Zonova Named 2026 Vision Award Winner at Wilson Sonsini’s Medical Device Digital Health Conference
Los Angeles, CA — June 17, 2026 — MedTech Innovator, the largest accelerator of medical technology companies in the world, today announced that Zonova, which aims at making infection-resistant medical devices the new standard of care, was named the 2026 Vision Award Winner by the live audience vote at the Wilson Sonsini (WSGR) 33st Annual Medical Device Digital Health Conference. Zonova was among five finalists chosen from the 2026 MedTech Innovator Cohort to compete for the award based on advance votes received during the Innovator Summit in San Francisco, CA. June 2-4. This is the first of five live conference audience competitions in MedTech Innovator’s 2026 Accelerator program that will award over $800,000 in funding.
Zonova, based in London, has developed a patented, non-leaching antimicrobial additive that is embedded directly into medical device materials during manufacture, giving devices built-in protection against bacterial and fungal colonisation. As the 2026 Vision Award winner, Zonova received a $8,700 cash prize. 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 an inspiring and highly relevant way to kick off our Accelerator program,” said Paul Grand, CEO of MedTech Innovator. “A savvy industry-conference audience of investors and experts rewards entrepreneurs for their ability to convince the room that they and their vision are worth backing over other incredibly compelling companies. Dr. Georgia Fleet delivered a truly visionary pitch, succinctly capturing the passion and value proposition behind the work at Zonova to improve human health by dramatically reducing the risk of hospital-acquired infections through its novel antimicrobial material additives, which can be applied to a broad range of medical devices.”
The five finalists were selected for the Vision Award competition based on votes of the 350 attendees of the invite-only 2026 Innovator Summit on June 3 and 4. Cohort leadership teams, alumni, and MedTech Innovator partners in attendance each voted for their four favorite startups based on the following criteria:
- Would I personally invest in the company?
- Would I want to work for the company?
“This cohort is full of such impressive medtech companies, so to be chosen for the Vision Award honestly meant the world to us,” said Dr Georgia Fleet, CEO and Co-Founder of Zonova. “At Zonova we’re working towards a future where the medical devices used in hospitals every day, things like catheters and central lines, help reduce infection risk rather than contribute to it. Z-ROS®, our antimicrobial material technology, is an additive built directly into the materials those devices are made from and is designed to tackle hospital-acquired infections at the source. Being part of the MedTech Innovator cohort, and now this recognition, is a real boost as we work to make that vision real.”
Each Vision Award finalist—BrainMatterZ, Cerevia Neurosciences, Galenband, and Zonova—had seven minutes to present their company and answer questions from a panel of medtech experts, which included Heather Wilder, Managing Director, AHAV Studio Red, American Heart Association; Swathi Ravi, Director, Exploration at Edwards Life Sciences, Vyechi Low, Sr Manager, Corporate Development and Strategy, LivaNova; Cynthia Yee, Vice President, Strategy & New Growth Platforms, J&J MedTech, Johnson & Johnson.
The 2026 MedTech Innovator accelerator program features a global and diverse cohort of 65 companies representing the top 4% of 2026’s early to mid-stage startups selected via a highly competitive six-month process involving 1,800+ applicants and 800+ expert evaluators.
About MedTech Innovator
MedTech Innovator is the world’s largest accelerator of medical device, digital health, and diagnostic companies. Its mission is to improve human health by accelerating the growth of companies transforming patient care. MTI has been a catalyst for groundbreaking healthcare solutions, sourcing over 20,000+ applicants and fostering the growth of 838 graduates. Alumni have collectively raised $12 billion in follow-on funding, achieved 65 acquisitions, and introduced 500+ products to the market, improving the health of millions worldwide. For more information about MedTech Innovator, its annual programs, portfolio of industry-leading startups, and insights on trends, visit MTI’s website, follow MTI on LinkedIn, and subscribe to its monthly newsletter.
