NEXUS Health

Discover
Design
Deliver

Equals Results

What We Do

NEXUS Health equips high-performing UConn undergraduate and graduate students with a structured, repeatable innovation framework to translate unmet clinical needs into impactful health-tech startups. Modeled after leading programs such as Stanford Medicine Biodesign and Johns Hopkins CBID, NEXUS brings together students across Medicine, Biomedical Engineering, Business, and Computer Science to build solutions grounded in real clinical environments. Startups emerging from NEXUS address high-impact challenges ranging from AI-powered drug discovery to advanced prognostic modeling in oncology, with a focus on clinical validation, commercialization readiness, and patient impact.

The NEXUS Innovation Framework

NEXUS Health follows a three-stage ‘biodesign’ inspired innovation model for young health-technology founders:

  1. Discover
    1. Students immerse themselves in hospital and clinical settings to observe workflows, pain points, and inefficiencies.
    2. Physicians and engineers work hand-in-hand to identify and rigorously define high-value unmet clinical needs based on clinical impact and feasibility.
  2. Design
    1. Teams design, prototype, and evaluate novel solutions through iterative development and stakeholder feedback.
    2. Concepts are stress-tested against competitive landscapes, technical feasibility, and user needs.
  3. Deliver
    1. Teams assess intellectual property, regulatory pathways, reimbursement strategy, and business viability. The outcome is a venture-ready startup with a validated clinical problem, defensible solution, and commercialization roadmap.

What We Offer

NEXUS Health provides selected UConn undergraduate and graduate students with a comprehensive incubation experience designed to mirror real-world healthcare innovation.

  • Clinical Immersion & Access to Unmet Needs
    • Direct exposure to hospital and clinical environments through partnerships with leading Connecticut health systems. Teams work on clinician-validated unmet needs identified through firsthand observation and engagement.
    • Interdisciplinary Startup Teams
      • Carefully assembled teams spanning medicine, biomedical engineering, business, and computer science, operating as early-stage startups with defined roles, milestones, and accountability.
      • State of the Art Faculty, Clinical & Commercialization Mentorship
        • Ongoing guidance from physicians, faculty, and commercialization experts across UConn Health, OVPR, and partner institutions to ensure technical rigor, patient safety, and institutional compliance.
        • Venture & Deployment Readiness (TCS)
          • Hands-on experience navigating IP, regulatory pathways, reimbursement strategy, and business model development, culminating in a venture-ready startup positioned for licensing, investment, or continued incubation.

          Intellectual Property & Fellow Safety

          NEXUS Health operates in formal partnership with UConn’s Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR). Intellectual property is governed through UConn OVPR under the leadership of Dr. Abhijit Banerjee, PhD. Clinical scope, patient safety, and hospital integration are overseen by Medical Director Dr. Joel Levine, MD, in collaboration with UConn Health and Connecticut Children’s.

          Apply for the 2026 Pilot Cycle 

          The NEXUS Health 2026 Pilot Cycle is open to all UConn undergraduate and graduate students, regardless of year or major. We welcome applicants from medicine, engineering, computer science, business, life sciences, and related fields. 

          Eligibility Requirements 

          To be considered for NEXUS Health, applicants must: 

          • Be at least 18 years of age at the time of application 
          • Be a currently enrolled UConn undergraduate or graduate student
             (students from all academic years and disciplines are eligible) 
          • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.40 
          • Demonstrate a strong interest in biomedical innovation, healthcare entrepreneurship, or translational research 
          • Be willing to commit time and effort to a team-based, execution-driven program spanning the full program duration 

          Applicants are evaluated holistically based on: 

          • Interest in healthcare innovation and problem-solving 
          • Willingness to engage deeply and commit time across the program 
          • Relevant skills, perspectives, or lived experiences 
          • Ability to collaborate in a team-based, execution-driven environment 

          You may apply as an individual or indicate interest in forming a team. If you would like to form a team, all members must submit an application individually, and indicate they would like to form a team  

          Apply by: February 2nd, 2026 

          Program Dates: March - December 2026 (Specific timelines TBA) 

          Apply Here