Fifteen months ago, we started dreaming about how to build the Launch Innovation Accelerator. We knew we wanted to invest in innovation teams focused on advancing equity within adolescent sexual health, and we had a powerful combination of shared interests and expertise. We—RTI International, Power to Decide, Healthy Teen Network, Youth Collaboratory, and SisterLove—bring to the table experience in entrepreneurship, human-centered design, and go-to-market strategy. We’re also passionate about meaningful youth engagement, reproductive health, and sexuality education. We knew we could work together to help further the paths of brilliant innovations, and we were so excited to meet the innovators dreaming up these disruptive solutions.
  
Starting tomorrow, we will meet our initial Launch Accelerator teams in person for the first time at the official cohort kickoff, to be held on the campus of RTI International in North Carolina’s Research Triangle Park. We will be welcoming five teams who are developing innovations to reduce disparities and advance equity across sexual health outcomes for youth. 
 
We will be working together with these teams to advance their ideas, expand their programs, test prototypes, get user feedback, and more. More importantly, we will together chart a roadmap of how these teams will spend the next 12 months working on their innovations.

This will be no easy feat for our teams, who are all juggling competing priorities such as full-time jobs, family responsibilities, and, for our teams that are co-led by youth, schoolwork. But we’ve chosen these innovation teams because we think they’re up to the task.  

We first met them when we asked them to summarize their ideas via our online application. Then we spoke to those behind the most compelling ideas through a series of virtual pitches. It was an honor to hear firsthand about their accomplishments to date, their goals for the future, and their passion for advancing equity in youth sexual health. 

Although it was challenging to narrow down a talented pool of innovators, we’re thrilled about the range of solutions our first cohort of innovation development teams brings to Launch, from mobile apps to new ways to support educators. All of these teams have already made great progress on their innovations, but during their time with Launch, we will help them try new things and refine their product strategies. Together, we’ll determine what’s not working and when it’s time to pivot, and discuss strategies for expanding their reach. We’re enthusiastic about our journey for the next 12 months, and we feel fortunate to work with our new Launch innovation development teams.