Science Center’s health IT accelerator gets $50K federal grant

The University City Science Center got a $50,000 U.S. Small Business Administration grant to back the second class of its Digital Health Accelerator.
The Science Center said the money will help the accelerator focus on businesses led by women and people of color.
The six- to eight-month program, which was previously backed in part by the state, is geared toward health IT companies that are either generating revenue or have already received investment. See the first class of startups in the accelerator here. Every startup in the program gets a $50,000 investment. The Science Center does not take equity in exchange for the investment.
Applications for the second class will open in the fall.
The Science Center regularly wins federal grants to support its programs, like the $1 million grant it got to back its tech transfer accelerator and the grant it got for its tech transfer funding program. Science Center CEO Steve Tang is also a familiar face in Washington — he’s on a Commerce Department advisory board for innovation and entrepreneurship.
“Digital health is an area of strength for the Greater Philadelphia region,” Tang said in a statement. “As we work to develop strategies to increase diversity in the tech sector, it is important that we engage more women and minorities in this growing area.”