The CUNY School of Public Health and Public Health Policy (CUNY SPH) has spent decades shaping the people who power public health. Now, through Firefly Innovations, it is helping build the ventures that can transform it.
This fall, Firefly evolves into a full venture studio. It's a proving ground for high-impact ventures ready for deeper support, stronger networks, and real institutional momentum.
In the room · CUNY SPH · NYCWhere the next chapter is being built.
Years Operating
Ventures Supported
Founders Supported
01 / The Program
Firefly Innovations is CUNY SPH's public health entrepreneurship platform, built to make public health more agile by helping create and scale innovations that expand access to clinical and social care, reduce the cost of care, and build trust in the system.
This fall, Firefly evolves from an 8-week summer accelerator into a 9-month venture studio for a highly selected cohort — combining CUNY SPH's institutional depth with QUAY Acceleration's operating model to move companies toward adoption, investment, and scale.
The Crisis
U.S. healthcare spend, 2000 → 2033 (proj.)
Why now
The window to act is now. Firefly backs ventures that bend the curve and make healthcare more accessible.
What makes the model different
Firefly sits inside CUNY SPH, one of the top public health schools in the country and the only accredited-school-of-public-health platform of its kind. That gives founders access to faculty, alumni, and institutional relationships most startups cannot reach on their own.
The new model pairs a signature pitch competition with six months of milestone-driven support: mentorship, venture-building, investor readiness, and tailored guidance for companies ready to move beyond early traction.
Firefly takes zero equity, keeping founders focused on impact while helping sponsors engage a vetted pipeline of ventures working to expand access, reduce cost, and build trust in the health system.
Meet the Firefly team
Terry Huang
Distinguished Professor, CUNY SPH
Co-Director, NYU-CUNY PRC
Founder, Firefly Innovations
Moaz Abdelwadoud
Senior Director of Training, CUNY CSCD
Adjunct Professor, CUNY SPH
Besnik Berisha
Director of Marketing — CUNY SPH, Firefly, CSCD
Annie Dunlap
Senior Program Manager, CSCD
Rron Gjyshinca
Social Media Manager, Firefly & PRC
From the portfolio
$4M R&D grant awarded after participating in the accelerator.
Health plan contracts secured and won the New York AI Summit pitch competition.
$42K NIH-funded hospital pilot with Case Western Reserve University.
1st Place — Plug and Play Pitch N' Brew. Founder Jessica King.
In their words · Founders & mentors
"I'm excited to join Firefly Innovations as a mentor for the 2024 CUNY Public Health Innovation cohort."
"I feel like the Firefly Innovation CUNY Public Health Innovation Accelerator was designed for founders like us."
"We are excited to once again participate in this program and our team of mentors from KPMG are deeply engaged."
"It's been fulfilling to support this community and the world-class founders again this year."
"In an era of renewed global inequality, this accelerator is truly a safe space — I am connected to peers and partners I never would have reached otherwise."
"The accelerator was a great experience and is very different from many of the other programs that exist today."
"Honored to be an alumni of Firefly Innovations CUNY Public Health Innovation Accelerator."
"It was an honor to participate in the Public Health Accelerator sponsored by my alma mater."
"The CUNY accelerator was tremendously helpful — the mentors and the focus on Public Health and equity were unmatched."
"This is what public health innovation looks like."
"I'm grateful to be part of the team selected for the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Innovation Accelerator."
"The Firefly / CUNY SPH Accelerator was one of the most rewarding experiences in my startup journey."
"The accelerator provided the mentorship, education, and fellowship we needed to take our business to the next level."
"The mentorship and knowledge our team received participating in this accelerator has been invaluable."
"As a mentor for the 2024 CUNY Public Health Innovation Accelerator at CUNY Graduate School of Public Health — what a meaningful program."
Swipe →
02 / The Venture Studio Arc
Each stage opens a parallel door for sponsors: judging, mentoring, convening, and being recognized.
High-potential ventures are selected through a competitive pitch process in front of sponsors, investors, public health leaders, and institutional partners.
