An opportunity to create change in your community by developing solutions to our nation’s most pressing health equity concerns.
Imagine a future where you can change the world, starting with your local community. For those with a vision of improving health equity, this sponsored challenge, accelerator, and incubator administered by the Flywheel Foundation, is providing that opportunity — the Health Equity Innovation Challenge.
The Health Equity Innovation Challenge is a dynamic business idea competition designed to identify and advance transformative solutions that address critical health disparities and improve outcomes for underserved populations. This Challenge seeks scalable, investable innovations that target root causes and systemic inequities contributing to significant disparities in healthcare access, quality, and outcomes.
Priority Populations
We aim to empower vulnerable communities, with a focus on African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American populations, and individuals living at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. These groups face disproportionate barriers to health equity and outcomes, making this initiative an essential step toward meaningful change.
Call for Innovations
In collaboration with leading healthcare sponsors and ecosystem partners, the Challenge invites the submission of social and technological innovations with proven potential for commercialization and demonstrated social and economic impact. Proposed solutions must address at least one of the following key priority areas:
- Safety Health and Outcomes
- Expand access to preventive care, including colorectal and cancer screenings
- Improve management of chronic conditions such as A1c control and blood pressure
- Enhance behavioral health services to reduce disparities in mental health outcomes
- Maternal and Child Health
- Address disparities in high blood pressure control among pregnant women
- Reduce maternal mortality rates and eliminate disparities in outcomes
- Support vaginal births where clinically appropriate
- Introduce metrics to improve child health outcomes, including access to vaccinations, developmental screenings, and nutrition
- Social Drivers of Health
- Foster economic stability and create pathways for upward mobility
- Ensure food security and increase access to affordable, healthy foods
- Provide affordable housing, transportation, and childcare options
- Expand access to education for vulnerable populations
- Environmental, Social, and Governance Innovations
- Mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce air and water pollution
- Advance efforts for heat mitigation and landfill diversion
- Promote access to renewable energy and enhance energy security for underserved communities
- Violence-Driven Injury Prevention
- Develop programs and services to address and mitigate the impact of violence on community health and individual well-being
Submission Expectations
We are seeking solutions that:
- Are scalable and replicable across communities
- Demonstrate clear potential for social and economic impact
- Incorporate metrics to evaluate success and impact over time
Together, through the Health Equity Innovation Challenge, we aim to catalyze transformative change, empowering vulnerable communities and driving equitable outcomes that uplift the health and well-being of all.
Key Challenge Dates:
December 16, 2024 to March 31, 2025 – Entry Period
(accepting submissions)
April 11, 2025 – Round One (judging of submissions)
April 21, 2025 – Finalists Briefing Day
May 17, 2025 – Pitch Day (presentation of business plan)
After May 17, 2025 – Winners Chosen
Beginning in December 2024, entrepreneurs from across the country are invited to turn their ideas into action and develop innovative community-based solutions to improve health equity in our nation.
