PA Nonprofit Launches New Women’s Health Innovation Program to Close Gaps in Healthcare Innovation

New program from Upstart Impacts asks startups: does your product work differently in women?

Philadelphia-based program will help early-stage life sciences and medtech companies build a strong foundation for commercialization through a program designed to reduce the inequities in women’s healthcare

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 15, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Upstart Impacts, a non-profit dedicated to advancing innovation in life sciences and deep tech around the world, today announced the launch of its Women’s Health Innovation Program. The new initiative will help promising early-stage healthcare companies advance their technologies toward market while challenging them to consider how women may experience diseases and respond to treatments differently than men, and how those differences could lead to new applications, products, and better healthcare for women.

The program will select 10 of Pennsylvania’s most promising life sciences and medtech startups for its first cohort. Applications are being accepted today through December 15th via the Upstart Impacts website. The program will start in February 2027 with the selections to be announced in January 2027.

The initiative is open to all Pennsylvania-based pre-seed and seed-stage life sciences and medtech companies willing to look at their technology through the lens of a woman’s body. In return, the program will provide an immersive curriculum designed to prepare companies to advance toward funding and commercialization, including one-on-one mentoring and support, access to industry experts, and introductions to funding sources.

Historically, consideration for women in clinical trials and in healthcare R&D has lagged. Today, women are still nearly twice as likely to experience adverse effects of drugs as men, and are 50% more likely to be misdiagnosed after a heart attack. Despite accounting for nearly half of the global population, women's health receives only about 5% of healthcare R&D funding.

“Women’s health is not just about solutions that specifically address women’s health and wellness needs, it’s about having all life sciences and medtech companies consider women’s biology in how their products are built and evaluated. For centuries, medicine has treated women's bodies as an afterthought. We want to change that. We ask every founder, whether they're building a heart device or an AI tool, how their product works in women or for women. That question can uncover new IP, open doors to new markets, and make products better for everyone. And, we want Pennsylvania to be where that work happens," said Karina Sotnik, President of Upstart Impacts, and CEO of WorldUpstart, a recognized Top 10 Global Accelerator.

The Women’s Health Innovation Program builds on the success of a 2025 initiative developed and run by Upstart Impacts for early-stage life sciences and medtech companies led by underrepresented founders in the Philadelphia region. Funded by the Knight Foundation, the initiative demonstrated the value of individualized mentoring, expert guidance, and strong connections across the region’s healthcare and life sciences ecosystem.

The 2025 program supported 10 companies, eight of which secured funding. Collectively, participating companies have since raised $7.4 million. The new program uses the same support structure and programming, with an added women's health lens.

Philadelphia-based biotechnology company Ajaya Bio participated in the 2025 program. “At Ajaya Bio, we’re developing a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis, a disease that predominantly affects women. As first-time entrepreneurs, we benefited enormously from the experience of mentors who had been through the process. The program helped us make better decisions about building and growing our company, preparing for the next stage of funding, and avoiding costly mistakes.”

“Ben Franklin is proud to support early-stage women's health companies in our region — businesses that can harness Southeastern Pennsylvania's world-class research institutions, health systems, and founders to positively impact lives,” said Scott Nissenbaum, president and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Additional Program Details

At the heart of the program is a simple question: How could a better understanding of women's biology and healthcare experiences improve the technologies companies are developing?

• Who can apply: Pre-seed and seed stage life sciences and medtech companies based in Pennsylvania or Greater Philadelphia, or willing to relocate to Pennsylvania. Founders don't need to be women-led or working only on women's conditions; they just need to be willing to examine their technology through the lens of the female body
• Program focus: The program is disease-agnostic: cardiovascular, neurological, reproductive, cancer, autoimmune, endocrine, metabolic, and other conditions
• Application Timeline: October 15 - December 15, 2026 for a February 2027 start
• Support: 50+ mentors and experts, plus connections to healthcare institutions and investors
• Partners: Ben Franklin Technology Partners and Life Sciences Greenhouse Investments
• Cost: Free to participants; no equity requirements
  
  

About Upstart Impacts

Upstart Impacts is a Philadelphia-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps early-stage life sciences and medtech companies advance promising technologies toward market. Its programs give founders the mentoring, expertise, and connections to clinicians, industry, and investors they need to grow, and help build Pennsylvania's healthcare innovation ecosystem. Upstart Impacts draws on 15 years of experience bringing healthcare technologies to market.

Learn more at https://upstartimpacts.org/programs/womens-health-innovation/

Media Contact

Hannah Davis
Zer0 to 5ive for Upstart Impacts
hannah@0to5.com