Accelerating Public Health Solutions
At Firefly Innovations, we are reshaping the landscape of public health by equipping entrepreneurs with comprehensive tools and resources to transform visionary ideas into scalable, high-impact ventures. In a rapidly changing world where health crises evolve and intensify, traditional approaches alone are no longer sufficient. This is where Firefly Innovations stands apart—not just by bridging the gap between research and real-world application, but by accelerating and scaling the most promising public health solutions through a dynamic and robust ecosystem of support.
CUNY Public Health Innovation Accelerator
The CUNY Public Health Innovation Accelerator—Firefly Innovations’ flagship program at the City University of New York Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy—has earned recognition as one of the premier accelerators in the United States for scaling ventures that tackle critical public health challenges.
Our Mission:
To empower the next generation of public health entrepreneurs and innovators to create bold, scalable solutions that generate real-world impact.
Program Highlights:
8-week virtual experience offering personalized mentorship, technical support, and strategic guidance.
Mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs and industry experts, focused on refining business models and scaling ventures.
Technical support to optimize product development and operational processes.
Exclusive access to events such as demo days, industry conferences, and networking mixers with public health and business leaders.
Comprehensive support, including business model development, customer acquisition strategies, and financial management assistance.
Legal and regulatory guidance, public relations strategy, and continuous networking opportunities.
Funding support via introductions to investors, grant opportunities, and tailored market validation assistance.
Post-accelerator support that fosters long-term growth through a vibrant community of innovators.
Since its launch, the Accelerator has supported 42 ventures and 101 entrepreneurs, many of whom focus on solutions for underserved communities. With 90% of ventures led by minority founders and 50% by women, we proudly elevate diverse voices in public health entrepreneurship. Collectively, these ventures have secured millions in new funding, expanded their operations, and created impactful jobs, driving meaningful, scalable change in public health.
By offering an integrated approach—featuring expert mentorship, strategic partnerships, practical training, and ongoing post-accelerator growth support—Firefly Innovations is where groundbreaking ideas are transformed into sustainable solutions that leave a lasting impact on public health.
Firefly Collective: Global Health Equity Startup Hub
In 2024, capitalizing on growing momentum, Managing Director W. Michael Short announced the expansion of Firefly Collective, the platform’s enhanced web portal and online community, as a new Global Health Equity Startup Hub, which will provide year-round support, resources, and connections to public health innovators worldwide.
Although Firefly Innovations experienced record growth this year, the number of innovators seeking assistance exceeded the capacity of its programs. Even with a 190% increase in entrepreneurs supported, Firefly Innovations could only provide direct programmatic assistance to fewer than 8% of applicants.
Firefly Collective bridges this gap, offering more access, resources and opportunities to our entire global network of public health innovators.
"Last year, I committed to expand access to our platform," said W. Michael Short, Managing Director of Firefly Innovations and the CUNY Public Health Innovation Accelerator. "Today, we're delivering on that commitment.”
Firefly Collective offers an expansive ecosystem, where members can forge strategic partnerships, collaborate on cutting-edge solutions, and advance their work. It provides access to funding opportunities, research collaborations, mentorship, and professional development resources for public health innovators worldwide.
Uniting Communities for Collective Impact:
As part of this expansion, Firefly Collective will integrate and provide community support to the NYU-CUNY Prevention Research Center (PRC) and the CUNY Center for Systems and Community Design (CSCD). By integrating and providing support to these communities with Firefly Collective, Firefly Innovations strengthens its position as a global leader in public health innovation and ensures that breakthrough research and solutions are rapidly scaled and deployed, fostering a vibrant ecosystem where academia, public health, and entrepreneurship unite to shape the future of global health.
The Prevention Research Centers (PRC) Program, established by Congress in 1984, funds 26 academic research centers across the United States, each committed to reducing health disparities by studying how communities can prevent or counter the risks of chronic illnesses, including HIV, heart disease, obesity, and cancer. The PRC network develops and evaluates practical, community-based public health interventions and disseminates findings broadly across affected communities. This collaboration strengthens our shared mission by ensuring that innovative, research-based solutions are rapidly deployed where they are needed most.
CUNY Center for Systems and Community Design (CSCD) brings its expertise in systems thinking and public health innovation, with a track record that speaks for itself: since 2016, under the leadership of Dr. Terry Huang, CUNY CSCD has produced over 330 publications and secured more than $20 million in grant funding. The Center’s focus on applying systems science and design methodologies to public health challenges enhances the ability to address complex, structural issues at both the community and population levels.
Firefly Fridays
Building on the success of the Public Health Entrepreneurship Speaker Series, Firefly Innovations has expanded this program into Firefly Fridays—a weekly virtual event series that brings together the brightest minds in public health, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
Features:
Engaging sessions with public health leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators.
Workshops and interactive discussions designed to foster collaboration, inspire action, and drive impact.
A space for the community to connect, share insights, and accelerate their ventures.
Each session is designed to spark new ideas, encourage collaboration, and provide actionable insights for driving forward impactful public health solutions.
Public Health Entrepreneurship Courses
Firefly Innovations offers two pioneering courses at the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health & Health Policy, aimed at preparing students to address public health challenges through innovation and entrepreneurship.
Public Health Entrepreneurship
A hands-on studio course that guides students through identifying community pain points, developing viable solutions, and iteratively testing those solutions for product-market fit. Students work in teams to design, prototype, and pitch their ventures, gaining real-world insights from academic instructors and industry leaders. The course culminates in a venture pitch competition, providing students with firsthand experience in launching public health startups.
Design Thinking: A Creative Approach to Problem Solving and Creating Impact
This immersive three-week course introduces students to the principles of design thinking—a powerful framework for tackling complex public health challenges with creativity and empathy. Through interactive modules and projects, students learn how to apply design thinking to create innovative, sustainable solutions that drive measurable health outcomes.
Firefly Designathons: Collaborative Problem Solving for Public Health
Firefly Designathons are fast-paced, dynamic events that bring together public health entrepreneurs and experts to co-create and refine cutting-edge solutions. Each Designathon centers on a specific public health theme, allowing participants to engage in hands-on collaboration that sparks creativity and innovation.
Recent Designathon Highlights:
2020 Designathon (in partnership with MIT Solve): Focused on mental health, involving 7 venture teams and 70 participants.
2021 Designathon: Tackled challenges in biomedical HIV prevention and communication, with 8 venture teams and 25 participants.
The most promising ideas are presented to a panel of judges, with the top teams receiving continued support from Firefly Innovations to bring their ideas to life and scale their impact.
2023 Meng Fellowship for Healthcare Business Innovation
The 2023 Michael Meng Graduate Fellowship provides students in Health Policy and Management with an invaluable opportunity to gain expertise at the intersection of public health and healthcare business innovation.
Key Features:
A comprehensive four-semester fellowship with mentorship from top business leaders.
Access to professional development through the Career Skills Academy.
Hands-on entrepreneurship training delivered through Firefly Innovations.
Funded by Michael Meng, Co-Founder and CEO of Stellar Health, this fellowship empowers the next generation of leaders in public health and healthcare innovation.
Driving Global Change in Public Health
Firefly Innovations is at the forefront of public health entrepreneurship, providing the resources, mentorship, and community support needed to scale solutions for the world’s most pressing health challenges. Through our diverse range of programs—whether it’s our Accelerator, Firefly Collective, Designathons, or Firefly Fridays—we empower innovators, students, and professionals to take action, collaborate, and bring their visions to life. Join us in reimagining the future of public health.