Matt Miller, Techstars, on Digital Health Startup Acceleration

Digital Health Forward

In this episode, we meet Matt Miller, Managing Director of the UnitedHealthcare/Techstars Accelerator. The accelerator is focused on healthcare innovations that support payer and care provider efforts, with an emphasis on digital health and wellness solutions. Techstars has a worldwide network of entrepreneurs, including more than 10,000 mentors, 10,000 investors, 1,600 alumni companies, and over 200 staff members. Historically, on average, Techstars companies go on to raise more than $2M of outside capital after the program.

Matt’s background involves a diverse range of pursuits: wilderness guide, startup founder, investor, mental health professional, and behavioral scientist. After his PhD, he worked for health tech startups prior to joining Johnson & Johnson where he promoted health outcomes through digital interventions. He joined Techstars in 2019 after a stint as VP of Behavioral Science at StayWell where he led research, health coaching, and product development. Outside of his work as Managing Director, Matt is a sucker for travel adventures, spending time in nature, and eating food in restaurants where no one else speaks English.

In this episode, Matt and I chat about:

• How his experiences as a founder, behavioral scientist, investor and mental health professional have formed his perspectives on digital health innovation
• What it’s like to lead behavioral science initiatives and implement behavior change techniques (BCTs) into digital health products at a large company like Johnson and Johnson
• The UHC/Techstars accelerator program: what exactly happens during the 14 weeks, the support and resources you receive as a founder, and what the application process looks like
• Matt’s insights on recent changes and trends in early-stage digital health entrepreneurship and what has led to successful, valuable companies