Fischell Institute co-hosts inaugural Maryland MedTech Week, encourages cross-sector collaboration

The inaugural Maryland MedTech Week, held from April 7 to 10, 2025, featured a series of events designed to foster collaboration, innovation, and growth within the MedTech community in the DMV region and beyond. Sponsored by the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC), the week consisted of four events, hosted in College Park and Baltimore, attracting more than 600 participants.

The 2025 Maryland MedTech Summit, which took place April 8 at the Stamp Student Union in College Park, was the week’s cornerstone event, attracting researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and policymakers, all with a shared goal: to drive innovation and strengthen connections across the MedTech landscape.

Attendees check in at summit registration

Co-hosted by the University of Maryland’s Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, the Maryland Department of Commerce, University of Maryland, Baltimore and The LaunchPort, the full-day meeting drew almost 370 attendees, including local, regional, and international participants.

“The receptivity by parties to speak at, sponsor, and attend the Maryland MedTech Summit was exceptionally high,” said Bradley Gillenwater, manager of business and innovation development for life sciences at the Maryland Department of Commerce. “Seeing so many people from Maryland and beyond come together—engaging in conversations on innovation, investment, and the future of healthcare—was a powerful testament of the strength and momentum of our MedTech ecosystem.”

The summit began with a welcome by Martha Wang, assistant director of the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, followed by opening remarks from Bill Bentley, Robert E. Fischell Distinguished Chair and director of the Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices and the Maryland Department of Commerce’s Assistant Secretary for Innovation and Growth, John Gilstrap.

Panelists on stage at the Summit For the rest of the day, attendees engaged in panel sessions, covering topics from leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning in healthcare to tapping into regional funding and national accelerator opportunities. Sessions brought together leaders from the private sector, state agencies, and academic research, creating opportunities to explore how policy, commercialization pathways, and technological breakthroughs can align.

From startup founders to local officials and industry leaders, the event showcased Maryland’s potential as a nationally recognized MedTech hub—where public and private stakeholders work hand-in-hand to drive progress.

“The Maryland MedTech Summit reflected what our region does best—connecting innovators to solve real-world challenges,” said Luis Gutiérrez, executive in residence at BioHealth Innovation, one of the event’s sponsors. “From AI-driven device innovation to new regulatory frameworks, the discussions were both strategic and actionable. It’s exciting to see the community come together like this to accelerate progress.”

In addition, representatives from nine local MedTech startups were selected to participate in the summit’s Collaboration Catalyst Quick Pitches—an opportunity to present their innovations and company needs to all in attendance—with the intention of sparking potential collaborations and partnerships.

“What made the 2025 Maryland MedTech Summit and MedTech Week so impactful was the remarkable collaboration across every corner of the ecosystem,” said Wang. “Startups, global MedTech companies, academic institutions, government agencies, and investors all came together with shared energy and purpose.”

Dr. Bill Bentley greets summit attendee.

Additional sponsors for the summit included: ETC Baltimore, TEDCO, Amarex Clinical Research, bwtech@UMBC, the Frederick County Office of Economic Development, the Howard County Economic Development Authority, Morgan State University, AdvaMed, BioHealth Innovation, Duane Morris, Ecphora Capital, Greater Baltimore Committee, LifeX, the Maryland Rural Health Association, MedTech Innovator, the Pinkney Innovation Complex for Science and Technology of Montgomery College, Rockville Economic Development Inc. and Thibodeau Media Group.

Maryland MedTech Week continued with the two-day MedTech Innovator Road Tour: East Coast Pitch Event on April 9 and 10, also held at the Stamp Student Union in College Park.

The Road Tour is a series of pitch events held in the U.S., virtually, and abroad, that features select medical technology companies from a pool of over 2,000 applicants. Those invited to pitch during the East Coast Pitch Event had the opportunity to meet and receive feedback from investors, strategics, and other members of the ecosystem, and compete for a spot in the 2025 MedTech Innovator cohort.

“The MedTech Innovator program added even more momentum to the week by spotlighting emerging talent and fostering meaningful connections,” added Wang. “This kind of synergy is exactly what’s propelling the Maryland region to the forefront of MedTech innovation.”

attendees networking

The 2025 Maryland MedTech Summit and MedTech Innovator Road Tour: East Coast Pitch Event were bookended by two invite-only events in Baltimore: an investor dinner and portfolio showcase on April 7, hosted by Ecphora Capital, and the Mid-Atlantic Venture Investment Leadership meeting on April 10, hosted by The LaunchPort, with representatives from J.P. Morgan, Wexford, and Wilson Sonsini in attendance.

By providing a shared space for discovery, dialogue, and collaboration, the inaugural Maryland MedTech Week laid a strong foundation for continued growth across the state’s medical technology ecosystem.

“We look forward to strengthening these partnerships within, and outside of, the state and building on this success to further reinforce Maryland as a premier MedTech hub,” said Stefanie Trop, director, Office of Life Sciences, Maryland Department of Commerce.

Photos provided by Thibodeau Media Group.

Published April 17, 2025