HMH Emerge

Any North America-based healthcare startup that meets the following criteria:

• Focus Areas – Solutions must align with one of this year’s focus areas:
  • Improve early identification, monitoring, and prevention of postpartum complications during the first 3–6 months after childbirth, including high blood pressure, postpartum hemorrhage, and early signs of postpartum depression
  • Support success under the CMS TEAM model by improving care coordination, cost management, quality outcomes, and equity for coronary artery bypass graft procedures, joint replacement procedures, and congestive heart failure

• Demonstrable Solutions – Innovations must be beyond the idea stage and capable of being demonstrated as a working prototype, pilot, or commercialized product
• Intellectual Property Protection – We prefer (but do not require) solutions that have a patent, a patent application filed, or another form of legal protection in place
• An Established Team – A dedicated team is required to support development, execution, and scaling

A Nominating Partner is an accelerator, incubator, industry group, or trade organization that helps identify, vet, and endorse startups for HMH Emerge. Nominating Partners ensure that only high-quality, investment-ready startups participate in the program.

Do I need a Nominating Partner to apply?

No. While having a Nominating Partner strengthens your application and ensures priority review, it is not required. Startups without a Nominating Partner are still strongly encouraged to apply and will be fully considered. Simply write "none" or "self" when asked in the application form.

No. While having a Nominating Partner strengthens your application and ensures priority review, it is not required. Startups without a Nominating Partner are still strongly encouraged to apply and will be fully considered. Simply write "none" or "self" when asked in the application form.

• Help you refine your application before submission
• Provide early validation and credibility to reviewers
• Connect you with broader innovation networks
• Offer additional mentorship or resources

For the initial submission, we ask that you do not provide any proprietary information. Once we select the 10 startups to be in the program, we will work with each of those to sign NDAs and protect proprietary information.

All 10 startups accepted into the program will receive mentorship by our HMH team members to learn about the U.S. healthcare market, how to partner with an organization like HMH, how to envision a pilot for the U.S. healthcare market, and how to refine their pitch for an organization like HMH.

The Top 3 finalists may also receive additional mentorship, partnership, piloting, and/or investment after they give their final pitch. There is no single prize amount, and there is no upfront equity transfer. All prizes and associated equity transfers, if any, will be determined with HMH and the chosen European-based startups on a case-by-case basis.

We realize this may be different from most pitch competitions. The intention is to keep this opportunity open to European-based healthcare startups across development, funding, and maturity spectra. Startups at different stages will have unique needs. We want to be sure to identify the best specific support for each startup with whom HMH ultimately determines to accept.

The HMH Emerge Program is a pitch competition open to European-based healthcare startups. The startups will pitch to receive piloting, partnering, mentorship, and potentially investment. Those accepted to the program will have opportunities to learn about HMH and the U.S. healthcare market, receive support and mentorship from HMH team members, and further refine their pitches and business plans. At the end of the process, a few highly-qualified startups will have the opportunity to pitch to our Bear’s Den board, whose decision-makers include HMH executives, HMH board members, and outside investors.

After nomination, application begins with a high-level submission and two-minute video pitch. The HMH internal team will narrow this down to 10 startups that will go through the program. Those that qualify will receive opportunities for mentorship by our HMH team members to learn about the U.S. healthcare market, how to partner with an organization like HMH, how to envision a pilot for the U.S. healthcare market, and how to refine their pitch for an organization like HMH.

Those 10 startups will be narrowed down to the Top 3 who will pitch to our Bear’s Den Board. Any of those three finalists may also receive additional mentorship, partnership, piloting, and/or investment after they give their final pitch. There is no single prize amount and there is no upfront equity transfer. All prizes and associated equity transfers, if any, will be determined with HMH and the chosen startups on a case-by-case basis.

