EPIC PITCH BATTLE FOR HEALTH TECH STARTUPS

400

Challengers

8

Tracks

80

Finalists

1

Winner

EPIC PITCH BATTLE FOR HEALTH TECH STARTUPS

MEET THE WINNERS

ABOUT HEALTH TECH CHALLENGERS 2025

Health Tech Challengers is a premier platform for discovering and supporting innovative digital health startups that make a difference in the world. Each year, we host an epic pitch competition for entrepreneurs who develop disruptive products revolutionising the future of health.

To enter, startups must be innovators in one of the eight tracks fostering the digital health revolution – Connected Care, AI Supported Healthcare, TechBio, Disruptive Diagnostics, Chronic Disease Management, Consumer Tech & Wellness, Women’s Health, Solving X (Wild Card).

8 application tracks

Connected Care
AI Supported Healthcare
AI Supported Healthcare
TechBio
TechBio
Disruptive Diagnostics
Disruptive Diagnostics
Chronic disease management
Chronic Disease Management
Women's Health
Women's Health
Consumer Tech & Wellness
Consumer Tech & Wellness
Solving X (Wild Card)
Solving X (Wild Card)

HOW DOES IT WORK?

80 companies are shortlisted by a distinguished panel of industry experts from leading corporations, Venture Capital, ecosystem builders and media partners.

The Top 80 startups are invited to pitch live at Health Tech Forward 2025, the leading industry conference of the year, offering valuable media and PR attention, as well as vast networking opportunities.

One company is announced as the ultimate winner of the Health Tech Challengers 2025 award.

APPLICATION CRITERIA

Timeline

1

Application deadline

September 15, 2025
2

Top 80 announced

October 1, 2025
3

Top 80 pitches

December 3-4, 2025 @ Health Tech Forward
4

Top 8 pitches & Winner announced

December 3-4, 2025 @ Health Tech Forward

STARTUP APPLICATIONS ARE NOW CLOSED

Each of the 80 finalist companies (10 per each track) are granted 1 complimentary ticket to Health Tech Forward 2025. It’s an event that you don’t want to miss!

MEET THE JURYMEET THE WINNERS

WINNERS OF 2025

ULTIMATE
CHALLENGER

Adora Digital Health is a company offering a digital, evidence‑based app and support platform to help people navigate perimenopause and menopause. Their service gives users personalized menopause plans, symptom tracking, lifestyle advice, and access to specialist clinicians and gynaecologists via online consultations.

ULTIMATE
CHALLENGER

Adora Digital Health is a company offering a digital, evidence‑based app and support platform to help people navigate perimenopause and menopause. Their service gives users personalized menopause plans, symptom tracking, lifestyle advice, and access to specialist clinicians and gynaecologists via online consultations.

TOP 8 finalists

Elixion Medical is a health-tech company building an IoT + AI system that automates real-time patient monitoring in hospitals. Their platform replaces manual tasks like fluid-line tracking and feeds live data into hospital IT systems. By doing so, they aim to boost patient safety, improve care quality, and lighten the workload of nurses and clinical staff.

Kardi Ai is a Czech health-tech company offering a wearable + AI system for long-term heart monitoring. Their solution combines a chest strap (for ECG recording) with a smartphone app – the AI analyzes heart rhythm and can detect several types of arrhythmias. This makes it easier to monitor heart health continuously from home, potentially catching issues earlier than traditional periodic tests.

WHYZE Health is a digital-health company building an AI-powered platform that connects patients, clinicians, researchers, and healthcare providers using real-world evidence. Their system gives patients control over their health data, tracks patient-reported outcomes and treatment progress, and helps doctors choose personalized treatments. 

LightHearted AI is a health‑tech company developing a novel, non‑contact medical device that uses laser sensing + AI to assess heart function – extracting ECG, heart sounds and blood pressure remotely. Their tool aims to deliver fast, clinically validated heart‑disease screening without the need for physical electrodes or traditional hardware. 

Adora Digital Health is a company offering a digital, evidence‑based app and support platform to help people navigate perimenopause and menopause. Their service gives users personalized menopause plans, symptom tracking, lifestyle advice, and access to specialist clinicians and gynaecologists via online consultations.

Metyos is a med‑tech startup building a wearable, microneedle‑patch device that continuously monitors biomarkers (like potassium and other ions) through the skin – no blood draw needed. Their goal is to help people with chronic conditions track their health in real time from home, making it easier to manage diet, medication, and treatment under doctor supervision.

Poppins is a digital parenting‑support platform offering on‑demand parent coaching and 24/7 pediatric care. Users get access to certified parent coaches for help with behavior, routines, sleep, school and family dynamics, plus a medical team available around‑the‑clock for kids’ health concerns. 

Plas‑Free is an Israeli health‑tech company developing blood‑filtration devices to improve treatment of severe bleeding. Their flagship product, ClearPlasma, is a sterile, single‑use filter that removes fibrinolytic proteins from donor plasma, boosting clotting ability and helping stop bleeding faster.

