What 51 Labs does

51 Labs is a women's health accelerator program launched in 2022 by MATTER, a Chicago-based healthcare incubator, as a large-scale innovation initiative focused on health equity. In 2023 the program sharpened its mandate to address the U.S. maternal mortality crisis, and in March 2024 it selected its second cohort of 10 startups. The program is not a separately incorporated entity and operates as an initiative within MATTER's portfolio, with a headcount of 1–10 employees and operations centered in Illinois, USA.

The core offering is a cohort-based accelerator: selected startups receive a $125,000 investment per company (funded by Health Care Service Corporation and the Laerdal Million Lives Fund), mentorship, and direct access to healthcare system partners for clinical pilots and validation. The cohort structure has run twice to date, with each cycle selecting 10 startups. Distribution is application-based through MATTER's platform, and promotion occurs via MATTER's website, blog, email newsletter, and press releases. There is no commercial pricing model, no separately reported revenue, and no disclosed technology product or platform underneath the program — 51 Labs is a programmatic service, not a software company.

The program is funded and supported by a coalition of named corporate partners spanning pharma (Astellas, Organon), retail health (Walgreens), hospital systems (BayCare, Parkview Health, University of Chicago Medicine), medical technology (Stryker), health insurance (Health Care Service Corporation), impact capital (Laerdal Million Lives Fund), and advisory/strategic support (Capita3). This sponsor base provides both the capital for grants and the clinical infrastructure for portfolio pilots, and is the primary structural asset of the program.

Name

51 Labs

Legal name

51 Labs

Website

https://matter.health

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

51 Labs is a women's health accelerator program operated by Chicago-based MATTER incubator, providing $125,000 investments, mentorship, and clinical pilot access to cohorts of 10 startups addressing U.S. maternal mortality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Illinois City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

51 Labs is a cohort-based women’s health accelerator program operated by MATTER that provides $125,000 in investment per selected startup, mentorship from healthcare industry leaders, and access to clinical pilots with partner hospital systems and payers. The program targets early-stage startups developing solutions to reduce maternal mortality and improve health equity in the United States.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• 51 Labs Women's Health Accelerator Program Cohort-based accelerator program providing $125,000 in non-dilutive grant funding per selected startup, mentorship from healthcare industry leaders, and direct access to clinical pilots with partner hospital systems, payers, pharmaceutical companies, and medical device manufacturers. Designed for early-stage startups developing solutions to reduce maternal mortality and improve health equity in the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• First cohort launched with 10 startups addressing maternal mortality
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• AstellascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAstellas is a pharmaceutical company partner in the 51 Labs health equity initiative focused on aging and women's health innovation.
• WalgreenscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWalgreens is a healthcare retail partner supporting the 51 Labs initiative addressing health equity through innovation.
• BayCarecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBayCare is a health system partner providing clinical expertise, mentorship, and pilot opportunities for 51 Labs startups focused on maternal health.
• Parkview HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParkview Health is a health system partner offering mentorship, clinical guidance, and pilot opportunities for maternal health startups in the 51 Labs program.
• University of Chicago MedicinecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity of Chicago Medicine provides academic medical center expertise, research capabilities, and clinical validation opportunities for 51 Labs startups.
• Capita3coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCapita3 is a strategic partner supporting the 51 Labs health equity initiative.
• OrganoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganon, a global healthcare company focused on women's health, partners with 51 Labs to support women's health startups addressing maternal mortality.
• StrykercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStryker, a medical technology company, supports the 51 Labs accelerator providing industry expertise and mentorship for healthcare startups.

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Healthbox: Long-running healthcare innovation accelerator that has worked with provider and corporate partners to run cohorts. Comparable as a healthcare-focused accelerator serving early-stage digital health and care delivery startups.
• Springboard Enterprises: Accelerator and network dedicated to women-led and women-focused ventures, including in health and life sciences. Comparable as a specialty accelerator channeling capital and mentorship to high-growth ventures in women's health-adjacent categories.
• Paratus Digital Health Accelerator (BARDA Accelerator Network): Also run by MATTER (51 Labs' parent), focused on digital health preparedness. Directly comparable as a sibling cohort-based accelerator model delivering funding, mentorship and stakeholder access to healthcare startups.
• Texas Medical Center Innovation: Healthcare innovation hub tied to the world's largest medical center, running accelerators and venture programs for health startups. Comparable as a provider-anchored accelerator model with direct clinical pilot access.
• Cedars-Sinai Accelerator: Hospital-system-affiliated accelerator providing funding, mentorship and direct clinical pilot pathways to health startups. Directly comparable in providing provider-channel validation to portfolio companies.
• UCSF Rosenman Institute: Academic medical center-affiliated health tech accelerator offering mentorship, investor connections and curated cohorts. Comparable in using a provider/academic anchor to deliver validation and capital to portfolio startups.

Broad incumbents

• JLABS (Johnson & Johnson Innovation): Johnson & Johnson's global network of healthcare incubators that funds and mentors early-stage startups across therapeutics, medical devices and digital health. Comparable as a large, pharma-backed healthcare accelerator with residency/cohort models.
• Mass General Brigham Innovation: Innovation arm of a major academic health system that runs accelerators, venture programs and internal innovation initiatives for healthcare startups. Comparable as a provider-anchored corporate innovation program offering pilot pathways.
• MATTER: The parent healthcare incubator operating 51 Labs. MATTER runs multiple startup challenges and accelerator programs and shares the same Chicago-based mission of mobilizing healthcare innovators, making it the most directly comparable entity.

Regional players

• Echo Health Ventures (Strategic Investment Platform): Strategic investment and accelerator platform formed by Cambia Health Solutions and Blue Cross NC, backing and supporting healthcare startups. Comparable as a payer-anchored innovation vehicle providing capital and validation pathways.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments12 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 51 Labs