Arkansas Regional Innovation Hub in North Little Rock is hosting a demo day from 1-4 p.m. Thursday for teams that have now completed its 13-week HubX-LifeSciences, the state’s first privately funded and industry-specific accelerator.
The names of the eight startups selected to participate were announced in March. They’ve received $50,000 in seed investment, mentorship, assistance, have conducted product trials within Baptist Health and qualify for additional back-end investments.
The Hub said the demo day at 201 E. Broadway St. in North Little Rock would be “part celebration, part presentation” and include speakers, pitches, demonstrations, the opportunity to meet seven “forward-thinking” companies from around the world and allow a close-up look at what the startups have been working on.
Each company will be introduced by a mentor and give a seven-minute pitch on the health care ideas, products and devices they have developed.
Mike Preston, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, will deliver the keynote address. The Hub said he’ll discuss the importance of entrepreneurship to the state’s economic development and why Arkansas is a great place to start a business.
Troy Wells, CEO of Baptist Health, will also speak at the event.
Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield also partnered with Baptist Health and The Hub on the accelerator.
The demo day is free and all are welcome, but The Hub requests that those planning to attend fill out its online RSVP form.
The Hub also noted in a news release about the demo day the achievements of two HubX-LifeSciences teams. Chrona of St. Louis won the Start-Q pitch competition last month in Memphis, and Aces Health of Atlanta won the launch pitch competition at Techweek in Chicago last week.
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