The American Heart Association (AHA) has opened applications for its 2026 Health Tech Competition, a global initiative designed to accelerate the adoption of innovative technologies that can improve cardiovascular and brain health. The competition, hosted by the AHA’s Center for Technology & Innovation, aims to connect market-ready solutions with the resources needed to scale into real-world care settings, addressing a critical gap where many promising technologies fail to reach patients who need them most.
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, and health systems are facing increasing demand, workforce shortages, and rising costs. According to the AHA, scalable, data-driven solutions are more critical than ever to deliver timely, effective, and equitable care. The competition seeks to address these challenges by identifying technologies that can transform the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of conditions such as high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure.
“For more than a century, the American Heart Association has been at the intersection of science, research, clinical expertise and innovation to drive improvements in cardiovascular and brain health,” said Nancy Brown, CEO of the AHA. “Through the Health Tech Competition, we continue that work by helping advance evidence-based solutions that address today’s most pressing health challenges and reach people where they live, work and receive care.”
The competition is open to emerging companies with market-ready solutions supported by clinical or pilot data and a viable business model. Unlike traditional startup competitions, the program emphasizes clinical validation and alignment with evidence-based care, ensuring that solutions are positioned for real-world adoption. The AHA is seeking technologies that actively engage patients, support clinicians, and demonstrate measurable potential to improve patient outcomes across a variety of care settings.
Five finalists will be selected to present their innovations at Scientific Sessions 2026, the AHA’s flagship global event for the latest research and clinical advancements in cardiovascular science, scheduled for November 6-9 at McCormick Place in Chicago. The finalists will pitch their solutions live on November 7-8, and the winner will be announced on November 9.
Key dates for the competition include applications closing on September 18, 2026, with finalists announced on October 10, 2026. The competition is a cornerstone of the Health Innovation Pavilion at Scientific Sessions and reflects the AHA’s ongoing commitment to accelerating innovation and fostering collaboration to improve health outcomes worldwide.
The Health Tech Competition builds on the success of previous years, including the 2025 competition where a Houston-based medical technology company won the overall global health tech award. That announcement was covered in an AHA news release, and the finalists for that year were also highlighted in a separate release.
Interested companies can find more information and view the terms and conditions at ahahealthtech.org/aha-health-tech-competition-2026. The AHA encourages innovators to apply early and be part of a program that is shaping the future of health care.
