The American Heart Association has selected five finalists for its 2026 Health Tech Competition, a global initiative designed to accelerate health technologies that improve cardiovascular and brain health care. The finalists, announced by the Association's Center for Technology & Innovation, will present their solutions at Scientific Sessions 2026, the organization's flagship event for cardiovascular science, taking place Nov. 6-9 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The competition pitches are scheduled for Nov. 7-8, with winners announced Nov. 8.
The 2026 finalists are HEARTio (Pittsburgh, Pa.), MEGI (Chicago, Ill.), MedRhythms (Portland, Maine), Seerlinq (Bratislava, Slovakia), and Vascudyne (St. Paul, Minn.). HEARTio is developing investigational AI software that analyzes a standard ECG to estimate obstructive coronary artery disease without dyes, radiation, incisions, or catheters. MEGI offers an AI-powered digital health platform focused on women's heart health, maternal care, and hypertension management. MedRhythms combines sensors, software, and music to help people improve walking and mobility after neurological injury or disease. Seerlinq estimates cardiac filling pressure non-invasively from a short fingertip PPG measurement at home, potentially catching heart failure deterioration weeks before hospitalization. Vascudyne bioengineers blood vessels that regenerate into the patient's own tissue, providing coronary bypass patients a graft without leg-vein harvest and children with congenital defects an implant that grows with them.
The competition received a record number of submissions from health technology companies worldwide. Following a rigorous multi-stage review by American Heart Association volunteer experts, finalists were chosen for their potential to improve prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cardiovascular and brain health conditions. The competition targets emerging companies with clinically informed and validated technologies, early evidence of impact, and a viable path to scale. Final presentations will be evaluated on clinical evidence, scientific innovation, and market need.
"Too many promising health technologies never reach the people who could benefit from them most," said Lee A. Shapiro, J.D., volunteer chair of the American Heart Association and managing partner and co-founder at 7wireVentures. "The American Heart Association's Health Tech Competition highlights solutions that are grounded in science, informed by real-world needs and designed to improve care for people at risk for or living with cardiovascular and brain health conditions."
The importance of this competition lies in bridging the gap between innovative health technologies and patient care. Many promising solutions fail to achieve adoption, limiting their impact. By providing a platform for finalists to present to expert judges and investors, the American Heart Association aims to accelerate the translation of these technologies into clinical practice. This could lead to improved outcomes for patients with heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular conditions, and potentially reduce healthcare costs through earlier detection and more effective treatments.
A panel of expert volunteer judges will review the finalists' business and science presentations. The competition is hosted by the American Heart Association Center for Technology & Innovation. For more details, visit the 2026 Health Tech Competition page. Additional information about the American Heart Association's efforts to advance health technology can be found in news releases such as Global health tech competition aims to accelerate innovation improving cardiovascular and brain health and Houston-based medical technology company wins overall global health tech competition at Scientific Sessions 2025. The Association also provides resources on heart.org and stroke.org. The original release is available on www.newmediawire.com.
