Evantage joins service provider stable at TreeHouse Health

TreeHouse Health, the medical-technology accelerator with the cool loft office in Minneapolis' Loring Park, has a new partner to help it help start-up companies. Evantage Consulting, the North Loop business consulting firm with a roster of blue chip clients, in May agreed to become a service provider partner for TreeHouse.

It joins several local law firms and advisers in real estate and accounting that also help start-ups at TreeHouse. The accelerator's chief advisers are Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota and Hennepin County Medical Center.

The move was a natural, says Rachael Marret, Evantage's managing director, because about two out of three of its clients are health technology firms. "This gives our consultants an opportunity to work with entrepreneurs who are pushing the boundaries in the industry," she said.

She said Evantage also sees the relationship as a chance to build long-term relationships with firms that are on the rise. "It's generally a different engagement, a different pace," she said. "These companies are on more of an accelerated track trying to establish their business fundamentals."

TreeHouse has invested in 12 firms since its start in 2013. The latest is Reemo, which joined the TreeHouse loft in May. Reemo is developing software for senior citizens who have mobility impairments to control thermostats and other devices from smartwatches.