LifeX, an incubator established by the University of Pittsburgh, received a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to accelerate entrepreneurship in the tech field. 

LifeX is focused on delivering educational programming, commercialization expertise and investment capital, as well as helping startups to develop strong partnerships with industry and the financial community. 

This funding will allow LifeX to make a larger impact in the life science startup ecosystem. Currently, LifeX supports therapeutic, device, diagnostic and digital health technologies that are hoping to transform the future of health care through seed stage funding.

This new funding will help the program expand the existing Accelerator and Commercialization Program, create events and resources to attract and engage talent and develop opportunities to overcome the common risks associated with startups.

President and CEO of LifeX Gerald Vardzel said the funding will help further grow their impact in life sciences in both Western Pennsylvania and beyond.

“We are extremely pleased to have our unique business model at LifeX recognized by the EDA to assist life science startups with support at varying stages of their commercialization process. LifeX’s continuum of expertise and funding from startup to later stage seed investment provides multiple entry points to work with the entire LifeX organization to ensure meaningful and measurable impact on their commercial success,” Vardzel said.