Agenda

Day 2
Day 3

Day 1

Tuesday, November 3, 2026

 10:30AM-11:30AM: Pre-Conference workshop

10:30-11:30AM —Designing for Approval and Adoption: Aligning Evidence, Regulation, and Market Access Early (RSVP required)

11:30-12:00PM: Registration and working box lunch – Presidential Ballroom Foyer

12:10-12:15PM: Welcome Address 

  • Stephen Levin, Editor-in-Chief, MedTech Strategist and Market Pathways

12:15-1:15PM: Keynote:  On-Ramps to FDA: A Session with CDRH Director Michelle Tarver

Hear what’s happening at FDA’s device center—direct from the source. CDRH Director Michelle Tarver will join us for the opening keynote and fireside chat to discuss the growing number of ways innovative startups can engage with the agency, and how they can help facilitate the path to market access and adoption. We’ll discuss hot topics like TAP, early feasibility studies, FDA-CMS alignment, AI, cybersecurity, and much more. Bring your questions.

  • Michelle Tarver, MD, PhD, Director, Center for Devices and Radiological Health, US Food and Drug Administration

  • David Filmore, Executive Editor, Market Pathways (moderator)

1:20-1:25PM: Moderator- Lynn Carney, Director, Agency and Alliances, Medmarc

1:25-1:35PM: Navigation Sciences (NCI SBIR Investor Initiatives)

1:35-1:45PM: CoreMedic

1:45-1:55PM: Neuwire Medical

1:55-2:05PM: OtoNexus Medical Technologies

2:05-2:15PM: Cerevia Neurosciences

2:15-2:25PM: Lite Run

2:25-2:40PM Networking Break – Presidential Ballroom Foyer

2:40-3:10PM: Patient Capital: The Family Office Approach to Medtech Investing

  • Omid Akhavan, Managing Director & Founder, Anthro Ventures

  • Rob Hess, PhD, JD, Board Member, Life Science Angels and Managing Member, Startup Express

  • Kenny Nova, Managing Partner, NeoPrima Ventures

  • John Slump, Former CEO/Co-Founder, Atraverse / Current CEO/Founder, Metis Medtech

  • Stephen Levin, Editor-in-Chief, MedTech Strategist and Market Pathways (moderator)

3:10-3:15PM: Sponsor Moderator - Chris Rupp, Vice President of Commercialization, Avio Medtech

3:15-3:25PM: Implant Preservation Devices

3:25-3:35PM: IMVARIA (NCI SBIR Investor Initiatives)

3:35-3:45PM: Cordance Medical (NCI SBIR Investor Initiatives)

3:45-3:55PM: Inmedix

3:55-4:05PM: Cipher Surgical

4:10-5:00PM: Pulsed Field Ablation: From the Lab to Market Disruption

  • Dan Kaiser, DVP, Product Development and Engineering, Electrophysiology, Abbott

  • David Neale, CEO, Arga Medtech

  • Brad Sutton, Chief Medical Officer, Boston Scientific

  • Tushar Sharma, Americas Chief Medical and Scientific Officer, Electrophysiology, Johnson & Johnson

  • Mark Turco, CEO, Field Medical

  • Reed Miller, Senior Writer/Market Analyst, Medtech Strategist (moderator)

5:00-5:05PM: Moderator - CBSET

  • Nathaniel Youndt, Vice President of Commercial Operations and Business Development, CBSET

5:05-6:05PM: MedTech Innovator Execution Award Competition

  • Paul Grand, CEO, MedTech Innovator (Host)

  • Swathi Ravi, Director, Exploration, Edwards Lifesciences (Judge)

  • Abigail Hunter-Syed, Head of Olympus Innovation Ventures, Olympus Ventures (Judge)

  • Bill Perry, Chief Investment Officer - ASPS Venture Fund; Lead - ASPS Accelerator (Judge)

  • Beth Rose, Vice President, Strategy & Business Development, BD (Judge)

6:05-7:30PM: Networking Reception - Presidential Ballroom Foyer

Day 2

Wednesday, November 4, 2026

8:00-8:30AM: Registration & Continental Breakfast - Presidential Ballroom Foyer

8:35-8:45AM: Spotlight: MedTech Strategist

  • Reed Miller, Senior Writer/Market Analyst, Medtech Strategist

8:45-9:25AM: Funding the Next Breakthrough: What's Changed—and What Hasn't in Early-Stage Deals

9:30-9:35AM: Moderator – Michael Groosman, Director of Sales, Rev.1 Engineering

9:35-9:45AM: Stratus Medical

9:45-9:55AM: MenHealth

9:55-10:05AM: Lumicell (NCI SBIR Investor Initiatives)

10:05-10:15AM: Healionics

10:15-10:35AM: Networking Break -- Presidential Ballroom Foyer

10:35-11:15AM: You Built It. Will Strategics Buy It?

  • Virginia Giddings, Vice President Exploration, Edwards Lifesciences

  • Bruce Rosengard, Vice President and Global Lead for External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson MedTech

  • Roshan Vora, Partner, McKinsey & Company (moderator)

11:15-11:20AM: Moderator - Dan Purvis, CEO & Founder, Velentium Medical

11:20-11:30AM: ANEUVO

11:30-11:40AM: Tympanogen

11:40-11:50AM: Sofusa

11:50-12:00PM: Memoire Medical

12:00-12:40PM: Is Your Company IP-Ready? Preparing for Investment, Partnerships, and Acquisition

  • Brad Klos, Managing Partner, E-merge Capital Partners

  • Bruce Rosengard, Vice President and Global Lead for External Innovation, Johnson & Johnson MedTech

