Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator
HealthTech & MedTech · Run by Techstars · Chicago, IL
Every field is checked against a primary source where we can. How we verify.
The facts
All fields verified Oct 1, 2026- Terms model
- Equity for cashInvests cash in your company and takes equity (an ownership stake) in return.
- Investment
- $220,000
- Equity taken
- 5% minimum (5% common via CEA plus uncapped SAFE)
- Program length
- 13 weeks
- Format
- In person
- Location
- Chicago, IL
- Cohorts per year
- 1
- Cohort size
- about 6
- Stage focus
- early-stage healthcare
- Sub-vertical
- Not published
- Demographic focus
- Not published
- Backers
- Northwestern Medicine
- Notable alumni
- Not published
Terms notes: Standard Techstars terms per techstars.com/newsroom/investment-terms: a $20,000 fixed percentage convertible equity agreement for 5% common stock plus a $200,000 uncapped MFN post-money SAFE, totaling $220,000, with no fee to join. A three-month, in-person program with Northwestern Medicine at the Mansueto Innovation Institute in Chicago, focused on access to care, patient experience, physician and nursing efficiency, precision medicine, robotics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and digital therapeutics. The third class runs March 8 to June 3, 2027, with applications open August 24 to November 18, 2026; the program aims to select six startups.
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Terms in plain English
Techstars invests $220,000 in each selected company: $20,000 in exchange for 5% common equity under a post-money convertible equity agreement, plus $200,000 via an uncapped SAFE with most favored nation terms, with Techstars receiving a minimum of 5% equity overall. The program is a roughly three-month, in-person accelerator in Chicago, hosted at Northwestern Medicine's Mansueto Innovation Institute, with mentorship from Northwestern Medicine physicians and healthcare leaders. Cohorts are small, around six companies.
Who this is actually for
Early-stage healthcare startups working on patient experience, clinician efficiency, precision medicine, health AI, robotics, or digital therapeutics that want a major health system as a hands-on partner. You need to be able to work from Chicago for the three-month program.
Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator application deadlines
Frequently asked questions
- When is the next Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator application deadline?
- The next confirmed application window for Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator closes Nov 18, 2026.
- How much does Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator invest?
- Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator lists an investment of $220,000.
- How much equity does Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator take?
- Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator lists equity of 5% minimum (5% common via CEA plus uncapped SAFE).
- Where is Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator located and is it in person?
- Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator is based in Chicago, IL and runs an in person program.
- Is Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator still active?
- As of our last check on Oct 1, 2026, Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator is active.
Compare this program
Put Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator side by side with up to two others to weigh cash, equity, and timing.
Compare Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare AcceleratorGuides that explain these terms
Plain-English mechanics, with worked hypothetical numbers.
- Techstars investment terms explainedA plain-English breakdown of Techstars' investment terms: the 220,000 dollar deal, 5 percent minimum, and the uncapped MFN SAFE, with worked dilution math.
- How to choose a healthtech acceleratorA decision guide for health and medtech founders weighing clinical validation, regulatory support, and payer access against equity.
More like Northwestern Medicine & Techstars Healthcare Accelerator
Sources
Everything above was checked against these, verified Oct 1, 2026.
- https://news.nm.org/techstars-and-northwestern-medicine-announce-2026-class/
- https://www.techstars.com/newsroom/applications-now-open-for-second-class-of-northwestern-medicine
- https://www.techstars.com/accelerators/northwestern-medicine-healthcare
- https://www.techstars.com/blog/program-news/applications-now-open-for-third-class-of-northwestern-medicine-techstars-healthcare-accelerator
- https://www.techstars.com/newsroom/investment-terms