A Cincinnati startup founded by a mother-and-son duo is one of 40 companies selected for the latest “Solver” class, a global marketplace backed by the esteemed Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Re-Assist, a digital health platform built by Forest Park resident Ashley Barrow and her 13-year-old son, Aaron Bess Jr., has been named a “2022 Solver team,” part of the 2022 Solve Global Challenge, an MIT-backed initiative for the world's "most promising tech-based social entrepreneurs."
The Norwood-based startup was one of 75 finalists initially up for the honor, and Re-Assist was one of 40 companies selected for the class following a live pitch event held earlier this month in New York City. The Solver cohort had 1,100 initial applications from 117 countries.
All Solver teams receive a $10,000 grant, and those selected will take part in a nine-month “Solver” program, which includes coaching, mentorship, networking opportunities and more.
Re-Assist is the first and only Solver team headquartered in Ohio.
“In the coming months, our team – with the support of our community made up of corporations, foundations and institutions – will fund, support and mentor these entrepreneurs so they can scale their work and impact,” Solve’s Executive Director Alex Amouyel said in a release.
Re-Assist, a graduate of Northern Kentucky’s SoCap Accelerate, was founded in 2020 to digitize patient referrals, a largely manual process.
When patients move from an acute to post-acute level of care, for example, they’re often handed a paper list with names of potential resources, Barrow said. Re-Assist allows patients to take more control of their care planning process by filtering and choosing providers relative to insurance, location and more, which allows patients to make more educated decisions.
The goal is to reduce patient re-admissions, length of stay and expedite the referral process.
The Solve program is currently underway and will include a mix of virtual and in-person events and workshops.
As part of Solve, Re-Assist is eligible for investment from Solve Innovation Future, the initiative's philanthropic venture fund.
Additionally, Re-Assist was one of six selected solutions for Solve’s inaugural Black & Brown Innovators in the U.S. Program, which launched this year as part of its ongoing racial equity work. As a part of Black & Brown Innovators, Re-Assist will receive additional culturally responsive resources, support and coaching.
“As a Solver team, we will be able to scale our solution and make a larger, more lasting impact through our work,” Barrow said in a release.
Re-Assist is based at Norwood-based incubator Alloy Growth Lab, formerly HCDC.
Besides SoCap, Barrow has participated in Mortar’s accelerator. She was also recently awarded a Main Street Ventures “Launch” grant to support the development of the platform.
In total, Re-Assist has raised $93,000 in non-diluted funding. Its beta product is ready for pilot and build out, Barrow said.
