The American Heart Association has selected eight companies to participate in its Heart and Brain Health Accelerator, a specialty track within the 2026 MedTech Innovator Accelerator. The program, announced on June 4, 2026, is designed to advance novel medical or digital health technologies aligned with the Association's mission to improve cardiovascular and brain health.
The cohort was chosen from a highly competitive global pool of early- and mid-stage medical technology startups. Through this collaboration with MedTech Innovator, American Heart Association Ventures and the Association’s Studio Red aim to identify and support innovation that improves patient outcomes, expands access to care, and addresses critical gaps in cardiovascular and neurological health.
"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 eight selected companies include Cerevia Neurosciences, which is developing a non-invasive neuromodulation platform to restore cognitive function in dementia; Chambertech, focused on minimally invasive hybrid ablation for persistent atrial fibrillation; Envera Medical, creating a neurovascular balloon catheter for intracranial embolization; Eupnoos, which developed acoustic breath biomarkers to detect early heart failure changes; Flux Robotics, working on magnetically guided systems for navigating complex arteries; Lucentia, with software to turn non-contrast CT scans into virtual CCTA for early heart disease detection; OMINI, developing a portable platform to measure multiple blood biomarkers for chronic diseases like heart failure; and Prima Medical, offering real-time AI treatment guidance for pulsed field catheter ablation.
The cohort was selected by an American Heart Association advisory committee of clinical, investment, and industry experts, who evaluated applicants based on innovation, clinical impact, and potential to improve patient care. As members of the accelerator, these companies will receive specialized mentorship, coaching, and capacity building from American Heart Association Ventures, customized to their focus on cardiovascular and/or brain conditions.
The selected health tech companies also become official members of the MedTech Innovator program for this year, which includes access to networking opportunities, funding, and increased visibility within the medical technology industry. They qualify to participate in the MedTech Innovator Competition Finals, held at the MedTech Conference on October 18-21, 2026, in Boston. Participants are also included in the inaugural MTI Index, a recognition platform highlighting promising medtech companies advancing innovation and commercialization.
This initiative underscores the American Heart Association's commitment to driving breakthroughs in science, policy, and care. By supporting these startups, the Association aims to bring more trustworthy and impactful solutions to patients and clinicians, potentially transforming the landscape of cardiovascular and neurological health.
