FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 8, 2024

Contact: Coby Jones, Director of Communications

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Halcyon announces the inaugural 2024 Health Fellowship cohort. The 2024 Health Fellowship brings together founders from across the USA and the globe, empowering them to shape the future of healthcare. These entrepreneurs are providing accessible digital screening tools, supporting cancer patients, improving healthcare access for the LGBTQ+ community, and more. This program was made possible by our sponsors Hewlett-Packard Enterprise Foundation, Deloitte, and Amazon Web Services.

Halcyon shows up in that critical moment where viability is proven and scalability is achievable, but where barriers could limit a business’s ability to last – even if that business has the potential to solve a massive global problem. To date, 75% of Halcyon founders identify as women or non-binary and 78% identify as a founder of color. In an environment where only 1.9% of women-led start-ups and only 1% of Black-led start-ups receive VC funding, Halcyon is paving the way for the next generation of impact-driven businesses with diverse and proven founders at the helm.

If you have questions about the cohort, please contact Coby Jones, Director of Communications, Halcyon at c.jones@halcyonhouse.org who can arrange interview time.

About the Fellows

Amber Nigam, basys.ai

Amber is an entrepreneur with over 12 years of experience in healthcare and AI. Currently leading business development and strategy for basys.ai as its CEO and Co-Founder, he previously Co-Founded kydots.ai and served as its CTO before its acquisition. Beyond his professional ventures, Amber actively mentors startups in the Techstars, MIT, and Harvard ecosystems.

Carole Spangler Vaughn, Eisana

Dr. Vaughn has over 25 years of experience in the Biotechnology and MedTech industries. She is the founder of Eisana, a development stage medical device company developing solutions to prevent side effects from cancer treatment. Dr. Vaughn is a recognized leader in technology assessment, excelling in applying appropriate business strategy to technology

Justin Ayars, equalityMD

Justin is the Founder and CEO of equalityMD, a LGBTQ healthcare and data analytics startup company that blends healthcare and technology with marketing and data science. He has extensive experience in crafting compelling narratives that resonate with diverse demographics, helping businesses authentically engage in new markets, and cultivating communities through relationship-building and technological innovation.

Jesse LaVancher, equalityMD

Jesse is an experienced designer who’s owned his own design company for over 23 years. He has a 14-year working relationship with Justin Ayars—Founder & CEO of LGBTQ+ healthtech company equalityMD. Jesse enjoys utilizing his creativity with equalityMD as the company works to change how the LGBTQ+ community perceives and receives care.

Akshaya Anand, Korion Health

Akshaya is the Co-Founder of Korion Health. She aims to develop impactful digital health tools that are affordable and delightful to use. In her journey since founding Korion, Akshaya has led technological innovation, ensuring that product development aligns with business objectives, maintaining security and compliance, and providing strategic technical leadership to propel the company forward in the dynamic digital health landscape.

William Andrew Mduma, LyfPlus Limited

William is the Founder and CEO of LyfPlus Limited, a pioneer telemedicine provider with most connectivity clusters in Tanzania offering teleconsultation, medical testing and e-prescription. He is a passionate scientist, technology enthusiast and innovator.

Brian Turyabagye, MamaOpe

Brian is the Co-Founder and CEO of MamaOpe Medicals, a MedTech startup that developed a device that complements the assessment skills of clinicians during the detection of vital signs of respiratory infections. His invention, MamaOpe, emerged as the winner of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers ISHOW Kenya 2022, Pitch@Palace Africa 2017 winner, and runners up in the Big Ideas competition with the University of Berkeley in 2016. under the global health category.

Abhisri Ramesh, MediMint

Abhisri, currently an M.D. candidate at George Washington School of Medicine, stands at the intersection of medicine, technology, and entrepreneurship. Engaging in the Clinical Innovation and Entrepreneurship Track at GWU, she dedicates her time and expertise to contribute significantly to the mission of MediMint.

Kelly Lakshmi, MediMint

Kelly is a seasoned leader in digital transformation and technology. With over 20 years in the industry, Kelly spearheaded digital transformation initiatives at prominent brands such as Coca-Cola, US Bank, and Capgemini. The exploration of blockchain technology and Web3.0 led to the founding of MediMint, where Kelly, along with key members, delved into the extensive applications of Web3.0 technologies.

Peter Njongwe, Oben Health

Peter Njongwe is passionate about using technology as a force for good. He is a software engineer, product manager, and behavior designer specializing in creating mobile products that engage users and have a positive impact on the world. He is the founder and CEO of Oben Health, where he oversees the vision, product, partnerships, and business development of Oben.

About Halcyon

Halcyon accelerates the impact-driven future of business. We believe there’s a competitive advantage to having a social mission in your DNA, and that impact-driven businesses represent a powerful opportunity to drive equity and inclusivity in the workplace and society.

Halcyon is the community supporting impact-driven businesses and their founders through space, community, and access. Our programs offer fellowships for social entrepreneurs and funding vehicles to help them scale their ventures. www.halcyonhouse.org