Maryland MedTech Week: Shaping the Future of Healthcare

Maryland is rapidly emerging as a national hub for medical technology innovation, and the upcoming Maryland MedTech Summit on April 8, 2025, at the University of Maryland, College Park, is set to highlight the state’s growing influence in the sector. The Summit serves as the anchor event for the inaugural Maryland MedTech Week, a weeklong initiative dedicated to fostering collaboration, investment, and technological advancements within the industry.

Advancing Maryland’s MedTech Ecosystem

With an increasing number of medical device startups, research institutions, and government agencies based in the region, Maryland is uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of healthcare technology. The summit will bring together industry leaders, investors, researchers, and policymakers to discuss key trends shaping the future of MedTech, including artificial intelligence in healthcare, alternative care settings, and strategies for commercialization and growth.

“The response from the local MedTech community to the first Maryland MedTech Summit, held in spring 2024, was tremendous,” said Martha Wang, Assistant Director, Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices. “This year, we’re incorporating new topics, many of which were requested by last year’s attendees, as well as revisiting sessions on access to capital and accelerator programming that remain in demand among Maryland’s MedTech community.”

Collaboration is a central theme of this year’s summit. Through networking sessions, expert-led discussions, and business pitch opportunities, participants will have the chance to connect with potential partners and investors. The event also provides insights into state and federal initiatives aimed at supporting MedTech innovation and manufacturing.

“It’s been rewarding to witness the coalescing of Maryland’s medical device, diagnostics, and health computing companies and institutions into a strong and growing community,” said Stefanie Trop, Director of Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce. “Executives, researcher-entrepreneurs, and agency heads now come together frequently, advise one another on best practices, and explore commonly shared pain points. The Summit is an extension of this community, and is a terrific platform for our state’s innovators to further engage, in-person.”

Looking Back: Insights from Last Year’s Summit

April 2024’s inaugural Summit, created jointly by the University of Maryland Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices and the Maryland Department of Commerce, drew more than 160 people, including medical device innovators, investors, universities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, National Institutes of Standards and Technology, National Institutes of Health, additional government agencies, and more. More than 50 speakers participated in ten panels, as well as a quick pitch session for medtech startups. 

“It was great to convene an event that was specifically dedicated to our medtech ecosystem, where our challenges of equitable health delivery, product adoption, revenue modeling, engineering capabilities, and the manufacturing of physical products are unique,” said Bob Storey, Vice Chair, Maryland Life Sciences Advisory Board and Managing Partner, The LaunchPort. “Two of our major goals as a state are to build a flourishing and experienced pool of talent in getting products to the bedside, and to increase the opportunities for our workforce to participate in middle-class growth via hard-tech manufacturing.”

Opportunities for Industry Leaders and Startups

For businesses and entrepreneurs, the summit offers a platform to showcase their latest innovations and engage with stakeholders critical to their success. Additionally, Maryland MedTech Week will feature exclusive, invite-only events, such as the April 7 Portfolio Showcase of Baltimore-based investor Ecphora Capital and an April 10 Mid-Atlantic Venture Investment Leadership Meeting. Also featured is the world's leading medical device accelerator program, Los Angeles-based MedTech Innovator. Its sole U.S. East Coast cohort applicant 2025 Road Tour stop will be taking place April 9 and 10 in the same venue on the campus of the University of Maryland, College Park, as the Summit.

Getting Involved: Sponsorship and Participation

Companies looking to amplify their presence in the MedTech space can take advantage of sponsorship opportunities, gaining exposure to an audience of over 250 industry leaders, investors, and researchers. Sponsorship ensures accessibility by keeping the event free of charge while positioning brands at the forefront of Maryland’s healthcare technology movement.

Sponsorship slots for the Summit are limited and available through late March on a first-come, first-served basis. For more details on the Summit, including a top-level agenda and sponsorship, visit https://marylandmedtechsummit.umd.edu/.

Maryland MedTech Week: Homegrown Innovation

Beyond the summit, Maryland MedTech Week aims to solidify the region’s reputation as a center of excellence for healthcare technology. The event is organized by the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, the Maryland Department of Commerce, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and The LaunchPort, all of whom are dedicated to advancing medical technology innovation.

For those eager to be part of the future of healthcare, the Maryland MedTech Summit and MedTech Week provide an unparalleled opportunity to engage with the brightest minds in the industry, explore cutting-edge developments, and contribute to the growth of Maryland’s MedTech ecosystem.