MATTER and AWS launch incubator for EMEA digital health startups entering the U.S.

The program, called AWS Expand, will help 38 startups accelerate market readiness and build go-to-market strategy

AWS Expand

Healthcare incubator and innovation hub MATTER announced the launch of a new incubation program in collaboration with Amazon Web Services (AWS) called AWS Expand. The dual-track program will prepare Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) based startups to enter and understand the intricacies of the U.S. healthcare market through education, mentorship and exposure to potential customers and partners.

How does it work?

The first track will welcome 30 EMEA-based healthcare startups to the MATTER community as members for three months beginning this summer. As MATTER members, the startups will have access to MATTER’s robust investor and industry network, strategic connections to potential customers, a mentor clinic with 350 industry experts who serve as MATTER mentors, exclusive invitations to curated forums with industry leaders and a curriculum with more than 100 workshops on topics including the FDA approval, reimbursement, intellectual property and sales strategy.

The second track will identify an additional eight startups to participate in a high-touch, eight-week incubator concentrated on curating introductions to key potential U.S. customers through both one-on-one and group sessions. The incubator will culminate in a demo day, with the cohort presenting their solutions to a panel of industry stakeholders. Applications for both programs open in July, and the program will end in November.

On the record

“AWS is committed to helping healthcare startups across the globe find new opportunities and scale their businesses, and that often means expanding beyond their own borders,” said Jared Saul, MD, global lead for healthcare & life sciences startups and investors at AWS. “We look forward to working with MATTER to give EMEA-based companies the tools, knowledge and connections to successfully enter the U.S. market.”

“The U.S. healthcare industry is different from other local healthcare markets. Its nuances and intricacies require a distinct knowledge base,” said Steven Collens, CEO of MATTER. “As a global healthcare incubator headquartered in Chicago, MATTER will help these startups adopt the right lens that will be critical to their success in the U.S.”

The context

AWS Expand is the first formal collaboration between MATTER and AWS and demonstrates both organizations’ dedication to making our divided global healthcare market an easier place to navigate, allowing for innovation to advance at a faster pace.