Faculty Innovation Pitch
Present your AI-powered innovation in therapeutics, diagnostics, or imaging on Sept. 23, 2026. Faculty and postdoc innovators receive real-time feedback from entrepreneurs and investors. Selected presenters advance to pitch at the Bridging Biomedical Breakthroughs Summit on Nov. 4, 2026.
Apply nowFaculty Innovation Pitch
Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2026 | 4:30-7:00 p.m.
Focus: AI in Biomedical Innovation: Accelerating Discovery in Therapeutics, Diagnostics, and Imaging
At UC San Diego, world-class research is advancing the frontiers of biomedical science. Our biannual, invite-only Faculty Innovation Pitch, hosted by School of Biological Sciences in partnership with the Office of Innovation and Commercialization and School of Medicine, provides a high-impact platform for faculty and postdoctoral researchers whose discoveries are positioned for translation. Presenters engage directly with external leaders across venture capital, industry, consulting, and law, receiving candid, real-time feedback to sharpen their value proposition, strengthen their pitch, and accelerate pathways to impact.
Top presenters will advance to the Bridging Biomedical Breakthroughs Summit on Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2026, where they will engage a broader cross-sector audience and connect academic discovery with the expertise, relationships, and resources needed to translate breakthrough science into real-world applications.
Please note that the location will be shared directly with presenters and our invite-only audience.
Application Deadline: Aug. 26, 2026
Before applying, please review the information below for clarity regarding what participation entails and how the Faculty Innovation Pitch is designed to support the advancement of promising research. The experience brings together academic innovators and external stakeholders in a focused environment designed to sharpen ideas, strengthen connections, and create pathways for biomedical discoveries to move beyond the lab.
Purpose & Goal
Showcase your AI-driven innovation to a panel of investors, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and commercialization experts. Receive candid feedback on how to strengthen your pitch, communicate your innovation’s value and impact, and position your research for future opportunities. The Pitch is designed to test how effectively your innovation resonates with external stakeholders and identify pathways toward translation, real-world impact, and meaningful engagement and build relationships.
Mentorship & Connection
Build the connections that help move breakthrough science forward. Each presenter will be matched with an industry mentor experienced in translating research into real-world impact. In the weeks leading up to the Pitch, mentors will provide guidance, perspective, and feedback to help strengthen your presentation and prepare you for external audiences. The experience also creates opportunities to connect with investors, entrepreneurs, and industry partners.
Pitch Length & Guidelines
Each presenter will have 5 minutes to deliver their pitch, reflecting the concise format commonly used to present innovations to investors and external stakeholders. To ensure an equitable experience for all presenters, pitches must remain within the allotted time. Selected presenters will receive guidance on content, storytelling, communication, and positioning their innovation for an external audience, with mentor support throughout preparation before the event.
Selection & Advancement
Applications will be evaluated based on translational and commercial potential, strength of supporting data, readiness for external engagement, and potential to generate interest among investors, industry partners, and commercialization stakeholders. Top presenters will advance to the Bridging Biomedical Breakthroughs Summit on Nov. 4, where they will present to a cross-sector audience. Faculty are encouraged to designate a researcher from their lab to deliver the pitch when appropriate, with the principal investigator’s leadership and ownership of the innovation clearly represented.
Interested in Judging or Mentoring?
Help shape the next generation of AI-powered biomedical innovation. Investors, entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and legal experts are invited to share their expertise by serving as a judge at our Faculty Innovation Pitch on Sept. 23, 2026, or by mentoring a faculty innovator to strengthen their pitch leading up to the event.