Meet the Network: Elizabeth Kleinveld, Program Manager, NL USA Health Accelerator

The Life Sciences & Health ecosystem within the Rotterdam region is a dynamic network of companies, service providers, educational institutes, healthcare providers, and more, working together to innovate in healthcare. In this series, we would like you to get to know this network.

With the NL USA Health Accelerator now officially launched, we would like to introduce you to Elizabeth Kleinveld, Program Manager. Learn more about her role, what drives her, and how she’s helping startups take the next step toward international growth.

Could you briefly introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background?

I’ve been working with startups since 2013 as an angel investor and Founding Partner of Great Stuff Ventures and as Head of Acceleration at Startupbootcamp. I have a big network and like making relevant connections to help startups get to the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey. I also enjoy seeing them grow as they become more investor-ready and scale their businesses internationally.

Can you explain what the NL USA Health Accelerator is and what it focuses on?

The NL USA Health Accelerator is a collaboration between Erasmus MC and Cedars-Sinai Accelerator+. It helps Dutch startups with a functional prototype, MVP or validate proof of concept to 1) get more validation in the Dutch market, 2) expand into the US market 3) learn how to scale their businesses successfully. During the six-week program, they work on their USA GTM and fundraising strategies. We link them to a network of clinicians, investors, and potential partners in the Netherlands and the USA to jumpstart their business.

The program begins October 5th in Rotterdam and culminates five weeks later at Cedars-Sinai in LA. If you’re a startup that wants to understand how the hospitals and payer systems work in the USA or you want to be connected with pharmaceuticals, this is the right program for you. In week 1, we do deep dives with every team to understand the gaps and the connections they’d like to make during the program.

What are you currently looking for within the Life Sciences & Health network?

I’m currently looking to connect with ecosystem builders, those running incubators or valorisation programs, and investors who have portfolio companies that are ready to kick off their USA market entry.

Date: July 14, 2026