NeuroBionics Named 2024 Vision Award Winner at Wilson Sonsini’s Medical Device Digital Health Conference

LOS ANGELES –  June 24, 2024 — MedTech Innovator, the largest accelerator of medical technology companies in the world, today announced that NeuroBionics, developing a device for minimally-invasive endovascular deep brain stimulation to enhance stroke rehabilitation outcomes for patients, was named the 2024 Vision Award Winner by the live audience vote at the Wilson Sonsini (WSGR) 31st Annual Medical Device Digital Health Conference. NeuroBionics was among five finalists chosen from the 2024 MedTech Innovator Cohort to compete for the award based on advance votes received during the Innovator Summit in Mountain View, Calif. June 12-13. This is the first of five live conference audience competitions in MedTech Innovator’s 2024 Accelerator program that will award over $800,000 in non-dilutive funding. 

NeuroBionics, based in Cambridge, Mass., is developing a new kind of neural interface using microscale, flexible, bioelectronic fibers that seamlessly integrate with the body.  As the 2024 Vision Award winner, NeuroBionics received a $8,500 non-dilutive cash prize and will be profiled in MedTech Strategist. All five finalists won a cash award, as the $25,000 prize purse was split among the finalists according to the proportion of votes each received from the WSGR conference audience.

“The Vision Award is a great way to kick off our Accelerator program, as a savvy conference audience of investors and industry experts rewards entrepreneurs based on their ability to concisely be convincing that they and their vision are worth backing over other incredibly compelling companies,” said Paul Grand, CEO of MedTech Innovator. “Dr. Nicolette Driscoll at NeuroBionics won the hearts and minds of the audience with what I would describe as a truly visionary presentation outlining the company’s game-changing innovation to dramatically improve human health with its novel minimally invasive technology to access, monitor, and treat regions of the human brain that today can only be accessed with open surgery.”

The five finalists were selected for the Vision Award competition based on votes of the 350 attendees of the invite-only 2024 Innovator Summit on June 12 and 13. Cohort leadership teams, alumni, and MedTech Innovator partners in attendance each voted for their 5 favorite startups based on the following criteria:

• Would I personally invest in the company?
• Would I want to work for the company?

“We’re so grateful to have been chosen the winner of this year’s Vision Award! All finalist companies are developing groundbreaking technology with tremendous potential to benefit patients, and we were truly honored to share the stage with them,” said Nicki Driscoll, Ph.D., Co-founder and CTO of NeuroBionics. “At NeuroBionics, we’ve got a big vision for a future where neuromodulation therapies can be delivered through minimally-invasive endovascular procedures rather than the invasive craniotomy and open surgical approaches needed today, and we are so grateful to be a part of the MedTech Innovator cohort as we work to realize that vision.” 

Each Vision Award finalist – Dopl, NeuroBionics, Plexaa, Robeaute, and Somnics had seven minutes to present about their company and answer questions from a panel of medtech experts, which included Harmeet Chhabra, Global Director, Reimbursement, Market Access and Health Economics at Olympus Corporation of the Americas; Tamir Meiri, Director, Venture Investments at Johnson & Johnson Innovation – JJDC, Inc.; and Virginia Giddings, Vice President Exploration at Edwards Lifesciences. The 2024 MedTech Innovator accelerator program features a global and diverse cohort of 65 companies representing the top 5% of 2024’s early to mid-stage startups selected via a highly competitive six-month process involving 1,300+ applicants and 800+ expert evaluators.

About MedTech Innovator

MedTech Innovator is the world’s largest accelerator of medical technology companies. Its mission is to improve human health by accelerating the growth of companies that are transforming care. MedTech Innovator has been a catalyst for groundbreaking healthcare solutions, reviewing 12,000 applicants and fostering the growth of 612 companies that have collectively raised over $8 billion in follow-on funding and introduced 310 products to the market, transforming the lives of millions.

For more information about MedTech Innovator, its annual programs, portfolio of industry-leading startups, and insights on trends, visit MTI’s website, follow the organization on LinkedIn, and subscribe to its monthly newsletter.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Helen Shik
Pazanga Health Communications
hshik@pazangahealth.com
617-510-4373