2026 project teams
The 2026 cohort of teams tackled conditions ranging from liver disease and lymphedema to spinal degeneration and post-surgical recovery, spanning pediatric to adult populations. Their innovations encompassed implantable devices, AI-powered diagnostics, organ preservation technology, haptic wearables, and precision surgical planning tools. Read the news announcement introducing the teams. Read the news announcement introducing the teams.
1For1Health
Proactive fertility testing and AI risk scoring
Most individuals discover fertility issues only after years of failed conception attempts, when treatment options are limited, expensive, and emotionally difficult. 1For1Health is building an AI-powered platform enabling at-home fertility lab testing with personalized insights and telemedicine access to reproductive endocrinologists. Using a buy-one-give-one model, each U.S. purchase provides free testing to a woman in an underserved region. Pilots are launching in Boston and India in partnership with Harvard researchers and IVF centers.
Airalux Medical
A digital incentive spirometer for improving lung recovery after major surgery
Post-surgery breathing therapy is vital for patient recovery, yet patients complete only 5–15% of recommended exercises with current devices. Airalux is a digital incentive spirometer that guides patients through proper breathing exercises, tracks inhalation metrics, reminds patients to complete exercises, and encourages adherence through goal-based gamification. By reducing manual documentation and supporting remote monitoring post-discharge, Airalux improves outcomes for patients undergoing major surgery requiring overnight hospital stays.
AK Care
AI-powered detection and scoring of actinic keratosis for therapy monitoring
Actinic keratosis is a common precancerous skin condition affecting millions worldwide, yet clinicians currently rely on visual inspection and subjective scoring — leading to inconsistent assessments and unreliable monitoring. AK Care is developing an AI-powered solution that automatically detects and measures AK lesions from standard clinical photographs. Using advanced transformer deep learning, the system segments lesions and generates an objective AK Burden Score, enabling reliable tracking of therapy response and accelerating clinical research and treatment development.
LiverSense
Real-time assessment of liver viability for transplantation
Every year, thousands of patients die waiting for a liver transplant — not only due to donor shortages, but because 1 in 5 donated livers is discarded for lack of reliable evaluation methods. LiverSense is developing the first device that provides an objective, real-time measure of liver function during ex vivo perfusion, using a well-established biomarker applied for the first time in transplantation. This innovation has the potential to rescue hundreds of livers annually, saving lives and reducing healthcare costs worldwide.
LymphoLock / Melorix Medical
An implant to make lymphovenous anastomosis surgery easier and more accessible
250 million people worldwide suffer from lymphedema, a condition causing fluid buildup, limb swelling, pain, and significant impacts on mental health and quality of life. Lymphovenous anastomosis (LVA) treats lymphedema by rerouting flow from damaged vessels to nearby veins, but the procedure is highly specialized microsurgery with limited patient access. LymphoLock is designed to make LVA surgeries easier, faster, and more successful — reducing costs and expanding access for patients and healthcare systems alike.
Merunova
An MRI post-processing algorithm for better diagnosis of lumbar disc degeneration
Spinal disc degeneration, the leading cause of low back pain and disability worldwide, is poorly visualized by traditional MRI — contributing to a 45% failure rate among 400,000 annual U.S. spinal fusion surgeries and an estimated $1.9 billion in unnecessary procedures. Merunova’s DeVa technology uses advanced MRI post-processing to measure magnetic complexity in each disc, achieving 97% diagnostic accuracy compared to 69% for standard MRI. By enabling earlier and more accurate diagnosis, DeVa could reduce unnecessary surgeries, guide patients toward targeted therapies, and potentially save the U.S. healthcare system $14 billion annually.
SignalSafe 2.0
A haptic wearable for people who are hard of hearing or living with early-onset dementia
Many hard-of-hearing individuals and people with early-onset dementia face serious safety risks because they may not detect traditional auditory alarms during emergencies. SignalSafe 2.0 is a wearable haptic device — designed as a wristband or smartwatch — that delivers vibration-based and optional visual alerts for critical situations such as fires, carbon monoxide leaks, or missed medication. Developed with input from caregivers, educators, and audiologists, and inspired by the lived experience of a team member, this device enhances safety, awareness, and independence for wearers every day.
SimOSpine
Precision spinal surgery through personalized digital modeling
Spine fusion surgeries suffer from mechanical complication rates of 20–50% due to stress concentrations at fusion endpoints. SimOSpine is developing an AI-powered pre-operative planning tool that creates patient-specific 3D spine models from standard X-rays and uses physics-informed biomechanical simulations to predict mechanical failure risks with 99% accuracy. By preventing an estimated 100,000 to 800,000 revision surgeries globally, SimOSpine could reduce patient suffering and save healthcare systems significant costs — all using standard X-rays rather than expensive advanced imaging.


