WICHITA — A Kansas-built innovation program is hitting the road — applying its successful model to Northwest Arkansas in a bid to expand growth opportunities for more early-stage companies and make the region a proving ground for technology that boosts health and economic vitality.
Wichita-based NXTUS this week announced HealthCatalyst NWA, a pilot initiative that aims to close a critical gap in Arkansas’s innovation economy: too few pathways for the region’s nonprofits to access and implement the health- and community-tech tools offered by startups.
“This unique program can help Northwest Arkansas continue to build its reputation and reality as a thriving region and a great place to grow a business,” said Mary Beth Jarvis, president and CEO of NXTUS, which is launching the program in January alongside the HTA healthcare innovation network in Arkansas.
“HealthCatalyst NWA will pair local providers with leading innovators offering solutions for their most pressing challenges,” Jarvis continued. “With this, the region grows as a hub for promising technology tools, helping startups thrive and driving improved population health and economic-growth outcomes.”
The Walton Family Foundation awarded NXTUS a $500,000 grant to fund the HealthCatalyst NWA 2026 pilot program, which builds on the proven model of the Kansas-focused NXTSTAGE Community Health and Vibrancy Pilot Competition, presented by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, which has prompted more than 77 health and economic vibrancy innovation projects in Kansas since 2021.
The HealthCatalyst NWA pilot is expected to help regional community partners and health care providers solve costly problems, while ensuring the participating startups have critical market feedback and commercial traction to move their companies forward, centered in Northwest Arkansas.
“The Health Catalyst NWA program will be instrumental in connecting visionary startups with local healthcare and community partners,” said Yee-Lin Lai, senior program officer at the Walton Family Foundation. “By supporting NXTUS, we are investing in innovative solutions that will improve lives and expand the region’s entrepreneurial capacity.”
Mary Beth Jarvis, right, president and CEO of Wichita-based NXTUS; photo courtesy of NXTUS
The NXTUS model will attract both Arkansas-based and global startups to test and scale innovative solutions, said Jeff Stinson, director of HTA.
“In addition to addressing community health challenges through funded and facilitated pilots, one goal of the HealthCatalyst program is to continue attracting talent to Northwest Arkansas,” he said. “Startup companies conducting pilot projects here will be required to maintain a presence here, which contributes to our ever-expanding entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
HealthCatalyst NWA’s inaugural community partners represent a broad cross-section of healthcare providers and community-based organizations working to advance health and well-being in Northwest Arkansas.
HealthCatalyst NWA’s pilot partners will provide input on community needs, which program staff will use to scout and recruit innovative startups offering relevant technology tools. Then, staff and partners will curate a finalist group of startups deemed most promising to achieve regional goals, from which partners will select their chosen pilot projects.
Funding for these pilots is included in the Walton Family Foundation grant, and startups will locate staff in Northwest Arkansas for the duration of the pilot projects, transitioning those positions to long-term residents as implementations extend to commercial contracts.
Applications for startups to compete in HealthCatalyst NWA are expected to open Jan. 1, 2026.
Click here to learn more about applying.
The program is seeking innovative companies from Arkansas and beyond to pursue pilot opportunities with leading community partners.
In the spring, select contenders will be matched with community organizations to focus on the most promising collaborations. Pilot agreements will be finalized over the summer, with projects launching in the fall, placing startup staff on site in Northwest Arkansas to implement and scale their solutions.
Pilot outcomes — including community impact, job creation, and service enhancements and expansions — will provide valuable insights into the impact and future value of the program to the region, NXTUS said in a press release.
This story is made possible by eGrowth Ventures.
eGrowth Ventures (EGV) is a business unit of NetWork Kansas supporting innovative, high-growth entrepreneurs in the State of Kansas. NetWork Kansas promotes an entrepreneurial environment by connecting entrepreneurs and small business owners with the expertise, education and economic resources they need to succeed.
