Challenge Goal

Joining hands For this Challenge, the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI) sought startups and entrepreneurs who are developing and validating digital health-based solutions that support the goals of the Healey-Driscoll administration’s Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts (AHEM) Initiative. This Challenge was divided into four tracks, all aimed at meeting AHEM’s goals of eliminating racial, economic, and regional disparities in health outcomes:

AI for Health Equity;
Addressing Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) for Cardiometabolic Diseases;
Maternal and Infant Health;
Medicaid Pilot Track (MPT).

Program Overview

Eleven finalists were selected to compete for prizes worth $250,000.

Finalists in the Sandbox Tracks (Addressing SDOH for Cardiometabolic Diseases, AI for Health Equity, and Maternal and Infant Health) were matched with members of MeHI’s Digital Health Sandbox Network to scope testing and validation projects. One winner in each Sandbox track was selected to receive $50,000 to complete their validation project. Finalists in the Medicaid Pilot Track competed for the opportunity to work with UMass Chan Medical School to pilot their solution with members of Community Care Cooperative (C3), an opportunity valued at $100,000.

Finalists also took part in Mass Digital Health Connects, a three-month series of informative and interactive virtual workshops featuring prominent voices from across the ecosystem including venture capitalists, state and federal policymakers, and leading researchers.

AI for Health Equity Track

Track Winner: Greens Health (Missouri City, TX)

Greens Health is revolutionizing diabetes care and chronic disease management through AI-powered continuous glucose monitoring, personalized dietary guidance and culturally relevant education. Focused on underserved communities, Greens Health addresses critical barriers such as food insecurity and limited healthcare access by enhancing patient engagement, improving medication adherence and streamlining care coordination.

Equity Quotient (Weston, MA)

Equity Quotient’s innovative SaaS platform leverages responsible AI to help health care organizations identify and address disparities within their populations. Their enterprise-grade solution is designed to help health care systems, payers and community-based organizations reduce costs, improve outcomes and achieve compliance with emerging mandates.

Psyche Care (Cambridge, MA)

Psyche is an innovative mental health platform dedicated to advancing health equity by empowering caregivers of emotionally complex youth to foster relational health and manage symptoms at home. Designed to bridge gaps in mental health services for underserved families, Psyche provides accessible, personalized and scalable solutions to promote long-term family wellness.

Medicaid Pilot Track

Track Winner: myBiometry (Lowell, MA)

myBiometry is a digital health platform empowering people with asthma and COPD to prevent attacks through proactive, data-driven insights. By leveraging intelligent diagnostics and connected monitoring, myBiometry detects deteriorating respiratory health up to 20 days in advance, enabling early intervention and reducing the risk of life-threatening episodes.

Keva Health (Lexington, MA)

Keva Health is a virtual remote patient monitoring platform designed to improve asthma and COPD management through real-time monitoring, personalized education and proactive clinical support. Keva partners with health care providers to deliver Bluetooth-enabled spirometry and oximetry tracking, automated symptom assessments and timely risk alerts, helping patients stay on top of their lung health and reducing preventable ER visits.

Nudge Health (Medford, MA)

Nudge is revolutionizing medication adherence with a simple, privacy-first tracking device designed to help patients and caregivers manage chronic conditions like asthma, COPD and heart failure. By tackling one of the leading causes of preventable hospitalizations — medication non-adherence — Nudge empowers patients, supports caregivers and helps healthcare providers improve outcomes while reducing costs.

Maternal and Infant Health Track

Track Winner: Candlelit Care (Monroe, NC)

Candlelit Care is dedicated to addressing the delayed diagnosis of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders by streamlining access to insurance-covered screening, intervention and treatment for perinatal women.

Flourish Care (Newport, RI)

Flourish Care is transforming maternal and infant health by delivering equitable, wraparound care through a seamless, tech-enabled platform. Flourish partners with health systems and insurers to offer culturally competent prenatal, birth and postpartum services tailored to the unique needs of birthing people and their families.

Joyuus (Cumberland, RI)

Joyuus is a culturally responsive SaaS platform designed to support postpartum moms with actionable self-care guidance, early risk identification and seamless connections to relevant resources. The platform delivers evidence-based insights across mental, physical and social health, helping moms navigate postpartum challenges.

SDOH for Cardiometabolic Health Track

Track Winner: Culture Care Collective (Cambridge, MA)

Culture Care Collective is an innovative care coordination platform powered by community and AI that connects minoritized populations to essential health and social resources while unburdening health care staff and improving access, efficiency and health outcomes. By seamlessly integrating with clinics and other healthcare organizations, Culture Care Collective bridges care gaps without disrupting clinical workflows.

mDoc (Houston, TX)

mDoc is a digital health social enterprise that leverages AI-enabled self-care coaching, community-based support hubs, a geocoded directory for quality care and provider training to optimize chronic disease management for underserved populations. By fostering a connected, holistic support system, mDoc empowers individuals to take control of their health while improving access, outcomes and equity in chronic disease management.

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Challenge 3 - Advancing Health Equity in Massachusetts (AHEM)