UCSF Stanford PDC Accelerator Pitch 2025

On March 17, ten projects will compete for up to $75,000 in funding, plus expert advise and prototyping support. Everyone is invited to join the 2025 UCSF Stanford Pediatric Device Consortium Accelerator  Pitch  Stanford University Campus- either in person or on virtually.

   Key Details:

• Date: March 17, 2025

• Time: 9 to 5 pm (8:45 am check-in opens)

• Location: LiKaShing Building on Stanford University Campus

• Address: 291 Campus Drive, Stanford, CA 94305

Attend virtually or in person at Stanford University

Register here  

Congratulations to the following to become the finalist for the PDC Pitch 2025 Competetion

CONGRATULATIONS on being selected as a finalist for the UCSF-Stanford Pediatric Device Consortium’s 2025 Accelerator Pitch Competition!

Our Finalists are:

· AVaTAR (Aortic Valve Trileaflet Autologous Reconstruction): A pediatric surgical device to reconstruct growth-accommodating valves using autologous pericardium, ensuring precision and efficiency; AVaTAR MedTech

· EZSpeech: An AI-powered speech therapy app that guides children with engaging exercises, assesses progress, and provides real-time feedback; EzSpeech AI

· MadSci Smart Shunt: A first-in-class electromechanical CSF shunt that monitors intracranial pressure and optimizes treatment for hydrocephalus patients; Madison Scientific Inc. & University of Wisconsin-Madison

· Nen: Evidence-based health designed for children’s minds to improve their lives; Nen Health

· P-EVPS (Pediatric Ex Vivo Preservation System): Novel pediatric organ preservation system; Stanford University

· RAPIDscan: Pediatric self-driving ultrasound system; Bloom Standard Inc.

· Soluu: A wearable bedwetting mitigation device; Global Continence Inc.

· Sonura Beanie: A beanie hat that provides auditory protection and parental connection for infants with neonatal abstinence syndrome to promote growth and development; Sonura Care Inc. & University of Pennsylvania

· Trach Sense: A lifesaving monitoring device for pediatric tracheostomy patients; Children's National Hospital

· UltraTrac: An ultrasound-guided continuous noninvasive hemodynamic monitor with data analytics; AcQumen Medical

UCSF Stanford PDC Pitch Competition 2025 will be at Stanford University on Monday, March 17, 2025.

Recap: Michael R. Harrison Innovation Symposium

The UCSF Pediatric Surgery and Fetal Treatment Center, in collaboration with UCSF-Stanford Pediatric Device Consortium hosted the 4th Annual Michael R Harrison Innovation Symposium on Friday, October 7, 2022 at UCSF Mission Bay Conference Center. More than 200 participated in this symposium onsite and virtually!

The PDC/SI team with the grant winners!

Event Details

The symposium was kicked off with a warm welcome from Dr. Hanmin Lee (Professor and Chief of UCSF Pediatric Surgery) and by Opening Remarks from Dr. Daniel Lowenstein (Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor, UCSF). The morning session was focused on device innovation and featured the UCSF-Stanford PDC Pitch Competition in which 11 teams pitched their pediatric device innovations, to an esteemed panel of judges, to win one of the PDC awards (from a total pool of $300,000).

This was followed by a Pediatric Device Innovators Forum on ‘Unique Device Identifiers (UDI)’, which started off with a keynote about bolstering health equity for pediatric patients presented by Harvard’s Dr. Florence Bourgeois; followed by a panel discussion in which panelists from PDC, FDA and leading academic and healthcare institutions delved into perspectives from supply chain, value committees, and academic research. This panel later pivoted to a discussion about the challenges and opportunities for UDI Uptake and a very active Q&A session.

The afternoon session was kicked off with a spirited showcase of the UCSF Pediatric Surgery initiatives on global health, equity, disaster management and regenerative medicine, opening up the floor to questions from the audience. Furthermore, following a riveting keynote address by Stanford’s own Dr. Michael Longaker (Professor and Vice Chair of Surgery) on novel ways for scarless wound healing, two more discussion panels introduced experiences from UCSF’s biodevice innovation pathway program for surgical residents and advances made in ECMO and artificial placenta research, respectively. Finally, we wrapped up the day with an award ceremony for the Pitch winners by Dr. Michael Harrison and closing remarks.

Presentation from Dr. Michael Longaker of Stanford University

We would like to thank all symposium participants including pitch finalists, judges, keynote speakers, panelists, moderators, organizers and all attendees for making this a great learning experience. We hope to see you all back next year for the Symposium!