• Launch Date: March 15, 2025
• Application Deadline: Monday, June 2, 2025
• Top 10 Notification: June 18, 2025
• Pitch Development Period: Thursday, June 19 – Monday, July 21, 2025
• Bear’s Den Scouting Team Pitch: Tuesday, July 22 – Tuesday, August 5, 2025
• Finalist Notification: Thursday, August 7, 2025
• Final Preparation Period: Friday, August 8 – Monday, August 30, 2025.
• Bear’s Den Final Pitch: Wednesday, September 3 – Friday, September 26, 2025

Participation is simple. Click here to apply!

If you cannot find the information you need here, please contact us at oic@hmhn.org.

Or click here to schedule a 15-minute meeting with our team.

Any European-based startups can apply that meet the criteria outlined above. Based on those applications, 10 startups will be invited to participate in the program. Those will be narrowed down to the Top 3 after a pitch to the Bear’s Den Scouting Team. There is no set number of “winners.” After the final pitch, HMH will determine how many of the three finalist participating startups they are interested in partnering with and will approach those individually to determine the mutually best way to partner.

Applications will be judged by an interdisciplinary group of judges from across the HMH network. All materials provided by applicants will be reviewed and scored.

Startups with a Nominating Partner will receive priority review, but every application will be evaluated fully and fairly based on merit, potential impact, and program fit.

Unfortunately, we will not be able to share any feedback or scores to those that are not accepted into the program. This interdisciplinary group will determine the 10 startups who will be invited into the program.

To get to the Top 3 finalists, we will rely on our Bear’s Den Scouting Team to review your pitches. The Bear’s Den Scouting Team is made up of experts from across the HMH network.

Those Top 3 finalists will get a chance to pitch to our Bear’s Den Board. The Bear’s Den Board is made up of HMH executives, HMH board members, and outside investors.

Unfortunately, we can only accept 10 startups into the program due to time and resource constraints. That means that many amazing ideas will not make it into the program for no other reason than our time and resource constraints or specific needs at that time. As such, we will strive to continue to engage with all applicants to see if there is an appropriate time in the future to partner either in a formal or informal manner.

No. You are more than welcome to participate in all elements of the program virtually. If you would like to join us in person for the pitches, we would love to have you. However, HMH will not be able to cover any costs for you and your team to participate in person.

Yes! We offer 15-minute virtual office hours to answer your questions and help you determine if your startup is a good fit. Schedule a session here.

During the office hours, we’ll cover the basics of the program, answer any questions you have, and help clarify if your startup aligns with our focus areas and goals.

New Jersey is a top life sciences and healthcare innovation hub in the United States, making it the ideal gateway for international startups looking to enter the U.S. Home to one of the country’s three largest life sciences clusters, the state boasts eight of the top 10 global biopharmaceutical companies, nine of the top 10 R&D companies, and over 4,300 life sciences establishments. With the highest concentration of scientists and engineers in the nation, world-class research universities, and a thriving ecosystem of incubators, accelerators, and funding sources, New Jersey provides unparalleled opportunities for healthcare and life sciences startups. Additionally, its prime location between New York City and Philadelphia grants access to one-third of the U.S. population within a day’s drive, making it an ideal launchpad for market entry, partnerships, and commercialization in the U.S. healthcare industry.

HMH is short for Hackensack Meridian Health. Hackensack Meridian Health is a leading not-for-profit healthcare organization that is the largest, most comprehensive, and truly integrated healthcare network in New Jersey, offering a complete range of medical services, innovative research and life-enhancing care. The network has 18 hospitals and more than 500 patient care locations, which include ambulatory care centers, surgery centers, home health services, ambulance services, lifesaving air medical transportation, rehabilitation centers, urgent care centers, physician practice locations, and a fitness and wellness center. With more than 35,000 team members and 7,000 physicians, Hackensack Meridian Health is a distinguished leader in health care philanthropy and committed to the health and well-being of communities throughout New Jersey.

The network’s notable distinctions include having the only #1 ranked adult and children's hospitals in New Jersey, as ranked by U.S. News & World Report, 2023-24. Hackensack University Medical Center is nationally-ranked by U.S. News & World Report in six specialties. To learn more, visit our website.