CareQuest ACCELERATE Pilot Funding
By CareQuest Innovation Partners
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Quick Answer
Up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) in non-dilutive funds to pilot an in-market oral or integrated health solution with a US industry partner. Rolling monthly review.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- CareQuest Innovation Partners
- Application deadline
- Rolling
- Location
- International
About this grant
ACCELERATE is the pilot-funding program of CareQuest Innovation Partners, the Boston-based subsidiary of the non-profit CareQuest Institute for Oral Health. It gives companies that are already in the market non-dilutive funds and guidance to pilot and scale a solution with an industry partner. Funding goes up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh), and applications are accepted year-round, with a preliminary application due on the first of every month.
What the program offers
Companies can receive up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) in non-dilutive funds, which means you give up no ownership in return. The industry partner must match the funding, directly or in kind. Funds are released against the milestones in your pilot charter rather than all at once. Beyond money, CareQuest helps scope the project, offers data and analytics support such as claims analysis, outcomes design and ROI modelling, and holds networking events. The page also mentions follow-on support such as further partnership or investment after a successful pilot.
The program looks for solutions that improve access, equity and integration of oral and overall health, including for underserved people. Priority areas are scalable virtual and preventive care, exchange of medical and dental information and interoperability, and care for chronic conditions linked to oral health, such as diabetes, women's health and cardiovascular disease.
Who can apply
You need an in-market project already reaching thousands of people and ready to launch, plus an industry partner committed to support a pilot of six to twelve months. The partner should be an enterprise-scale organisation with regional or national reach, for example a payer, a health system, a provider group or a distributor. It needs a plan for how a successful pilot could continue or scale, and executive and operational sponsorship that matches CareQuest's support.
The program does not require you to be based in the US, but it is built for the US market, so you need to be in that market and focused on it, with a US partner ready to run the pilot. This is therefore open to an Indian company that already sells in the US and has a US partner lined up. It does not suit an Indian company that only operates in India, or an idea that has not yet launched. Applicants are typically Seed to Series B+ companies with a meaningful revenue base and a full-time team, and younger startups are pointed to a separate CareQuest accelerator called SMILE Health.
How to apply
Submit a preliminary application through CareQuest's site, which opens on the MATTER platform. It is due on the first of any month and reviewed on a rolling basis. If you are selected, you are invited to a secondary application with a detailed project proposal, budget, targets and milestones, due by the first of a following month. Missing that date moves the review to the next month. A practical tip: line up your partner's agreement in principle before you apply, since the partner's commitment and matching support are central to the program.
How applications are judged and what happens next
After the secondary application, you take part in a 20-minute interview with the review committee, where you present the project and answer questions. You are told the result after the monthly review cycle. Funding is then paid against the milestones in your pilot charter. The page does not publish a formal scoring list or a list of permitted costs.
About CareQuest Innovation Partners
CareQuest Innovation Partners is the for-profit subsidiary of the non-profit CareQuest Institute for Oral Health and is located in Boston. Pilots it has supported include teledentistry remote monitoring, AI-enabled oral health scoring in clinics that serve Medicaid patients, and AI-enabled virtual screenings for schoolchildren.
Things to check before you apply
- Your partner must commit to a six to twelve month pilot and match the support from CareQuest.
- You cannot take part in SMILE Health and ACCELERATE at the same time.
- Check that you can show independent validation of your solution, and FDA clearance or approval if it applies.
- You need enough runway to operate through the pilot, since funds arrive against milestones.
- Applying through a third-party platform means you will need an account there.
Eligibility
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Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
- Equity
- Equity-free
- Repayment
- Non-repayable
What You Get
ACCELERATE pays up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) in non-dilutive funds, released against the milestones in your pilot charter, and your industry partner must match it at least 1:1 in cash or in kind. Funds go to costs that directly support the pilot, such as product deployment, delivery and onboarding of pilot users, with modest analytics or feature costs where essential. CareQuest also helps scope the project, provides claims analysis, outcomes design and ROI modelling, and offers follow-on support such as further partnership or investment after a successful pilot.
- Disbursement
- Milestone Based
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Applications
Rolling basis
Selection Process
CareQuest reviews preliminary applications on a rolling basis and invites selected companies to a secondary application, then to a 20-minute review-committee interview. Notification follows the monthly review cycle. Funding is released against milestones in the pilot charter. The source page does not publish formal scoring criteria.
Application Process
- 1
Preliminary application
Apply by the first of any month.
You - 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply for CareQuest ACCELERATE?
In-market companies with a project reaching thousands of people, ready to launch, and an industry partner committed to a 6 to 12 month pilot. The solution must advance access, equity or integration of oral and overall health.
Can Indian startups apply for CareQuest ACCELERATE?
Yes, if they are already in the US market. The program does not require you to be based in the US, but you must focus on the US and run the pilot with a US enterprise partner.
How much funding does CareQuest ACCELERATE give?
Up to US$100,000 (about ₹95 lakh) in non-dilutive funds. Your industry partner must match the support directly or in kind.
How is the ACCELERATE funding paid?
Funds are distributed based on the milestones in the pilot charter. The source does not give the number or timing of payments or the currency beyond the dollar amount.
What is the deadline for CareQuest ACCELERATE?
There is no single deadline. Applications are accepted year-round, and preliminary applications are due on the first of every month and reviewed on a rolling basis. If you miss a date, your review moves to the following month.
Is CareQuest ACCELERATE a grant or equity?
The funds are described as non-dilutive, so you do not give up ownership. The source does not describe it as an investment, but it mentions further partnership or investment support after a successful pilot.
What do I need to apply for ACCELERATE?
A preliminary application first. If selected, a secondary application with a detailed project proposal, budget, targets and milestones follows. You also need an industry partner committed to the pilot.
Do I have to travel for ACCELERATE?
The source does not mention travel. It describes a 20-minute interview with the review committee but does not say whether it is in person or online.
Is it free to apply to CareQuest ACCELERATE?
The source does not mention an application fee. Applications go through a third-party platform that you will need to register on.
When will I hear back about ACCELERATE?
You are notified after the monthly review cycle. The source does not give an exact number of days.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
