When Henry Ford Health and Michigan State University Health Sciences formalized a 30-year collaboration in 2021, leaders saw it as an opportunity to fuse clinical expertise with cutting-edge research. Five years in, that partnership has taken a major leap forward with the launch of the Innovation Hub—a bold initiative to fast-track health care technologies from idea to impact.
At its core, the Hub, which is led by Henry Ford Innovations and the Michigan State University (MSU) Research Foundation (MSURF), is designed to close the persistent gap between academic innovation and clinical implementation. By aligning physicians, researchers and entrepreneurs, the program provides a structured pathway for early-stage companies to revolutionize care delivery, broaden health care access, and enhance patient experiences.
The Hub blends clinical validation, hands-on startup support and a joint $10 million venture fund for digital health, devices, diagnostics, care models and augmented intelligence (AI)—also known as artificial intelligence.
“Our work with Michigan State grew from the recognition that we could create something bigger together than either of us could do alone,” said Lisa Prasad, vice president and chief innovation officer at Henry Ford Health.
Henry Ford Health is part of the AMA Health System Member Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians, and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Building an end-to-end pipeline
For decades, Henry Ford Health has nurtured clinician-led innovations and tested new care models, while Michigan State University has built a reputation for venture creation and fund management through the MSU Research Foundation and its affiliates. The Innovation Hub brings those strengths together under one roof.
“What Henry Ford brings to the table is our clinical expertise, access to a large diverse patient population, and the operational environment to test new ideas and validate new solutions,” Prasad said. “We are a living, breathing test lab for new innovations.”
Meanwhile, Michigan State University Research Foundation contributes world-class research capabilities and a proven track record in startup acceleration. The collaboration now offers an end-to-end pipeline: discovery, funding, clinical validation and commercialization.
From AI implementation to EHR adoption and usability, the AMA is fighting to make technology work for physicians, ensuring that it is an asset to doctors.
From vision to validation
The Hub backs early-stage innovations that improve care and generate returns—marrying clinical validation with commercial discipline.
“This is not a grant program. It’s a professionally managed venture fund designed to generate returns,” Prasad noted. “So, for the $10 million investment, we will be looking at the returns on that investment in addition to the measurable improvements in patient care and outcomes.”
Examples already emerging from the Hub illustrate how this vision is becoming reality. For example, PatenSee—an AI-powered imaging company focused on vascular access for dialysis patients—was recruited to southeast Michigan with the help of the MSU Research Foundation. Henry Ford Health is conducting the U.S. clinical trial, and upon regulatory approval, the system is poised as the first customer.
“Our doctors who are actually leading the clinical trial are excited about it,” Prasad said.
Additionally, Protera Health, a musculoskeletal care company spun out of Henry Ford, is scaling nationally. MSURF invested early, reinforcing the Hub’s commitment to nurturing local innovations.
Then there is the Conquer Accelerator, which is run by the MSU Research Foundation in Detroit and admits five health care startups each year. Henry Ford Health provides clinical partnership and pilot opportunities. Of the most recent cohort, three of five startups are already moving toward conducting pilots at Henry Ford Health.
Money, mentorship and market access speed ideas into real-world impact, Prasad explained.
“That combination of money and mentorship and market access, that's what speeds ideas into real world impact,” she added. “The better we are at doing this, the more rapidly we can validate and launch that technology or idea into use.”
Learn more about Health2047, a Silicon Valley venture studio created by the AMA. Founded in 2016, Health2047 founds and funds early-stage health care startups with the goal of making a significant impact on the U.S. health system by the AMA’s 200th anniversary in 2047.
Measuring success, shaping the future
Success for the Hub will be measured both commercially and clinically. Metrics include number of pilots launched, speed of moving from idea to scale, jobs created, capital attracted and — most importantly — improvements in patient outcomes.
Prasad noted that a program will be deemed successful if it hits the metric that matters most: better patient health.
“Improved access, earlier diagnosis, fewer complications, stronger patient satisfaction,” Prasad said. “We want these solutions to serve our patients at the end of the day.”
Looking ahead, she sees growing potential in AI and digital health tools for diagnostics, decision support, and virtual care. Cancer and neuroscience are also expected to drive biotech and precision medicine innovations. Meanwhile, accessible care delivery such as hospital-at-home could help address workforce shortages and cost pressures.
“It’s not just about supporting startups. It’s really about building an integrated health care innovation economy in Michigan,” Prasad said.
