Tri-County Economic Development Corporation

The Northern Kentucky Tri-County Economic Development Corporation and its partners will create the Northern Kentucky Health Innovation Initiative (NKY-HII) with this i6 Challenge grant. Currently, Kentucky ranks in the bottom third of the country in terms of personal health, with above average incidents of cancer, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. The state is aggressively investing in strategies to address the health issues of the region, and with healthcare and social assistance as the 3rd largest regional employer, certainly has the assets to do it. Additionally, Northern Kentucky is aligning their economic development infrastructure to support health initiatives as well, including entrepreneurship support organizations and investment funds.

By aligning the region’s top economic development, healthcare, university, and startup accelerator assets, NKY-HII seeks to stimulate and commercialize health-focused technologies and innovations. Through a set of entrepreneurial education courses, an Entrepreneur-in-Residence program, a four-month accelerator program, and outreach and events, the project aims to create and attract companies, jobs, and talent in the health innovation sector to the eight-county Northern Kentucky region.

At the end of the three-year grant, NKY-HII expects to have created 27 health innovation focused companies, added 44 full time jobs and 59 part time jobs.