Entrepreneur Center creates health care accelerator

The Entrepreneur Center is launching a new accelerator, Project Healthcare, to stoke the growth of startups in Nashville.

The accelerator is the third aimed at local Nashville industries and follows Project Music and 1440 Publishing Innovations.

Michael Burcham, a health care heavyweight who recently started Narus Health, will join as chairman of Project Healthcare's advisory board.

How big is health care's economic impact in Nashville? $38.8B

The regional health care industry contributes about $39 billion to the local economy each year. It's attracting new companies, both startups and established, to the area. The ability to mix industry leaders with the Entrepreneur Center's startup focus is an opportunity for the existing health care industry to "pay it forward," according to Burcham.

"I'm excited to be back working with the Entrepreneur Center as it enters this next phase of support for innovation in health care," Burcham said in a prepared statement. "It's time to provide year-round support for health care startups."

The curriculum will include bi-monthly programs called Healthcare CEO Sessions and HealthChat with the Nashville Health Care Council.

Michael Burcham launches Narus Health for terminally ill

There is also the opportunity to participate in the Google Exchange program through the local Nashville Healthcare Exchange. The Entrepreneur Center's program with Google for Entrepreneurs will work to connect entrepreneurs to potential partners and investment opportunities through Village Capital.

The Entrepreneur Center is kicking off with an application process for participation in the GFE, which runs for a week in May.

There is also an annual 14-week accelerator.

Please check www.tennessean.com for updates.

Reach Holly Fletcher at 615-259-8287 or on Twitter @hollyfletcher.