Sheboygan startup Debtle, which makes software to help health providers settle overdue medical bills, is a finalist in a Kansas-based competition in which it could win the opportunity to pilot its product with a corporate partner.
The competition is run by Wichita, Kansas-based entrepreneurial organization NXTUS Inc. Debtle is among 12 finalists selected from a pool of 119 applicants from 28 U.S. states and seven countries for the NXTSTAGE Community Health and Vibrancy Pilot Competition, according to a Monday announcement.
Competition winners and associated pilot projects will be announced June 22. The same NXTSTAGE competition last year resulted in six projects between the invited entrepreneurs and program partners.
The pilot partners are six Kansas-based health organizations and companies including a regional hospital, two economic development groups, a rural health advocacy organization and two regional health nonprofits.
Debtle was founded in 2019 by the husband-and-wife team of Stephanie Hoskins and Houston Hoskins to make it easier to help companies and individuals settle debt. It's starting in health care and has already launched pilots in the industry. It aims to expand to other industries, too.
The Wisconsin startup has successfully participated in several entrepreneurship programs at the local and national levels, including the 2021 Summerfest Tech Pitch Competition, which it won, and nationally ranked startup accelerator programs Acceleprise and MassChallenge.
The other NXTSTAGE Community Health and Vibrancy Pilot Competition startup finalists are:
- Wichita-based Knowledge as a Service, which has an app designed to positively change habits in workforces or other populations via continual online training and testing.
- Kansas-based SoulFIRE Health, which helps facilitate training for professionals working in nutrition and chronic illness.
- Missouri-based Kadogo, helps facilitate giving through things like charitable donations matched by employers, cryptocurrencies and stock assets.
- California-based Akesa Health, which provides self-care services initially marketed toward health-care professionals.
- Michigan-based Caregivers Insight, which provides tools to help caregivers alter and customize their daily routines with patients.
- Massachusetts-based Embrace Prevention Care, which provides an integrated suite of Medicare-reimbursed services.
- Connecticut-based PursueCare, which provides telemedicine treatment for addiction and mental health issues.
- Georgia-based Small Bites Adventure Club, which helps promote healthy eating habits for children.
- New York-based SpairTime, which helps communities connect with local microbusinesses.
- Arizona-based Televeda, which uses digital tools to help address loneliness among socially isolated populations.
- Massachusetts-based Vincere Health, which provides tech-enabled smoking cessation and behavioral health services.