For sponsors
Sit on the pitch panel or join front-row. Title and Lead partners get formal input on selection criteria and finalists.
A select group advances into the full venture studio, with milestones tailored to each company's stage, market, and public health impact.
For sponsors
Higher-tier sponsors help shape who advances. Curated founder introductions and first look at deal flow before competitors see it.
Founders receive hands-on mentorship, public health expertise, institutional access, investor readiness, and venture-building support.
For sponsors
Lead milestone sessions, host office hours, and contribute domain expertise in working sessions.
The cycle culminates in visible progress: pilots, partnerships, investment readiness, and a showcase of what the cohort has built.
For sponsors
Receive impact reporting, invitations to the showcase, and visible recognition across program assets.
03 / Sponsorship
Firefly sponsorship is not passive logo placement. It is a way to support a zero-equity public health venture platform while gaining meaningful access to founders, institutional relationships, ecosystem intelligence, and the next generation of companies working to expand access, reduce cost, and build trust in the health system.
Founding Sponsor Status
Reserved for the first 5 organizations to commit at any tier.
Your name and logo are permanently placed on the Firefly website and at every future pitch competition, not just 2026. You receive co-founder credit in all press and communications, and priority renewal rights at your current rate. Once five partners commit, it closes permanently.
Be the sole sponsor of the program.
For one organization seeking category-defining alignment with Firefly's next chapter. A bespoke sponsorship scoped directly with CUNY SPH leadership.
What it unlocks
Fully bespoke. Standard sponsor inventory may be withdrawn or re-scoped if Title Partner is activated.
For organizations that want a true leadership position inside the platform.
A top-tier role for partners seeking stage authority, strategic access, and visible alignment with Firefly's most important moments.
Best for · Health systems, major foundations, banks, insurers, and institutions that want to lead from the front.
What it unlocks
For institutions that want authority, access, and a meaningful seat at the table.
A premium partnership for organizations that want to be visibly involved without underwriting the entire platform.
Best for · Organizations that want serious visibility and strategic proximity.
For partners ready to move beyond support and into real participation.
A substantive sponsorship path for organizations that want meaningful access to the cohort, ecosystem, and program momentum.
Best for · Partners that want a credible, high-status role without top-tier spend.
For organizations that want a visible, mission-aligned presence.
A lighter-touch sponsorship for partners that want to support the platform, show up in the ecosystem, and stay close to the work.
Best for · Professional services firms, community institutions, regional partners, and mission-aligned brands.
For active investors looking for sharper access to emerging public health ventures.
A deal-flow focused path for funds, angels, and strategic investors who want to see promising companies earlier and build relationships with founders.
Best for · VCs, angels, family offices, health innovation funds, and strategic investors.
For organizations that want a foothold in the Firefly network.
An accessible entry point for partners who want to support the work, participate in key moments, and build toward deeper engagement over time.
Best for · Community partners, service providers, early supporters, and ecosystem builders.
Tax-Deductible Contributions
Sponsorships are processed through the CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Public Health Policy, a registered 501(c)(3), and qualify as charitable contributions. Sponsors should consult their own tax advisors.
Acceleration · Track Record
Firefly's venture studio model is delivered with QUAY Acceleration, an operator that builds programs across government, university, and institutional ecosystems.
Companies Accelerated
Capital Raised by Alumni
Combined Portfolio Valuation
Government Partners
Active Mentors
Investor Groups Engaged
The QUAY team
Frances Simowitz
CEO & Co-Founder
John Lynn
Managing Partner & Co-Founder
Ariela Shai
Program Director, US
Valentina Cafarelli
Program Director, International
Kyle LaBossiere
Director of Strategic Partnerships and Growth
Jazz Pontillas
Executive Assistant
The first five sponsors at Flagship level and above receive permanent Founding Sponsor recognition: website placement, pitch showcase recognition, priority renewal, and named program founder status.
Inquiry
2026–2027 Sponsorship Prospectus · Built with QUAY Acceleration