CancerX announced the launch of its 2025 Accelerator cohort, which will concentrate on transforming digital innovation and AI offerings in cancer care, and a partnership with KidsX, a community of pediatric hospitals, to create unique opportunities for startups in pediatric oncology.

The aim of the KidsX collaboration is to emphasize a shared commitment to improving outcomes for children with cancer and provide a platform for startups to significantly affect this vital area.

Two of the 15 available spots in the 2025 cohort will be reserved for companies developing innovative solutions in pediatric oncology, and receive support from CancerX and KidsX.

Cohort members had access to diverse resources through partnerships with 10 Champion companies, including Moffitt Cancer Center, Advocate Health Care, MassChallenge and Oncology Ventures. 

During the inaugural cohort, the champions provided startups with opportunities for investment warrants, pilot programs with health systems, access to oncology subject matter experts for product enhancement and entry to one of the largest mentor networks in digital health and oncology.

The 2025 Accelerator program expands on the accomplishments of the inaugural cohort.

"We are excited to bring the power of the KidsX network to our accelerator this year," Xavier Avat, chief business officer and executive vice president at Moffitt Cancer Center and executive sponsor of CancerX, told MobiHealthNews in an email.  

"We have reserved two slots for companies focused on pediatric oncology, where KidsX will bring its network of 30 hospitals to accelerate these companies via mentorship, pilots and potentially even commercial relationships, in addition to receiving champion support from CancerX as well."

THE LARGER TREND

In 2023, Carrum Health, a digital marketplace that allows employers to purchase bundled healthcare services, joined the White House-led Cancer Moonshot CancerX initiative, which brought together cross-disciplinary stakeholders to drive innovation in cancer care. 

That same year, the Department of Health and Human Services launched CancerX, a public-private partnership designed to enhance cancer innovation in the U.S.

As vice president, Joe Biden launched the Cancer Moonshot, aiming to accelerate progress in cancer treatments and accessibility. As president, Biden revived the Moonshot in 2022.

In 2023, as part of the Moonshot, the Department of Health and Human Services launched CancerX, a public-private partnership designed to boost cancer innovation in the U.S.

In 2022, Dana Le, founding accelerator lead at KidsX, commented that her accelerator's analysis showed funding for pediatric-focused software grew considerably the previous year; however, it was still a fairly small portion of overall digital health funding. 

In 2020, KidsX Accelerator program launched with the goal of deploying more digital health technologies in pediatric hospitals across the country. The aim of the program was to bring together 26 pediatric hospitals to partner with early-stage digital health companies and build digital products that address the unique requirements of pediatric patients and their families.