JURY MEMBERS

Altuna Akalin

Head of Bioinformatics Platform @ Max Delbrück Center

Amine

Amine Benmoussa

Partner @ Karista

Anastasiya Markvarde

Anastasiya Markvarde

Women's Health Expert

Bibi Sattar Marques

Partner @ Buenavista Equity Partners

Christian Lautner

Managing Partner @ Heal Capital

Daniel Moreno Martinez

Daniel Moreno Martinez

Head of Innovation @ Hospital Germans Trias I Pujol

Delphine Demeestere

Director External Innovation @ Lonza

Donna Parr

Donna Parr

Managing Partner @ Cross-Border Impact Ventures

Elena Torrente Segarra

Elena Torrente Segarra

Director of Strategy, Transformation and Digital Health @ DKV Salud

Eudald Mas Hurtado

Eudald Mas Hurtado

Co-Founder & CEO @ Qualud

Eric Machado

Director of Health Strategy @ Cigna Healthcare

George Syrmalis

George Syrmalis

CEO @ Bioscience Equity Partners

Giovanni Rizzo

Giovanni Rizzo

Partner Biotech Fund @ Indaco Venture Partners

Helena Torras

Helena Torras

Venture Partner @ Hans(Wo)menGroup

Hanna Villa

Hanna Villa

Investment Manager @ Vorwerk Ventures

Ida Luka - Lognoné

Chief Officer, Health and Board of Management @ Allianz Partners

Jaanika Merilo

Head of Digital Health & Care @ Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia

Grace Cordovano

Grace Cordovano

Board Certified Patient Advocate | Founder @ Enlightening Results

Jack Cox

Jack Cox

Head of Ventures @ Simplyhealth Ventures

Jordi Jordà Compañó

Jordi Jordà Compañó

Director of Innovation and Partnership @ Consorci de Salut i Social de Catalunya (CSC)

Jose Manuel Fernandez Gutiérrez

Jose Manuel Fernández

Director, Strategy and Operation @ BMS Spain & Portugal

Katharina Soell

Katharina Soell

Investment manager @ Exceptional Ventures

Louise Warme

Louise Warme

Head of We Venture Capital @ Werfen

Lucia Orozco

Lucia Orozco

Founder @ FemTech Spain

Madeleine Durand

Head of Strategy @ Bupa

Malcolm Boyd

Head of HealthX, Product Management, and Human Centric Design (Snr Director) @ Astellas Pharma

Malin Johansson

Vice President Global Digital Health Partnerships and Integrated Treatment Solutions @ Novo Nordisk

Marko Kuisma

Marko Kuisma

Partner @ Innovestor Life Science Fund

Marvin Amberg

Marvin Amberg

Managing Director @ naturalX Health Ventures

Maxime Huerre

Maxime Huerre

VP Digital Health @ Eurazeo

Michella Botto Andrade

Michella Botto Andrade

Principal @ Exceptional Ventures

Mirko

Mirko Stange

Initiator & Founder @ DxPx Capital

Nicolas-Artzimovith

Nicolas Artzimovitch

EMEA Digital Lead @ Argenx

Paolo Gentile

Paolo Gentile

Director, Digital & IT Lead @ BMS Italy, Spain & Portugal

Patricia Ripoll Ros

Patient Advocate, Health Adviser, Chief Patient Officer @ Fundación VISIBLE

Pratik Popat

Pratik Popat

Investor @ Simplyhealth Ventures

Ritesh Patel

Chief Growth Officer @ Doceree

Ruth Coleman

Ruth Coleman

Investment Manager @ Mercia Asset Management PLC

Samantha Jérusalmy

Samantha Jérusalmy

Partner @ Elaia

Sarah Luppino

Sarah Luppino

Principal @ M Ventures

Silvia Vinyes Roca

Sílvia Vinyes Roca

Head of Innovation @ DKV Innolab

Thom Rasche

Managing Partner @ Earlybird Health

Tom Gibbs

Tom Gibbs

Senior Investment Director @ Debiopharm Innovation Fund

Valentina-Isetta

Valentina Isetta

Global AI Innovation Lead @ AstraZeneca

Beatriz Gandarias

Beatriz Gandarias

Senior Associate @ Asabys

Yolanda Puiggrós Jiménez de Anta

Yolanda Puiggrós Jiménez de Anta

Partner @ PwC

Lukas Seemann

Lukas Seemann

Senior Investment Manager @ Greiner Innoventures

Patricia Falagan de la Sierra

Patricia Falagan de la Sierra

Analyst @ Calm/Storm Ventures

Moritz Große

Moritz Große

Senior Associate @ Altano Capital

Markus Törstedt

Markus Törstedt

Investment Manager @ Akka

Philipp Harnischfeger

Philipp Harnischfeger

Associate @ Arve Capital GmbH

Oscar Sala

Oscar Sala Palomés

Founder & CEO @ 2b labs

Alberto Rodríguez Cañada

Alberto Rodríguez Cañada

Innovation Business Developer @ Barcelona Supercomputing Center

César Velasco Muñoz

César Velasco Muñoz

Innovation & Digital Strategy Director @ Astra Zeneca

Elena Canetti

Elena Canetti

Managing Partner @ Inveniam Group

Raúl G. Saraiva

Raúl G. Saraiva

CSO & Venture Partner @ 3xP Global

Albert Cot

Albert Cot

Managing Partner @ Inveniam Group

Paolo-Pio

Paolo Pio

Co-founder & General Partner @ Exceptional Ventures

Omar Al-Nehlawi

Omar Al-Nehlawi

Innovation and Patient Centric Solutions Manager @ Amgen

Ana Santana

Ana Santana Garriguet

Partner Development Manager – Recruit ISVs @ Microsoft

Álvaro Martínez-Marco

Álvaro Martínez Marco

AI Lead & Market Access Strategy Manager @ Bristol Myers Squibb

FOUNDERS & PARTNERS

STRATEGIC PARTNERS

ECOSYSTEM PARTNERS

ORGANIZER

OTHER INITIATIVES FOR STARTUPS

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