Community Health Innovation
Acceleratingcommunityhealthventuresfromideatodemoday
A Shark Tank style social impact challenge surfacing community led healthcare solutions for Philadelphia's Black and brown neighborhoods.
Case study overview
A Shark Tank style social impact challenge surfacing community led healthcare solutions for Philadelphia's Black and brown neighborhoods.
Powered by Independence Blue Cross and co-led by the Economy League of Greater Philadelphia and Accelerate Health Equity, the Well City Challenge 2.0 invited local innovators to pitch healthcare solutions that overcome barriers to equitable care. Working alongside ELGP and AHE, we helped run the program end to end, narrowing roughly 100 applications spanning 46 ZIP codes down to 15 finalist teams, moving them through a four week incubator, and producing a Shark Tank style pitch night at the CIC Science Center.
The Challenge
Equitable care needs local answers.
Black and brown Philadelphians face higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, fewer nearby physicians, and limited safe spaces to exercise. Independence Blue Cross wanted to back the people closest to those barriers with the ideas to solve them.
Community Reach
Applicants from 46 ZIP codes across Southeastern Pennsylvania.
Health Gaps
Disparities in mental health, cardiovascular care, and access to providers.
Capacity Gap
Community innovators with strong ideas but limited infrastructure to launch them.
Our Partnership Model
A Shark Tank style challenge, built for community innovators.
Three competition categories shaped the work: Creating Safe Spaces, Equitable Access to Nutrition and Care, and Supporting Community Connections.
Source
Open call surfaced 100+ applications across 46 ZIP codes; 15 finalist teams selected.
Incubate
Four week incubator with mentors and coaches, sponsored by The GIANT Company.
Pitch
Live Shark Tank style pitch night at the CIC Science Center in West Philadelphia.
Support Provided
What finalists received.
Strategy Coaching
Hands on support shaping each team's business model and operating plan.
Brand and Messaging
Sharper narrative, identity, and pitch materials.
Mentor Matching
1:1 pairings with operators, clinicians, and subject matter experts.
Pitch Practice
Weekly reps preparing teams for the live competition.
Prize Capital
$10,000 to each Judges' Choice winner, $7,500 to each People's Choice winner.
Pilot Pathways
Continued coaching and partner connections to move ideas into pilot.
The Outcomes
Local ideas, real funding, ready to pilot.
Three Judges' Choice winners and three People's Choice winners left the night with capital and the partnerships to put their solutions to work in their communities.
Finalist teams incubated
Judges' Choice winners at $10K each
People's Choice winners at $7.5K each
Behavioral health for Black and brown youth
Family centered integrative pediatric care
Local wellness providers in public spaces
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Solving complex challenges. Building better futures.
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