Grow Your Health Innovation Startup with Us in Charlotte, North Carolina

We‘re inviting innovators to build the next game-changing innovation in healthcare and accelerate their growth and scale in Charlotte and beyond.

About gBETA

gBETA runs multiple times every year in cities across the United States. Up to five companies from a range of verticals are selected from a competitive applicant pool to participate in the free seven-week program. Participating companies receive:

  • Individualized coaching and mentorship from the team of nationally ranked accelerator gener8tor on company growth and investor readiness

  • Weekly "Lunch & Learns" and "Mentor Swarms"

  • Investor and accelerator pitches

  • $1M+ in deals and perks from vendors like IBM Cloud, Rackspace, Amazon, Paypal, Zendesk, Hubspot and Microsoft

  • Ongoing post-program support and gener8tor community involvement and offerings

gBETA's goal is that graduates will go on to participate in an investment accelerator or raise a seed round. You can see gBETA's progress against these goals here.

Who Should Apply

gBETA Charlotte Health is a free accelerator for early-stage companies developing solutions that improve health, strengthen communities, and create scalable economic opportunity. Ideal applicants are building scalable solutions that address social drivers of health, improve health outcomes, and advance economic mobility, in areas such as:

Healthcare services

Healthcare Services, Delivery & Access to Care

Community health and social impact

Community Health & Social Impact

Consumer health and wellness

Consumer Health, Chronic Disease Prevention & Wellness

Food and nutrition

Food & Nutrition

Health-promoting environmental sustainability

Health-Promoting Environmental Sustainability

Life sciences

Life Sciences & Health Tech Platforms

We are especially interested in startups that can make a meaningful impact in Charlotte and, over time, scale to serve many other communities. The strongest applicants will have something real to build from, such as a proof of concept, early customer discovery, pilot experience, prototype, MVP, or a clear path toward commercialization.

While we value all entrepreneurial efforts, this program is not designed for businesses that seek to primarily operate as service providers (e.g., salons, spas, therapy centers, or similar businesses). Our focus is on startups that can achieve scale and attract outside investment.

Still not sure if you are a good fit? Schedule a time with the program manager here.

Why Apply

gBETA Charlotte Health can help you sharpen your strategy, build the right relationships, and position your company to grow.

Sharpen your business model and growth strategy.

Prepare for fundraising, customer conversations, pilots, and partnerships.

Build relationships with healthcare, public health, and community leaders.

Engage with Charlotte's startup and innovation ecosystem.

Position your company for local, regional, or national scale.

Geographical Scope

Program partners will actively source and support startups from across Charlotte-Mecklenburg, with a focus on founders advancing digital health innovation in the region. Startups based outside the city are also encouraged to apply, provided they have a clear intent to relocate or establish a presence in Charlotte or The Pearl upon acceptance.

Charlotte, North Carolina skyline at sunset
The Pearl innovation district in Charlotte

Why Charlotte

Charlotte offers founders a rare combination: a major healthcare market, a growing entrepreneurial ecosystem, strong civic leadership, and an emerging innovation district at The Pearl. For startups seeking a place to build relationships, test ideas, grow partnerships, and contribute to a broader community, gBETA Charlotte Health offers a compelling pathway.

Eligibility Criteria for gBETA Charlotte Healthcare

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Commitment to Charlotte

The gBETA Charlotte Health program will recruit nationally, but applicants must be committed to relocating or establishing a major presence in Charlotte. In addition, strong preference will be given to startups who are able to participate in the majority of the cohort programming in person.

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Program Commitment

Founders must be able to participate in 100% of cohort programming. The program requires approximately 5-7 hours per week, not including the time founders spend independently working on their businesses. Because this content is designed to strengthen Charlotte's startup ecosystem, most programming will take place in person at The Pearl.

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Openness, Fundraising, and Growth Potential

Applicants should be prepared to discuss their business openly with mentors, investors, and program partners while appropriately protecting proprietary information. Companies should be pursuing or preparing for meaningful growth milestones, such as customer discovery, pilots, product development, investment readiness, strategic partnerships, or early commercialization.

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Public Health and Community Impact

Applicants should be working on solutions with strong potential to improve community health. Founders must be interested in building meaningful relationships in Charlotte's healthcare, public health, and innovation ecosystem.

Upcoming gBETA Charlotte Health Programs:

Upcoming Program

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We are not currently accepting applications for this program.

Stay tuned. While there aren't any upcoming programs for this location at the moment, there are plenty of other available opportunities at gener8tor!

Program Timeline

Seven weeks of hands-on strategy meetings, weekly Lunch & Learns, mentor introductions, and 1:1 pitches with investors, plus ongoing alumni support to keep your momentum going after the program ends.

  1. Getting Started

    Program Kick-Off: A 1.5-day kickoff that maps out your next seven weeks, builds your cohort, and pairs you 1:1 with your Program Manager.

  2. Weeks 1–6

    Team Meetings: Two 1-hour strategy sessions each week with your Program Manager to set priorities and keep your business moving.

    Lunch & Learns: Weekly 1-hour sessions on: Market and Competition, Revenue Models, Financing and Milestones, Comparables, Pitching, How to Get into an Accelerator, and more!

    Mentor Swarms: One 2-hour "speed dating" session each week with a group of new mentors, for a total of ~30 mentor introductions over six weeks.

  3. Week 7

    Investor Swarms: Curated 1:1 pitch meetings with 25+ investors actively looking to fund startups.

    Showcase: Final celebration event with live pitches and networking with mentors, investors, and customers.

  4. Post-Program

    Alumni Support: Ongoing assistance and resources for graduates of the program to help continue their growth and success.

    gener8tor Conferences: Connect with corporate innovation network partners, investors, and fellow startups in key industries. Learn more

    Lightning Rounds: Curated, one-on-one pitch sessions between startups and investors. Learn more

gBETA Accelerator FAQs

Do you still have questions about the gBETA program? Explore some of our frequently asked questions below to find the answer.

Looking to Get in Touch?

Find a time for gBETA Charlotte Healthcare Office Hours or email Amory Lenarz, Program Manager of gBETA Charlotte Healthcare.

Headshot of Amory Lenarz, Program Manager of gBETA Charlotte Healthcare

Amory Lenarz

Program Manager | gBETA Charlotte Healthcare

amory@gener8tor.com

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