In the startup world, scaling up is generally welcomed — especially when it comes to funding.
After distributing $750,000 to the winners of the Reconstruct Challenge in 2022, the challenge’s sponsors recently announced the total funding purse would expand to $1.5 million in the search of pairing 15 founders with $100,000 in development funding in its third iteration, according to a news release.
The challenge, which is accepting applications to Aug. 10, is a joint initiative between the University of Louisville's Health Equity Innovation Hub (HEIH) and Render Capital/Access Ventures. For the first time in its history, the challenge is also receiving funding from the Kentucky Department for Public Health’s Office of Health Equity.
“Poverty and its related challenges are cyclical and complex, and there are no silver bullet solutions,” said Access Ventures Managing Director Bryce Butler in the release. “We believe that if we work together, we can enact meaningful change and increase health equity in Louisville and Southern Indiana, which is why I’m so excited to expand Reconstruct with the help of new partners.”
The inaugural challenge in 2019 focused on finding solutions to address the housing gap. The second edition last year was centered around barriers to employment. This year, the focal point is community voices.
“Addressing inequities in our communities is vital work because we know we are only as strong as our most vulnerable populations. We need to work together to elevate all of us. The Kentucky Department for Public Health is happy to be a contributing partner,” added Connie White in the release. White serves as the deputy commission for clinical affairs for Kentucky Public Health, as well as the interim director of the Office of Health Equity.
The selected 15 startups will then take part in a 12- to 18- month proof-of-concept phase in which they will collaborate with both community partners and UoL researchers to launch pilots within the Louisville area.
Those who wish to apply can do so at reconstructchallenge.com.
Applications are open to anyone in the U.S. provided that the pilots are conducted in the Louisville metro area.
A panel from the sponsoring parties will select five winners for each of three categories: food access, maternal and child health and non-emergency medical transportation (NEMT) and access in the Louisville metro area. Showcase events will take place Sept. 18-20 (one category per day).
“By bringing together the lived experiences of community members, academic expertise, industry knowledge and entrepreneurs, the goal is to create solutions in partnership with the people experiencing these health inequities every day,” said Ben Reno-Weber in the release.
Reno-Weber — who also serves as the District 8 representative on the Louisville Metro Council — is the challenge’s point person and deputy director of HEIH within UofL’s of Research and Innovation.
The HEIH was formed through a partnership by the UofL, Humana and The Humana Foundation with its primary mission being to address health equity challenges through innovation, research and developing talent within the community it serves.
Last year, five startups were awarded $100,000 each from Render as winners of the challenge. Out of those, four of them were based out of state, including two from Brooklyn, New York. One of the recipients, though, Facility Management Services (FMS) is based out of Louisville.
