A promising Birmingham startup that aims to help cancer patients and their families along the difficult treatment journey is recalibrating its growth plans after receiving financial support from the Alabama Innovation Fund.
Fighting Cancer Network Inc., which is developing a “cancer companion” app to house informational videos as a resource for patients and caregivers, received a $100,000 grant from the Innovation Fund late last year. The grant program is administered by the Alabama Department of Commerce.
“We at Fighting Cancer Network are proud to be an Alabama company,” said Matt P. Scalici, the company’s president and CEO. “The grant from the Innovation Fund shows the state’s commitment to entrepreneurs and helps accelerate our company to the next level. We are extremely grateful and committed to bring attention to our home state.”
Scalici’s involvement in the company stemmed from a personal tragedy. When his wife was suddenly diagnosed with lung cancer, it was a devastating blow. Frustration crept in as the countless hours of researching into the cancer described by the oncologist left him with little to go on.

