAGO, IL — The American Heart Association, forging ahead in its second century of advancing health and hope for everyone, everywhere, and MATTER, the premier healthcare incubator and innovation hub, have selected six finalists for the Heart of Innovation HBCU Challenge.

Launched in November 2024, the accelerator invited undergraduate students, graduate students and alumni of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) within the U.S. to present solutions geared toward improving social drivers of health, cardiovascular health and environmental health. Chosen from a pool of applicants across the U.S., the six finalists will participate in a four-week accelerator consisting of mentoring, workshops and presentation practice with healthcare experts before telling their brand story about their solutions at the live, virtual final showcase on February 24, 2025, for a chance to win a $10,000 grant. You can register for the final showcase here.

Heart of Innovation HBCU Challenge finalists:

bEHR Health Systems, Inc. — New Orleans, Louisiana
bEHR Health Systems is a community-based, patient-centered care platform designed to improve health outcomes in the Black community. Their innovative health score functions like a credit score, but for health, aggregating real-time data on physical, emotional and social well-being to give users actionable insights. Their solution provides AI-driven coaching to help users improve their scores, set health goals and access exclusive tools and resources to support their journey.

CerTracker LLC — Tulsa, Oklahoma
CerTracker is a digital credential management platform designed to help healthcare organizations and licensed professionals effortlessly track, manage and share their licenses and certifications. Their automated system reduces administrative burden, ensures compliance and streamlines onboarding.

CORE Futures Innovations — Silver Spring, Maryland
CORE Futures Innovations creates technology solutions rooted in culture and driven by data to empower underserved communities. By bridging data gaps and providing access to education and culturally-driven strategies, they aim to drive equitable progress and transform these hubs into thriving centers of innovation and sustainable growth.

JiLuna — Irmo, South Carolina
JiLuna revolutionizes women’s health by offering a comprehensive suite of tools and personalized care to conquer menopausal symptoms. Their solution includes an intuitive app, direct-to-door bioidentical hormone replacement therapy and telehealth services.

StoneFaced RX — Phoenix, Arizona
StoneFaced Rx leverages tele-dermatology to advance health equity by providing personalized skin care regimens for people of color. By developing a diverse medical image repository, they aim to enhance dermatological equity and significantly reduce the average psoriasis diagnosis time of three years for people of color.

Zuri Fertility — Chicago, Illinois
Zuri Fertility simplifies the infertility process through a patented digital platform that connects couples to culturally competent fertility specialists, dieticians, nutritionists and mental health therapists. By addressing the root causes of inequities in fertility care, Zuri Fertility bridges gaps in access and empowers families with the tools and resources they need to succeed. Through their app and in-person experiences, they provide telehealth, at-home testing, education and care coordination.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources. The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for a century. During 2024 — our Centennial year — we celebrate our rich 100-year history and accomplishments. As we forge ahead into our second century of bold discovery and impact our vision is to advance health and hope for everyone, everywhere. Connect with us on heart.org, Facebook, X or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.   

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.