gener8tor and Prosper Announce New Managing Director for Prosper Healthtech Accelerator
Birmingham, AL - Kellie Clark has been appointed as the new Managing Director of the Prosper Healthtech Accelerator, a program aimed at making Birmingham a center of health technology solutions through investments in entrepreneurship, talent and community engagements. Prosper Healthtech Accelerator is a collaborative initiative between venture capital platform, gener8tor and inclusive growth leader, Prosper.
As Managing Director, Kellie Clark will lead the Prosper Healthtech Accelerator in supporting and nurturing health technology companies with innovative solutions. Her expertise and experience in guiding first-time founders and her commitment to fostering growth in the startup ecosystem make her an ideal fit for this role.
“We are thrilled to have Kellie on board as the Managing Director for the Prosper Healthtech Accelerator," said J.W. Carpenter, President and CEO of Prosper. "Her passion for supporting early-stage companies and her focus on promoting a vibrant and inclusive economy align perfectly with the mission of Prosper. We are confident that under Kellie's leadership, the accelerator will continue to thrive and make a meaningful impact on the Birmingham community."
Kellie Clark brings a wealth of experience from her previous roles, including her position as CEO of Appthink, a platform that supports accelerators in emerging ecosystems with tools and frameworks to first-time founders through the problem-solution validation process.
She has also played essential roles in various entrepreneurship and accelerator programs, such as Director of Programs at Innovation Depot where she served as Interim Managing Director of Velocity Accelerator and spearheaded the creation of Voltage, Innovation Depot’s idea incubation program.
Her appointment comes at a pivotal time as Birmingham cements its reputation as a national hub for healthcare innovation. In a statement, Clark expressed her excitement about her new role:
"Birmingham's reputation as a hub for medical advancements is well-earned. We have all the variables necessary to become the epicenter for healthtech innovation,” said Kellie Clark. "The most important variable is the investment from our stakeholders, both in the form of capital and by piloting early products that address their deepest pain points or opportunities. If you have the audacity to believe your team can transform healthcare and you know your customers better than anyone else, then there isn't a more optimal place to spend 12 weeks of your startups’ life and build."
The Prosper Healthtech Accelerator is a collaborative effort between Prosper, gener8tor, Redhawk and other key partners in the region. It aims to invest in and support the best and brightest health technology companies while also promoting inclusive economic growth for Birmingham.
The Prosper Healthtech Accelerator is a 12-week accelerator that invests in five startups per program. Each cohort is kept small to ensure meaningful engagement with the program team, network and other resources. Participants receive intensive and individualized coaching and access to Prosper and gener8tor’s national network of mentors, customers, corporate partners and investors. Throughout the 12 weeks, the program team will help each startup secure customers, gain mentorship, accelerate their revenue growth and secure additional funding through the support of Redhawk, who is managing Prosper’s investment fund, and other investor partners.
The 2023 Fall Prosper Healthtech Accelerator program will select five finalists to participate in the program in conjunction with the gener8tor Healthtech Conference August 15-16 hosted in Birmingham. The companies under consideration to take part in the Birmingham-based program were recruited from around the world, and will complete a rigorous application and interview process focused on five key elements: healthcare system impact, team, traction, product/service and market opportunity. Of the 15 companies who participated in the program to date, five have since relocated to Birmingham.
Prospective startups, mentors, and investors interested in getting involved with the Prosper Healthtech Accelerator can sign up to meet with Kellie Clark and learn more about the program.
The Prosper Healthtech Accelerator is now accepting applications for its next cohort, scheduled to launch Spring 2024.
###
About Prosper Healthtech Accelerator
The Prosper Healthtech Accelerator aims to make Birmingham a center of health technology solutions through investments in entrepreneurship, talent, and community engagements. As such, we’re looking to invest in the best and brightest health technology companies. Especially competitive teams will be able to demonstrate their commitment to improving the Birmingham ecosystem through job creation, job preparation, and job access. To date, the program has host 15 companies from around the country. Five relocated to Birmingham in Fall 2022.
About gener8tor
gener8tor is a global venture firm and accelerator network that supports startups, workers, employers, artists and musicians across race, place and gender. gener8tor partners with companies, governments, universities and nonprofits to operate accelerator programs and conferences in more than 41 communities across 22 states and two countries. Fast Company named gener8tor one of the Best Workplaces for Innovators in 2021 and 2022. The International Trade Council recognized gener8tor as the Global Venture Capital Firm of the Year in 2022.
About Redhawk
Redhawk is a registered Investment Advisor with offices in Birmingham. Founded in 2018 by Matt Hottle and Mickey Millsap, Redhawk focuses on identifying investments in early-stage startups with high growth potential across a broad range of industries. For more information, please visit www.RedhawkVC.com.
About Prosper
Prosper is a nonprofit founded in 2021 with a vision to build the most inclusive and thriving economy in the Southeast. Prosper works to align Jefferson County, Alabama and accelerate progress towards a shared vision for transformational inclusive economic growth by connecting, convening people and organizations to align our efforts, and investing in big, collaborative ideas that will help transform our economy. Core to every action by Prosper is whether the action is equitable and whether it will invest in Birmingham’s and Jefferson County’s Black community and women.
