October 13, 2025
Cohesys Takes Top Prize at MTEC’s Pitch & Pour Start-Up Competition at The MedTech Conference
The energy at this year’s MedTech Conference was unmatched and MTEC’s Pitch & Pour Start-Up Competition was no exception. Fifteen emerging innovators took the stage to showcase technologies reshaping military and civilian health care and Cohesys walked away with $10,000.
Congratulations to Cohesys!
SAN DIEGO, CA — October 2025 — The Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium (MTEC) awarded Cohesys the $10,000 grand prize at this year’s Pitch & Pour Start-Up Competition, held on Day 1 of The MedTech Conference in San Diego.
The Pitch & Pour event, hosted by MTEC, brought together 15 innovative early-stage companies developing cutting-edge solutions in medical technology. Startups had the opportunity to pitch their ideas to a panel of expert judges and a live audience of investors and peers, all sharing a passion for advancing military and civilian health care through innovation.
“Pitch & Pour is about creating visibility and connection,” said Madison Bell, Brand and Growth Marketing at MTEC. “It’s where start-ups meet their next collaborators, funders, and advocates. Where the next generation of medtech innovation starts to take shape.”
Cohesys stood out for its breakthrough adhesive fixation technology designed to improve surgical outcomes and reduce complications. The company’s presentation impressed judges, including MTEC's own Christopher Steele, who praised the team’s technical rigor and clear path to clinical and commercial impact.
This year’s competition also featured an outstanding lineup of finalists, including Articulate Labs, Augment Health, BK Naturals, Cannulight Technology, Cogwear, Frontier Bio, GenAssist, Lucidify, NerView Surgical, OsteoCure Therapeutics, Qidni Labs, Scopemed, Surgicure Technologies, and YUNOVA — all showcasing solutions aimed at transforming patient care, rehabilitation, and diagnostics.
Since its inception in 2016, MTEC has awarded more than $1.4 billion in medical research and development funding, with over $974 million in follow-on investment across its 700+ member organizations. Through the Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) mechanism, MTEC provides the U.S. Department of Defense with a faster, more flexible way to fund and transition medical innovation that benefits both military and civilian populations.
“Our goal is to accelerate solutions that save lives,” Bell added. “Competitions like Pitch & Pour show how strong this innovation ecosystem really is.”
To learn more about MTEC or become a member, visit www.mtec-sc.org/join.