Produced by Tom Moroney and Anne Mostue 

TOM: Joining us now in studio is Nick Dougherty. He is the Program Director for PULSE @MassChallenge. We all know about MassChallenge, but PULSE is the digital health division. So, you are opening bids, or applications, for the 2018 season. You take in companies with $5 million or less in revenue and funding and you accelerate them — you make them stars. Tell us a little bit more about this. 

NICK: I think what’s really exciting about the PULSE program is that it’s the first time we’re looking at digital health only — and really looking at a specific industry vertical… it’s really important to us that startups come first and we help startups win. Another unique aspect is that we’re looking at later stage companies, so this is not a program for idea-stage, it’s a program for startups with a product that works and can be deployed. It’s also a program where, when you get in, you recieve an offer from one of our partner organizations to collaborate. It’s demonstration, project-driven. Every startup that comes in recieves a Shark Tank type offer. 

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