FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Collaboration with Methodist Healthcare Ministries Will Advance Health Equity
SAN ANTONIO (August 15) – VelocityTX announced today the cohort of companies that will participate in its upcoming Community Health Accelerator, which kicks off August 18 and is presented in partnership with Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. (MHM). Designed to advance companies with innovations that promote health equity, the Community Health Accelerator brings together four groundbreaking startups that are working to develop innovations to address the social determinants of health, a broad term used to describe the non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.
The accelerator will take a deep dive into the fundamentals of business with discussions around key market strategy, pitching, and fund raising, among others.
“Through this innovative accelerator program, we are propelling innovation and sustainable solutions forward at the intersection of business and community impact,” said Jaime Wesolowski, President and CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. “Together, Methodist Healthcare Ministries and VelocityTX intend to create a hub of innovation that launches improvement in the social determinants of health for years to come.”
Selected Participants for the Community Health Accelerator:
Viva Equity Fund (dba Viva Benefits) (Edinburg, TX)
Viva Benefits connects residents in affordable housing communities to vital services that improve health, education, and financial stability. Through a mobile app and community partnerships, they offer telehealth, tutoring, savings tools, and local resource navigation—removing barriers like cost, language, and trust to better support overall well-being.
InovCares (Cleveland Heights, OH)
InovCares offers a comprehensive maternal care platform with separate mobile apps for patients and providers, virtual appointments, remote monitoring kits, and essential support services like transportation, grocery and medication delivery, and community resources. Addressing barriers beyond the clinic—such as housing, transportation, and food insecurity—InovCares is expanding its impact in South Texas through New Horizon Health Center, and in Dallas via HHM Health and BCBS TX.
Healp (Fairfax Station, VA)
Healp is bridging clinical gaps by building patient communities—like LinkedIn for those with chronic and rare diseases. These networks accelerate research, diversify trial recruitment, and crowdsource innovation, all while addressing the structural inequities and social determinants of health that traditional healthcare and digital tools often overlook.
General Prognostics (GPx) (Boston, MA)
GPx is building the first virtual heart failure clinic, combining predictive AI, clinical decision support, and at-home diagnostics to deliver proactive, personalized care. With tools like blood collection kits, biomarker prediction, and potassium monitoring, GPx reduces hospitalizations and improves treatment adherence. By addressing barriers like geography, mobility, and cost, the platform expands access to quality heart failure care for underserved and high-risk populations.
“We are excited to welcome these exceptional startups to our Community Health Accelerator,” said Rene Dominguez, President and CEO of VelocityTX. “Each company offers a distinct, forward-thinking solution to address pressing healthcare issues, and we look forward to fostering their growth and development as they strive to enhance community wellness.”
“Our mission is ‘Serving Humanity to Honor God’ and we fulfill that mission by working to improve the health & wellness of the least served across the 74-counties we serve. By supporting this accelerator, we are investing in innovative solutions that have the potential to transform healthcare delivery and make a lasting impact on community health,” Wesolowski added.
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About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.
Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of healthcare by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. We use our earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. We do this by advocating for, investing in and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, we fulfill our mission of “Serving Humanity to Honor God” by advancing health equity so that more resilient individuals & families living in the 74 counties we serve can thrive.
About VelocityTX
Formerly known as the Texas Research & Technology Foundation, VelocityTX is a nonprofit organization established in 1984 to promote sustainable economic and community growth. In carrying out this mission, the organization seeks to advance San Antonio’s life sciences industry through the development of a state-of-the-art bioscience innovation campus on the city’s near east side. Based out of the former Merchants Ice & Cold Storage complex, the master planned development will bring together established bioscience companies, healthcare startups, and military medical research organizations in an inclusive community where ideas collide to spur medical breakthroughs. VelocityTX also promotes workforce development through its Step Into STEM program, and provides entrepreneurial support services designed to accelerate the commercialization of emerging medical technologies. Learn more at velocitytx.org.
| Brian Peters |
| Director of Marketing and Communications VelocityTX |
| brian@velocitytx.org, (210) 904-5984 |