The Mercer Innovation Center (MIC) at the Mercer University – Eugene W. Stetson School of Business & Economics recently announced plans to support four new business fellows and five companies-in-residence.
The four new fellowship companies will make up Mercer’s second official class of fellows, launching with support and funding from the MIC. With the addition of five companies-in-residence, who will receive office space and other resources from the MIC, all together nine companies will be basing their operations in Macon, Georgia.
The Mercer Innovation Fellowships are available to entrepreneurs across the world, including current Mercer students. The award for includes $20,000 in funding, office space, housing/parking on the Mercer campus, student interns, MIC membership for a year, and access to Mercer’s resources such as networking and mentoring. Just two companies were included in the fellowship in the inaugural year, with the number of fellowships doubling this year. New companies include Hygeia, Ultimental, 43 Tech, and MedaSol.
“We are excited about the increased number of fellows and businesses choosing Macon as the place to launch and grow their companies,” MIC Deputy Director Stephanie Howard said. “One of the goals of the Mercer Innovation Center is to help entrepreneurs launch sustainable businesses, which ultimately impacts the Macon-Bibb County economy.”
This years’ class of fellows covers a wide range of companies. Hygeia aims to change the way healthcare is delivered to both patients and clinicians, using kiosks with customized diagnostics in an onsite machine. MedaSol, founded by an assistant professor at Mercer’s College of Pharmacy, is an app aimed to improve medication adherence in patients living with a risk of heart failure. Ultimental, founded by a Mercer graduate, is a performance-enhancing supplement for entrepreneurs, and 43 Tech, another company from a Mercer graduate, produces affordable technology solutions for everyday life through a credit-card sized bluetooth tracking device designed for wallets.