NXTUS Opens Applications for 2025 Community Health & Vibrancy Pilot Competition
Wichita, Kan. – April 9, 2025– NXTUS, Inc., alongside five Kansas health organizations, has launched and opened applications for the 2025 NXTSTAGE Community Health and Vibrancy Pilot Competition, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas (BCBSKS).
Now in its fifth year, this program matches startup innovators from around the globe with potential customer health organizations in Kansas, who are hoping to access technology solutions to improve the health of Kansans and remove barriers to community growth. The 2025 competition builds on momentum from 55 local and statewide projects awarded to leading startups since the program’s inception.
The 2025 program launches with five pilot partners that will evaluate the offerings of startups from around the world to find innovative technology solutions they believe can add value in their communities: Thrive Allen County, Hodgeman County, Livewell Northwest Kansas, Jenrus Freelance Marketing, and Russell Regional Hospital.
BCBSKS has been the presenting sponsor of the competition since 2021. Their partnership and support of the program enables community health and economic development entities statewide to access promising technologies that can make a difference for Kansans.
“At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, we believe that healthier communities don’t just happen – they’re built through teamwork, new ideas and a shared commitment to lasting change,” said Virginia Barnes, BCBSKS Director of Blue Health Initiatives. “By connecting forward-thinking startups with Kansas organizations eager to improve the health of their communities, we’re helping remove barriers, accelerate progress and shape a healthier future for all Kansans.”
"This opportunity affords us something we would otherwise never have had access to: upcoming entrepreneurs with amazing ideas on how to move the needle for a plethora of healthcare issues," said Lisse Regehr, President & CEO, Thrive Allen County, 2024 Pilot Partner. “For instance, we awarded Pearsuite a project in 2023, and over the past year, Thrive Allen and Thrive Butler staff used PearSuite's platform to assist 707 individuals across Allen and Butler counties. This included helping community members navigate critical services like SNAP, KanCare, Medicare Counseling, SSDI, and many others."
“Through our contract with Thrive Allen County, we’ve been able to expand our impact—growing from 5 to over 30 seats,” said Colby Takeda, Founder of PearSuite. “We’re also now supporting Thrive in becoming a Medicaid and Medicare billing entity by launching a Professional Corporation in Kansas, which will help establish clinical relationships with health plans to enable billing. The connection through this pilot program was vital—it created a pathway for us to not only scale our platform but also support real-time community impact.”
Last year, the program attracted 136 competitors from 31 states and 11 countries. Over the coming months, community pilot partners will evaluate competitors and narrow the field to the most promising technology solutions they believe are poised to help Kansas communities thrive. This fall, a finalist cohort of 8-10 startups will visit Kansas to meet with the pilot partners and other customer prospects from around the state.
Applications for the 2025 NXTSTAGE Community Health and Vibrancy Competition, presented by BCBSKS, are now being accepted here. Competitors should be startups with technology tools related to wellness, mental health, maternal health, substance abuse, civic engagement, health tech, or any product that enhances the vitality of the community and the well-being of the people in it.
In addition to BCBSKS, this program is made possible with support from the Kansas College of Osteopathic Medicine and the Greater Wichita Partnership’s Opportunity Wichita affiliate.
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