NextHit calls for applicants

Houston Health Ventures (HHV), a seed-stage healthcare investment fund, is calling for applicants to its medtech-focused accelerator NextHit, an initiative supported by Houston University. 

HHV is aiming to select up to ten businesses to join its accelerator, with the deadline for applications set at August 13, 2014, and classes beginning a month later on September 22, 2014.

NextHit has attracted the support of Houston University’s Division of Research, which will offer the first cohort eight weeks of a tailored curriculum and provide access to mentors, offices and amenities at its Innovation Centre. The centre is a new building, made possible as part of a commercialisation agreement between the university and HHV earlier this year. It is located at the university’s Energy Research Park.

Each successful applicant will receive $30,000 in investment from HHV, and be provided with $24,000 worth of services from cloud storage expert Rackspace.

David Franklin, managing director of HHV and the NextHit programme, said: “We are excited to attract the very best ideas and startup companies to Houston and be close to the largest medical centre in the world. Locating our programme on the Houston University campus also creates multiple opportunities for our NextHit companies to leverage Houston University’s significant research and development infrastructure. We understand that companies applying to NextHit will be at many different stages, and we want them to get the most out of their time with us. As such, we are tailoring the curriculum to fit the needs of the companies accepted into our NextHit class.”