ACCELERATE
Exclusive opportunity for SMILE Health alumni and industry partners to accelerate innovation through mission-driven collaboration
What is ACCELERATE?
ACCELERATE is an exclusive funding opportunity for alumni of our SMILE Health accelerator, helping to scale mission-aligned innovation. ACCELERATE builds on the momentum from SMILE Health, providing startups and industry partners the opportunity to work together to further validate and scale solutions that fulfill critical needs in oral health and advance business priorities.
This unique program provides continuity for startups and partners to initiate or continue collaborations after SMILE Health, further igniting our ecosystem of startups and industry leaders working together to drive meaningful change.
How ACCELERATE Works
CareQuest Innovation Partners and MATTER help “match” startups and partners, support scoping of outcome-driven projects, and provide non-dilutive funding. ACCELERATE projects, spanning 6-12 months, are designed to have clear milestones and impact, especially for underserved communities and populations. Alumni are asked to “pay it forward” by pledging to reinvest the funding they receive within three years, supporting future SMILE Health alumni in their innovation journey.
Participating SMILE alumni and partners will:
- Scope their project and goals together, with the industry partner providing financial or in-kind support through expertise, operations, data, digital tools, and more
- Form strategic collaborations that advance mutual goals – for example, working collaboratively on a new pilot program to offer a new service to customers
- Implement and scale mission-aligned solutions to further business priorities and gather real-world feedback, resulting in greater impact for both partners and startups
ACCELERATE in Action
Expanding access to care via teledentistry
A large multi-site dental provider teamed up with an advanced teledentistry remote monitoring platform to improve patient access and clinic efficiency. Together, they developed a scalable model that has already reached more than 5,000 underserved adults and children across clinics, schools, and long-term care facilities. Their goal is to expand this model nationwide, significantly improving access and outcomes for all. Read the case study.
Transforming oral cancer detection in underserved populations
A national mobile dentistry leader is piloting a new AI-powered non-invasive oral cancer diagnostic. By implementing cutting-edge screening technology and exploring innovative payment models, this collaboration aims to significantly increase access to early oral cancer detection for everyone, paving the way for improved health outcomes and reduced health care costs.
Accelerating path to market for a novel diagnostic
Global consumer products powerhouse joined forces with a pioneering saliva-based diagnostic startup to gather clinician and patient feedback to enhance the usability, intuitiveness, and safety of a solution designed to detect and diagnose oral cancers. This partnership created a clear path to scientific approval critical to making this saliva-based technology more widely available.
Tapping into new data sources to improve experiences
A national mobile dentistry leader is partnering with a data-driven dental experience platform to enhance feedback collection after oral health appointments. By better capturing the voices of caregivers for patients who cannot self-report, they are enhancing accessibility and equity in oral health care and ensuring the highest quality of care delivery for patients. This collaboration boosts the dental provider’s ability to deliver exceptional patient and caregiver experiences and creates more comprehensive performance reporting for health plan partners.
Ready to fast-track your collaboration?
SMILE Alumni: Are you looking for a partner to help scale or validate your solution? To start shaping your own ACCELERATE project, contact connect@carequestinnovation.com.
Partners: Are you interested in how working with startups can advance your business and innovation priorities? Learn more about ACCELERATE by contacting connect@carequestinnovation.com.