Great Medtech Pitch Competition Opens for Submissions
The University of Minnesota invites innovators to pitch medical devices for potential funding and expert feedback in March 2027.
Updated on Oct. 22, 2026 in Biotech
Live Poll
Do you believe startup pitch competitions effectively encourage the development of new medical technologies?
The University of Minnesota has opened submissions for the Great Medtech Pitch Competition, an event seeking medical device innovations from academia and industry. The competition is currently in the open-call phase, with an in-person pitch event scheduled for spring 2027.
Why it matters
The competition serves as a platform for early-stage inventors to secure professional feedback from medical technology leaders and compete for cash awards. It highlights the role of institutional forums in accelerating the commercialization of academic and startup-led medical research.
The competition awards $5,000 for the top innovation, $2,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place. Finalists must demonstrate commercial potential for their devices to advance through the selection process.
The players
University of Minnesota
A public research university that serves as a major hub for biomedical engineering research and medical technology development.
The details
Entrants must submit medical technology innovations deemed to have significant commercial potential to the review committee. Finalists chosen from this submission pool will present their devices in person to a panel of experts at the University of Minnesota, allowing them to gain direct insights into R&D challenges. This process aims to bridge the gap between initial research designs and viable market applications.
Timeline
Dec. 29, 2026: Deadline for competition submissions.
Feb. 6, 2027: Notification date for event finalists.
March 31, 2027: Date of the in-person pitch competition at the McNamara Alumni Center.
The Tech Race
This competition functions as an incubator for the Design of Medical Devices Conference, which hosts technical research presentations and industry networking. It sits within a larger regional effort to keep Minneapolis-based medtech research competitive against global industry standards.
Startups, faculty members, and students can submit their innovations via the University of Minnesota portal until the December 2026 deadline. Inventors chosen as finalists will receive the opportunity to refine their pitches in front of industry leaders during the March 2027 event.
The takeaway
The competition acts as a benchmark for medical device commercialization in the region. Interested parties should mark the December 29, 2026, submission deadline to qualify for the event hosted at the McNamara Alumni Center.
Further reading
For more on the regional medical technology ecosystem, visit Biotech.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Medical Design and Outsourcing.
Live Poll
Do you believe startup pitch competitions effectively encourage the development of new medical technologies?
