MedTech Innovator Announces 2025 Grand Prize and Execution Award Finalists

From a record applicant pool, five startups advance to MTI’s Grand Prize finals and four vie for the Execution Award; live audience vote to determine both winners at The MedTech Conference powered by AdvaMed

LOS ANGELES – September 23, 2025 – MedTech Innovator (MTI), the world’s largest and most impactful accelerator for medical technology startups, today announced the finalists in its Grand Prize competition for early-stage medtech startup companies in the culmination of its 2025 MTI Accelerator program. 

Each finalist will receive $25,000 and compete for the $350,000 non-dilutive Grand Prize at The MedTech Conference powered by AdvaMed, October 5-8, in San Diego. During the competition finals, which will be held in the Keynote Theater on Tuesday, October 7, at 3:30 pm PT, each of the five companies will pitch their value proposition and answer questions from a panel featuring industry experts representing some of the largest medtech companies in the world. After the presentations, the conference audience will vote live to select the winner.

The five finalists who will compete for the 2025 Early-Stage Grand Prize are:

• Armor Medical (Atlanta): Maternal aRMOR offers non-invasive, real-time monitoring to detect early hemorrhage, empowering healthcare providers to save lives, enhance workflow efficiencies, and reduce the cost of care.
• Luminoah (Charlottesville, Va.): Setting a new standard in chronic disease care with the first data-driven, closed-loop enteral nutrition system—delivering real-time insights, unmatched mobility, and personalized nutrition to improve outcomes, lower malnutrition costs, and enable smarter clinical decisions.
• Rivanna Medical (Charlottesville, Va.): Elevating care standards with AI-enabled imaging solutions for POC spinal needle interventions and musculoskeletal trauma.
• STENTiT (Eindhoven, Netherlands): The Resorbable Fibrillated Scaffold (RFS) not only opens up arteries but also triggers the reconstruction of a new artery from the inside out as it resorbs.
• SutureTech (Durham, N.C.): The RapidFix is the first ever soft tissue staple made of suture material, providing industry-leading efficiency and outcomes.

“We’re thrilled to partner with AdvaMed for the 11th year in a row to showcase the world’s most exciting emerging medtech companies to the senior leadership of the medtech industry,” said Paul Grand. “Holding our Showcase and Finals at The MedTech Conference ensures our accelerator graduates are front and center on the industry’s biggest stage, giving our entrepreneurs premiere visibility with the healthcare leaders and decision-makers who could become their future partners.”

In addition to the Grand Prize, four companies will compete for the Execution Award, presented jointly by AdvaMed Accel and MedTech Innovator. The Execution Award recognizes strong leadership teams with value-adding innovations and a demonstrated track record of successfully executing their plan to improve patient care. The Execution Award winner will be selected by the audience at The MedTech Conference and receive $25,000.

The four finalists for the 2025 Execution Award are:

• LightHearted AI Health (London): LightScope is an AI-powered laser-based biovital collection device for accurate heart disease diagnosis without a clinician. 
• Sinaptica Therapeutics (Cambridge, Mass.): Noninvasive neuromod of the Default Mode Network for Alzheimer’s, with two successful Phase 2 trials and no serious side-effects. 
• VQ Biomedical (Apex, N.C.): A minimally-invasive catheter that safely diffuses oxygen directly into the bloodstream in patients with respiratory failure.
• Wavelet (New Haven, Conn.) A novel, noninvasive fetal EEG technology that detects real-time fetal distress to improve outcomes for mother and baby.

MTI tapped over 500 subject matter experts to evaluate thousands of applicants and mentor the best-in-class 64 companies participating in MTI’s flagship four-month US market-focused accelerator program. Featuring 45 early-stage and 19 mid-stage medical device, diagnostic, and digital health companies from around the globe, the 2025 cohort company leadership teams received unparalleled mentoring, networking, and access to the resources that only MTI’s world-leading ecosystem of strategic manufacturers, investors, healthcare providers, payers, patients, and other industry stakeholders can offer. All 64 companies will be showcased at The MedTech Conference in San Diego. Four finalist companies will compete in both the Mid-Stage Finals and the Value Award Competition during the MedTech Strategist Innovation Summit, taking place November 19–21 in San Diego.

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 nearly 14,000 applicants and fostering the growth of over 700 graduates. Alumni have collectively raised $10 billion in follow-on funding and introduced 400+ 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 them on LinkedIn, and subscribe to its monthly newsletter. 

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Jenna Kane
Health+Commerce
jennakane@healthandcommerce.com