MedTech Innovator Accelerator
MedTech Innovator Vantage Accelerator program as part of the core MedTech Innovator annual cohort will select up to 10 companies annually to participate in the five-month program.
Applying to MedTech Innovator Accelerator
All early- to mid-stage medical device and diagnostic companies are encouraged to apply to the MedTech Innovator Accelerator program. Vantage aims to build a robust healthcare infrastructure with the technologies it supports to effectively prevent, detect, and respond to health security threats.
Oct – Dec 2026
Application Period
Virtual
Mar – April 2027
Pitch Events
In-person & Virtual
Jun 2027
Innovator Summit
In-person
Jun – Oct 2027
Accelerator Program
Virtual
Oct & Nov 2027
Finals Competitions
In-person
Preferably, applicants will have a prototype and some proof-of-concept evidence, along with sufficient funding or runway remaining to execute during the program. Founders who have developed an applicable technology but have not yet formed a company may still apply; however, they must be incorporated before the accelerator program begins.
Companies accepted to the program must commit a (co-)founder, CEO, or appropriate senior member of their leadership team to attend the June Innovator Summit, participate in the virtual accelerator program through October, and be present for the Showcase and Finals at The MedTech Conference in October.
The MedTech Innovator Vantage Experience for Diagnostics and Medical Device Startups
Mentorship
In-depth, customized mentorship from senior industry leaders featuring pitch coaching, goal setting, value proposition development, and corporate mentorship.
Educational Curriculum
A bespoke educational curriculum, including cohort-driven webinars, open office hours, and hands-on workshops.
Community
Engagement with a robust ecosystem of peers, alumni, and strategic subject matter experts.
Recognition & Visibility
Recognition and visibility to potential partners, investors, and suppliers.
Resources & Funding
Access to unparalleled resource opportunities through networking, leading industry events, and MTI’s ecosystem.
Backed by MedTech Innovator, the World’s Largest Accelerator for Medical Technology
Since 2012, MedTech Innovator (“MTI”) has grown significantly, establishing a major presence in the medical device industry. MTI has built a proven track record of identifying and transitioning healthcare products of all stages of technology readiness to follow-on investment and successful commercialization. MedTech Innovator has been a catalyst for groundbreaking healthcare solutions, reviewing 20,000+ applicants and fostering the growth of 838 companies that have collectively raised over $12 billion in follow-on funding and introduced 500+ products to the market, transforming the lives of millions.
Who Should Apply?
MedTech Innovator supports a wide range of healthcare technologies, including medical devices, diagnostics, and digital health solutions. Company stage ranges from Pre-Seed to Series C, and technology readiness varies from concept stage to FDA-approved and on the market. Our tailored curriculum and mentorship offer value across the startup lifecycle.
The Vantage Accelerator program focuses on advancing technologies for the detection, treatment, diagnosis, and overall response to pathogens and the consequences of biological threats in BARDA’s mission space. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Continuous patient monitoring platforms that integrate advanced sensors (e.g. for monitoring of blood pressure) and health data to improve patient outcomes; radiation injury cases such as acute radiation syndrome are of particular interest.
- High sensitivity point-of-care multiplexed rapid tests capable of detecting analytes at femtomolar concentrations. Applications focused on detection of Botulinum toxin, distinguishing all 8 serotypes, are of particular interest.
- Low-cost deployable diagnostic tools and devices suited for rural, resource-limited, or point-of-need settings
- Diagnostic tools for rapid triage with particular interest in rapid, low-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) platforms that allow pathogen identification/investigation with 1–10 samples/run
For more information on technologies suitable for MedTech Innovator, please reference our MedTech Innovator areas of interest. For more information on BARDA areas of interest, please reference DRIVe’s webpage and BARDA’s target product profiles.