Reckitt and Serena Williams Champion Health Equity Startups at SXSW

AUSTIN, TX – March 13, 2026 – Amid the buzz of innovation at South by Southwest® (SXSW®), a powerful new initiative took center stage, aiming to mend the deep fractures in America's healthcare landscape. Global health and hygiene giant Reckitt, in partnership with tennis legend and venture capitalist Serena Williams, today highlighted its ‘Reckitt Catalyst’ program, unveiling the first U.S. cohort of entrepreneurs developing community-based solutions to expand healthcare access.

During a featured panel titled "Breaking Barriers, Building Solutions," Williams, in her role as the program's Entrepreneur-in-Residence, joined Reckitt executives and two of the newly supported founders to discuss the immense challenges and opportunities in building a more equitable health system from the ground up.

A Crisis of Access, A Catalyst for Change

The backdrop for the initiative is a stark reality: the American healthcare system, despite its technological advancements, leaves millions behind. The statistics are sobering. According to recent studies, over 100 million Americans face significant barriers to accessing primary care, and more than 80% of the country is considered a 'healthcare desert,' lacking adequate access to hospitals, pharmacies, and providers.

"Here in the U.S., roughly 1 in 3 people have limited or no access to essential health services such as hospitals, pharmacies and primary care providers," said Ryan Dullea, chief category growth officer at Reckitt, during the SXSW panel. "That's the environment these founders are working in every day. As a company with global reach, our job is to use our platform to support our founders in scaling practical solutions in their communities. They're the ones quietly building the solutions their communities need."

Reckitt Catalyst is the company's answer to this crisis. The global social impact investment program aims to support and scale health ventures founded by women and underrepresented entrepreneurs—individuals who are often closest to the problems but furthest from traditional venture capital. Through 2030, the program plans to back up to 200 entrepreneurs globally, with 29 of those ventures based in the U.S., aiming to impact up to five million people.

The Innovators on the Front Lines

The first U.S. cohort of five startups showcases the depth and ingenuity of this community-led approach, targeting some of the most persistent gaps in the system.

• ThriveLink, founded by former nurse Kwamane Liddell, addresses the non-clinical barriers that land people in the emergency room. Recognizing that many patients need help with housing, food, or medication paperwork rather than more medical care, Liddell developed a telephonic AI tool that works without a smartphone or internet. It helps individuals with literacy or technology barriers navigate the complex web of social services, from Medicaid renewals to food delivery, with a reported 96% success rate in getting applicants a definitive outcome.

• Malama Health, co-founded by Mika Eddy, is tackling the nation's maternal mortality crisis head-on. The company provides doula-led, AI-supported maternal care for families on Medicaid, which covers over 40% of U.S. births. By combining continuous support from Doula-Care Navigators with an app for remote monitoring, Malama has shown remarkable results in a patient pool of over 2,500 women, including a 38% decrease in preterm births and a 9% reduction in C-sections.

• Attane Health, led by founder and CEO Emily Brown, operates on the principle of "food as medicine." The digital platform delivers personalized nutrition support and medically tailored groceries to Medicaid populations managing chronic conditions like diabetes. A pilot program with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Kentucky demonstrated positive behavior changes and reduced food insecurity, directly impacting health outcomes.

• Ema, founded by Amanda Ducach, is an AI-powered women's health companion offering personalized support from fertility through menopause. Trained on a proprietary dataset of millions of physician-patient interactions, the platform aims to correct historical biases in healthcare AI that can dismiss women's symptoms. It provides evidence-based guidance to help women understand their health and access trusted care, with early results showing that 75% of women who used its depression assessment sought professional help.

• Zócalo Health, co-founded by Erik Cardenas, is building a virtual primary care service specifically for the U.S. Latino population. By providing same-day appointments with a bilingual, culturally aligned care team, Zócalo Health aims to build trust and expand affordable care for a community that is projected to comprise over 30% of the U.S. population by 2050.

More Than Just Capital

The Reckitt Catalyst model emphasizes that solving systemic problems requires more than a simple injection of cash. The partnership with Acumen America, a venture capital firm focused on fixing the root causes of poverty, provides what they call "catalytic capital" and sector-specific expertise.

"This partnership is about shifting power and resources toward the people best positioned to solve America's greatest health challenges," explained Catherine Casey Nanda, co-founder and managing partner at Acumen America. "Women and underrepresented founders are often the backbone of the healthcare workforce but remain significantly underfunded. By joining forces with Reckitt and Serena Williams, we are providing the strategic guidance and capital necessary to turn these bold ideas into lasting, system-changing companies."

Serena Williams's role as Entrepreneur-in-Residence transcends celebrity endorsement. She is actively involved in selecting and mentoring the founders, leveraging her own experience as a formidable entrepreneur and investor.

"It's been a privilege to be part of choosing this first cohort and mentoring these founders has already been one of the most inspiring parts of my work with Reckitt Catalyst," Williams stated. "Their ideas come directly from the challenges they see around them, and that authenticity is what drives real innovation. I'm excited to join them at SXSW® and help open more doors for women and underrepresented entrepreneurs who deserve the chance to scale their ventures and make a meaningful impact."

By placing its bets on these hyper-focused, community-rooted startups, Reckitt is pioneering a model of corporate social impact that is both strategic and deeply human. It is a recognition that the most effective solutions may not come from a top-down corporate directive, but from empowering the innovators who live and breathe the problems they are determined to solve.