About 18 months ago HealthStart participated in Hack4Change where we had an opportunity to get support and help for our digital game, Monstralia. Kevin was one of the judges.
It’s typical of Kevin’s generosity that at the conferences conclusion he offered all the companies that had pitched at the conference to try Venture Start, Tech Ranch’s program to get new ideas and companies off the ground, on him. I jumped at the chance.
When HealthStart joined Venture Start we were trying to find support for our game, Monstralia: A Healthy Life For Your Little Monsters. The game uses baby monsters stranded on an island. Kids (aka players) find the island and baby monsters. The kids teach the baby monsters about foods that are good for the brain, bones, etc and how their body takes care of them thus learning how to take care of themselves. Venture Start helped us hone our “pitch” and mission statements, connect us with others at the same stage of development, and identify the questions we needed to ask to move forward.
I loved being able to come to the Camp Fires, a fast pitch, networking opportunity, Tech Ranch hosts, and learn about all the innovative and talented people in Austin working to find their niches. HealthStart made several great connections through Camp Fire.
Subsequently, Kevin allowed HealthStart to attend Venture Forth where we worked with a cohort of entrepreneurs to develop skills to grow our businesses. Each of us was to support the others with honest feedback as we worked through activities designed to expose us to specifics concepts and learn from the great speakers Tech Ranch recruited for the program.
Recently, HealthStart partnered with UT Austin on an National Institutes of Health (NIH) to future develop our game and evaluate its effectiveness in teaching kids good health concepts. The partnership with UT would have been unlikely without the push Tech Ranch provided us.
About HealthStart
HealthStart is building a healthier future for us all through science-based health education for kids. We set a foundation for lifelong wellbeing by teaching 3 to 6 year olds how their bodies work and the food and fitness habits needed for good health. Beyond taking care of their bodies, HealthStart helps children connect caring of one another and their world to their own health and the health of their communities. HealthStart is a 501c3 nonprofit organization founded 2010, currently operating in Texas.