  • Kregg Koch, Partner, Knobbe Martens

  • Josh Makower, MD, The Yock Family Professor, Professor of Medicine and of Bioengineering; Stanford University Schools of Medicine and Engineering, The Byers Family Director and Co-Founder, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign

  • Brian Flynn, Partner, Knobbe Martens (Moderator)

12:40-1:50PM: Lunch – Bivouac Room

1:55-2:35PM: Anatomy of a Deal: Medtronic/CathWorks—Using AI to Advance CV Diagnosis

  • Chris Eso, Senior Vice President, Global Head, Corporate and Business Development & Ventures, Medtronic

  • Peter Fitzgerald, Professor of Medicine and Engineering Director, Center for Cardiovascular Innovation, Stanford University Medical Center, and Co-founder/Managing Partner, Triventures

  • Andra Jones, VP, Business Development, Strategy, and Integration, Interventional Cardiology Therapies, Medtronic

  • Ramin Mousavi, Founder, Chairman & CEO, NovoMed Partners

  • Stephen Levin, Editor-in-Chief, MedTech Strategist and Market Pathways (moderator)

2:35-2:40PM: Sponsor Moderator - Chris Bolton, Partner, Greenberg Traurig

2:40-2:50PM: Secure Closure

2:50-3:00PM: BlackLight Surgical

3:00-3:10PM: Perimeter Medical

3:10-3:20PM: Rivanna Guidance Solutions

3:20-3:40PM: Networking Break -- Presidential Ballroom Foyer

3:40-4:20PM: Corporate Venture as a Strategic Growth Engine in MedTech

  • Terri Burke, Senior Partner, Intuitive Ventures

  • Imran Hamid, Senior Director, Venture Investments, LivaNova

  • Abigail Hunter-Syed, Head of Olympus Innovation Ventures, Olympus Ventures

  • Yuji Yokomizo, Director, Terumo Ventures

  • Biren Mehta, Vice President, Venture Investments – MedTech at Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation (JJDC)

  • David Filmore, Executive Editor, Market Pathways (moderator)

4:20-5:00PM: Start-up Lifelines: How Incubators Accelerate MedTech Innovation

  • Hanson Gifford, Managing Partner, The Foundry

  • Josh Makower, MD, The Yock Family Professor, Professor of Medicine and of Bioengineering; Stanford University Schools of Medicine and Engineering, The Byers Family Director and Co-Founder, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign

  • Howard Levin, Managing Partner and Chief Medical Officer, Coridea

  • Amr Salahieh, President & CEO, Shifamed

  • Hal Stowe, Director, Regulatory Affairs, Eurofins

  • Stephen Levin, Editor-in-Chief, MedTech Strategist and Market Pathways (moderator)

5:00-5:40PM: When to replace the Founding CEO

  • Megan MacDonagh, Vice President, Medtech, Ally Bridge Group

  • Howard Levin, Managing Partner and Chief Medical Officer, Coridea

  • Josh Makower, MD, The Yock Family Professor, Professor of Medicine and of Bioengineering; Stanford University Schools of Medicine and Engineering, The Byers Family Director and Co-Founder, Stanford Mussallem Center for Biodesign

  • Roger Brooks, President & CEO, RBrooks Group (moderator)

5:40-6:40PM: MedTech Innovator Finals Competition - Mid-Stage Startups

  • Milo Bissin, Managing Director, Life Science and Healthcare Venture Banking, Stifel Bank (Judge)

  • Imran Hamid, Senior Director, Venture Investments, LivaNova (Judge)

  • Mark Juravic, Director, New Business Development, Dexcom (Judge)

  • Rhiya Pau, Principal, Laerdal Million Lives Fund (Judge)

  • Paul Grand, CEO, MedTech Innovator (Host)

6:40-8:00PM: Reception: Presidential Ballroom Foyer

Day 3

Thursday, November 5, 2026

8:15-8:35AM: Continental Breakfast - Presidential Ballroom Foyer

8:35-8:45AM: Spotlight: Market Pathways

8:50-9:25AM: The Corporate Development Roundtable: How Medtech Leaders Evaluate M&A, Investments and Strategic Partnerships

  • Justin Castelli, Vice President, New Business Development, Boston Scientific Corporation

  • Chris Eso, Senior Vice President, Global Head, Corporate and Business Development & Ventures, Medtronic

  • Nate Harrington, Managing Partner, Philips Ventures

  • Reed Miller, Senior Writer/Market Analyst, Medtech Strategist (moderator)

9:25-9:30AM: Sponsor Moderator - Michael John, Chief Regulatory Innovation Officer, CBSET

9:30-9:40AM: EBAMed

9:40-9:50AM: GrOwnValve

9:50-10:00AM: Brain4care

10:00-10:10AM: Ropana Vascular

10:10-10:20AM: Ruth Medical

10:20-10:40AM: Networking Break – Presidential Ballroom Foyer

10:40-11:20AM: AI as a Strategic Differentiator in Medical Devices

11:20-12:00PM: Deals, Dollars & Disruption: Navigating the Medtech M&A and Investment Landscape

  • Jed Cohen, Managing Director, Medical Technology Investment Banking, Raymond James

  • Jon Norris, Managing Director, HSBC

  • Mark Secrest, Managing Director, Healthcare Investment Banking, U.S. Bancorp l BTIG

  • Stephen Levin, Editor-in-Chief, MedTech Strategist and Market Pathways (moderator)

12:00-12:40PM: The De-Risking Race: Why Capital Is Moving to Late-Stage Medtech

12:40-1:20PM: Singapore Rising: From Promise to MedTech Powerhouse

1:20PM: Box Lunch - Presidential Ballroom Foyer

Keep up with the action and connect with attendees with our official hashtag:

#InnovationSanDiego

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