The American Heart Association (AHA) announced the selection of eight startups to participate in the Heart and Brain Health Accelerator, a specialty track within the 2026 MedTech Innovator program. The accelerator aims to advance novel medical or digital health technologies aligned with the AHA's mission to improve cardiovascular and brain health. The companies were chosen from a highly competitive global pool and represent early- to mid-stage medical technology startups addressing critical gaps in care.
Through this collaboration with MedTech Innovator, AHA Ventures and Studio Red continue to identify and support innovation that aims to improve patient outcomes and expand access to care. "Novel approaches to tackling today's most pressing challenges are what will drive us forward in addressing the age-old challenges of improving heart and brain health," said Lisa Suennen, managing partner of American Heart Association Ventures. "Through the Heart and Brain Health Accelerator, we are connecting high-potential companies with the expertise, resources and networks needed to bring more trustworthy, rapid and impactful product and service advancements to patients and the clinicians who care for them."
The 2026 cohort includes: Cerevia Neurosciences, developing a non-invasive neuromodulation platform for dementia; Chambertech, creating a minimally invasive hybrid ablation for atrial fibrillation; Envera Medical, focusing on a neurovascular balloon catheter for embolization; Eupnoos, with non-invasive acoustic breath biomarkers for heart failure; Flux Robotics, developing magnetically guided systems for navigation; Lucentia, using software to turn CT scans into virtual CCTA for heart disease detection; OMINI, with a portable platform for multi-biomarker monitoring; and Prima Medical, offering AI-guided treatment for catheter ablation.
The cohort was selected by an advisory committee of clinical, investment and industry experts. Participants will receive mentorship and coaching from AHA Ventures and become members of the MedTech Innovator program, gaining access to networking, funding and visibility. They qualify to participate in the competition finals at the MedTech Conference from October 18-21, 2026, in Boston. Additionally, they are included in the inaugural MTI Index, a recognition platform for promising medtech companies.
This initiative underscores the AHA's commitment to driving innovation in cardiovascular and neurological health, leveraging its venture capital arm to bridge the gap between research and real-world impact. By supporting these startups, the AHA aims to address pressing health challenges and improve patient outcomes globally.
