Growth & Jobs | Novamed launches first healthcare start-up accelerator programme
by Keisha Hill - Senior Gleaner Writer · The GleanerNOVAMED’S MISSION is to enable access to quality healthcare in emerging markets through innovation and partnership with private and public sectors.
It is a diversified healthcare company and thought leader that brings innovation to public- and private-sector partners in frontier markets. They believe that geographical borders should not restrict access to high-quality healthcare.
Novamed recently launched Catalyst, the Caribbean’s first health-innovation lab, with a strategic focus on emerging enterprises and a commitment to empowering healthcare practitioners.
Under the Catalyst brand, Novamed has also launched the Caribbean’s first healthcare start-up accelerator programme, Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR), which provides resources to propel start-up businesses into successful enterprises.
Novamed is led by a team of founders, investors, and operators who understand well the balance among healthcare, business, technology, and people.
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According to Dr David Walcott, founder and managing partner at Novamed, the 12-week, in-person accelerator programme is designed to embed experienced entrepreneurs from healthcare and adjacent sectors into the growth journey of high-impact health start-ups in the Caribbean.
He said the programme aims to leverage the expertise of these entrepreneurs to provide start-up founders with hands-on mentorship and strategic insights.
“The Novamed Catalyst Entrepreneurs in Residence (EIR) Programme is designed to bring high-performing professionals into Catalyst, our health-innovation lab. Participants gain exposure to health innovation in emerging markets while contributing to solving real-world healthcare challenges. The programme was developed to bridge the gap between global talent and local healthcare needs, enabling EIRs to grow professionally while fostering impactful innovations in under-resourced settings,” Dr Walcott said.
Over the course of the programme, the EIRs will work directly with founders through workshops, one-on-one sessions, and collaborative problem-solving. Their focus will be refining approaches to product development, market strategy, and scaling, particularly in healthcare’s unique challenges and opportunities.
Additionally, the EIRs will have access to a robust network of investors, healthcare professionals, and innovators across the Caribbean. This network, combined with various industry-specific resources, positions the programme as a powerful tool for accelerating healthcare start-ups looking to improve health outcomes and expand access to healthcare in the region.
“The EIR programme aims to catalyse healthcare innovation by introducing fresh perspectives and global expertise, strengthen the start-up ecosystem by supporting emerging health tech and biotech ventures, create cross-border connections, and drive collaboration between local entrepreneurs and international experts. Also enhancing healthcare outcomes in the Caribbean by piloting and scaling innovative solutions tailored to regional needs,” Dr Walcott said.
The EIR programme supports start-ups by providing mentorship and strategic guidance from EIRs with expertise in global markets and healthcare while fostering innovation through collaboration on groundbreaking projects in health tech and service delivery.
Participants can also access networks that facilitate partnerships, investment opportunities, and knowledge sharing while accelerating scalability by aligning start-ups with the resources and expertise needed to tackle pressing healthcare challenges in innovative and sustainable ways.
Participants are selected based on academic and professional excellence, with a preference for backgrounds in health innovation, entrepreneurship, or related fields.
This also includes a passion for healthcare innovation, a demonstrated commitment to making an impact in underserved markets, and a global outlook with the ability to adapt to and work within the context of emerging markets.
“Current participants, such as Megan Cousins from Cambridge, exemplify these qualities, bringing fresh perspectives and deep expertise to Catalyst,” Dr Walcott said.
Novamed has built relationships with healthcare sectors and collected comprehensive insights from over 40 different countries, including Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, Guyana, Barbados, Thailand, Singapore, China, India, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Sweden.