# NeuroTech Harbor: Our nation's first equitech ecosystem for neuromedical technologies

> **NIH NIH U54** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $1,000,000

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY OVERALL
 The two aims of NeuroTech Harbor are: (AIM 1) to accelerate early development of the most promising
neuromedical solutions, and (AIM 2) to increase the number of women & URM innovators through outreach and
education, and to improve equity and accessibility of neuromedical solutions. NeuroTech Harbor (NTH), led by
Johns Hopkins and Howard Universities, will accelerate the development of highly promising solutions to improve
neurological health for all. Solutions for all means also for the underserved, often synonymous with minority
groups. Diverse innovators should sit at the table on day one, but very few minority entrepreneurs exist. To
address these inequities, we will build NTH with an Equitech philosophy, which is the belief that diversity of
teams, leadership, and perspectives is a force multiplier to fuel innovation, producing solutions accessible to all
communities. Hopkins & Howard are uniquely positioned to realize this vision. Hopkins brings a foundation of
researchers, prestigious research centers, and programs and has a translation track record ($3B invested in
start-ups in the last 7 years). Howard complements this with a large pipeline of aspiring under-represented
minority (URM) innovators both within and outside the Howard community. Howard has nurtured this community
with early-stage mentorship, a successful incubator program, and recently received a $17M grant to create a
Center for Entrepreneurship aimed at building resources and support for Black business owners across the
country.
 NTH will solicit proposals from innovators nationwide addressing pressing problems. Although the areas
supported will be broad, covering all participating NIH Institutes and Centers, the expertise of NTH will be
inclusive but focusing on Neuroprosthesis (cortical, spinal, peripheral, vision, and auditory), Brain Machine
Interface, Neuro Sensors and Devices, Neuro Informatics, Neuromodulation, and Mental Health. For funded
projects, resources will be provided, and a dream team of specialists will offer mentorship and tools to guide
successful translation to first-in-human prototype. Specialists will be drawn from a diverse Steering Committee,
Advisory Board, and Consultant Network, composed of highly regarded clinicians, scientists, technologists,
commercialization experts, and patient advocates. To expand diversity amongst innovators, NTH has formed
strategic Outreach Partnerships with access to Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Serving
Institutions across the nation. We have created an NTH Institute, a center for innovator leadership development
to educate innovators in business development, translation and project management. Importantly, our needs
assessments will be guided by the principles of equity and accessibility for all communities and will include the
input of underserved stakeholders. Our 5-year goals are to (i) solicit over 500 applications and launch 45 projects,
where at least 15 have ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10919785
- **Project number:** 5U54EB033664-03
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ralph Etienne-Cummings
- **Activity code:** U54 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $1,000,000
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2022-09-30 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10919785

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10919785, NeuroTech Harbor: Our nation's first equitech ecosystem for neuromedical technologies (5U54EB033664-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10919785. Licensed CC0.

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