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As anticipation builds for MedTech World North America 2026 | West Palm Beach, attention is now turning to one of the most closely watched moments of the event calendar: the MedTech World Startup Pitch Competition, taking place on Day 2 of the conference, i.e., May 13.
Bringing together 10 carefully selected startups from across the MedTech ecosystem, the competition will see emerging companies step onto the stage to present their technologies, business models, and long-term vision in front of an experienced panel of investors, operators, clinicians, and industry leaders. The selected startups represent a broad mix of innovation spanning medical devices, digital health, diagnostics, AI-enabled healthcare solutions, and patient-focused technologies.
Find the full list of startups competing in the Startup Pitch Competition here.
This edition’s competition is powered by Ascend Clinical Research, Beacon Launch Partners, Blue Goat Cyber, FloodGate Medical, KARV, Malta Enterprise, and Prolucid Technologies. Together, these organizations continue to support the next generation of healthcare innovation by helping create opportunities for founders to connect with investors, strategic partners, and global industry stakeholders.
The judging panel this year brings together professionals with experience across venture capital, healthcare systems, commercialization, regulatory affairs, corporate leadership, and startup development. Their collective expertise reflects the increasingly global and interdisciplinary nature of the MedTech industry.
Micheal Haimour is a former executive with GE Healthcare and Boston Scientific. He held leadership roles across multiple GE businesses, built and led a consulting organization, and led a global GE Healthcare group advancing medical device development through hospital collaborations worldwide. He is now an investor and board member.
Eric C. Ulchaker is Managing Partner at Serial Stage Venture Partners (SSVP), a healthcare-focused investor network. He brings over a decade of startup and venture experience, including roles at Notre Dame’s Pit Road Fund and the 1842 Fund. He’s an active angel investor and graduate of Ohio State University, University of Notre Dame, and Case Western Reserve University.
Stephen Borg Balzan is a professional with a background in life sciences and a master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Malta. Stephen has been supporting entrepreneurs and investors in developing their projects for almost a decade, with experience in Xjenza Malta and Malta Enterprise, where he currently works as an FDI specialist.
Bob Crutchfield is a healthcare executive with more than 30 years of leadership experience across healthcare services, IT, medical devices, venture capital, and startups. As Managing Director of 1824 Health Ventures Fund and South Carolina Health Innovation Fund at Medical University of South Carolina, he advises and serves on multiple healthcare boards. He previously led BrightEdge Fund and Harbert Growth Partners, while also holding senior roles at US Oncology and Cardinal Health.
Over the last 25 years, Shai Policker has led the development, clinical validation, and commercialization of innovative medical devices across multiple indications. During his tenure as CEO of MEDX Xelerator, one of Israel’s leading MedTech incubators and venture studios, he helped build a portfolio now valued at more than $150 million. In 2024, he co-founded Edge Medical Ventures, a MedTech venture capital fund supported by the Israel Innovation Authority and the New Jersey Economic Development Authority.
Shai Ran Sapir serves as the cardiovascular portfolio manager at Mayo Clinic Ventures, where he focuses on connecting clinical insight, startups, and strategic partners. His work centers on commercialization, partnerships, and venture strategy aimed at advancing technologies that improve patient care, procedural precision, and healthcare system performance globally.
F. Javier Perez, CFA, is Director at BlackPoint Capital, where he co-leads private market efforts, co-investment activities, and investment banking across MedTech, biotech, and life sciences. He also co-founded The MedTech Alliance and helps produce The MedTech Digest. Previously, he worked at Cain Brothers & Company, managing more than $1 billion in assets on behalf of major healthcare institutions.
Maryam Mokhtarzadeh, MD, is a physician-scientist and regulatory leader focused on advancing complex therapies from discovery to clinical implementation. As Chief Medical Officer at Persephoni Bio, she works on building biotech solutions with long-term patient impact. Her previous leadership experience includes roles at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, AbbVie, and REGENXBIO.
Rachna Dayal is an outcomes-focused executive whose experience spans global corporations, startups, and venture capital. Having worked across multiple continents, her background includes leadership roles at Philips and Johnson & Johnson. She currently leads Sugati Ventures, a healthcare-focused venture capital firm investing in early-stage medical device and HealthTech startups, while also serving on advisory boards and co-founding the think tank AI Enabled Health.
Dr. Branden Rosenhan is a critical care physician, former HCA Healthcare executive, inventor, and entrepreneur. He founded PenBlade Inc., acquired in 2019, as well as ReddyPort Inc. As Founding Partner at MedMountain Ventures, a seed-stage investment fund operating between Salt Lake City and San Francisco, he leads MedTech investments and serves on multiple boards.
The Startup Pitch Competition has become one of the defining highlights of the MedTech World experience, offering founders a platform to showcase innovation in front of investors, healthcare leaders, and decision-makers from across the industry. Beyond the competition itself, the event continues to create opportunities for startups to build visibility, establish partnerships, and accelerate conversations that can influence the next phase of growth.
With a strong lineup of startups and a judging panel bringing decades of experience from across the MedTech ecosystem, Day 2 of MedTech World North America 2026 is set to spotlight some of the most promising ideas emerging in healthcare innovation today.
Attendees interested in connecting with the competing startups will also have the opportunity to meet them at the Startup Village across both Day 1 and Day 2 of the event, where founders will be showcasing their technologies, speaking with investors and strategic partners, and engaging with the wider MedTech community.
Those looking to start conversations ahead of the event can also connect with participating startups through the partnering platform before arriving in Florida.
Feeling the FOMO? Don’t wait until the last tickets are gone. Join MedTech World North America 2026 | West Palm Beach, taking place from May 11–13 in Florida, and be part of the conversations, connections, and innovations bringing the MedTech ecosystem together. Book your tickets now.
