Innovation Forum – New for 2026!

November 6–9, 2026
McCormick Place Convention Center | Chicago, Illinois

Turn ideas into impact

This year, our new Innovation Forum is where clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, and investors connect to turn ideas into real-world cardiovascular impact.

A photo of a man in a white lab coat answering questions from a person in the audience after his presentation.

Join a one-day, high-impact experience at American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2026 designed for the full cardiovascular innovation community. Whether you are a clinician working to solve care challenges, a researcher exploring commercialization, an entrepreneur ready to grow, or an investor seeking promising opportunities, the Innovation Forum offers expert perspectives, actionable strategies, and the relationships that help ideas gain traction.

Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 8:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Note: Registration is complimentary and encouraged for attendees. This event will be open to ALL Scientific Sessions registrants, but priority will be given to those who preregistered for the event.
Already registered for Scientific Sessions? Add the Innovation Forum complimentary to secure your seat.

Forum Highlights

Turn Ideas into Action
Explore how clinical insights, research discoveries, and emerging technologies can become real-world solutions that improve cardiovascular care.
Understand the Funding Landscape
Understand grants, venture capital, partnerships, and the pathways that help promising ideas move from concept to scale.
Assess Opportunity and Impact
Learn how to evaluate unmet needs, market potential, competitive landscape, and the factors that drive adoption and growth.
Connect with the Right People
Build relationships with clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, and industry leaders who can help advance ideas, partnerships, and growth.
See What’s Next in Innovation
Discover emerging trends and solutions across diagnostics, devices, AI, digital health, and community-based care.

Who should attend?

Clinicians ready to turn frontline insight into impact
Researchers seeking a path from discovery to commercialization
Founders looking to grow, connect, and accelerate
Investors and strategic partners searching for the next breakthrough
Leaders and innovators across digital health, AI, devices, and diagnostics ready to shape the future of cardiovascular care

Program Agenda

This program brings together expert perspectives, real-world lessons, and high-value networking for those shaping the future of cardiovascular health.

Innovation Forum in Online Program Planner

Note: Specific session times are subject to change.

Innovation Forum 2026 Agenda
Time	Activity
8:00 a.m. to 8:05 a.m.	Forum Welcome Program Chair: Rohan Khera, MD, MS
8:05 a.m. to 8:55 a.m.	Session I: The Entrepreneur's Journey: Idea to Imact Hear candid lessons from founders and innovation leaders on turning promising ideas into scalable solutions that improve health outcomes. Moderator: Manesh Patel, MD, Duke University Speaker: Amy Degenkolb, Alydia Health Speaker: Denise Demarais, Ardian Speaker: Mintu Turakhia, MD, iRhythm Speaker: Ben Oakes, PhD, Scribe Therapeutics Speaker: Steve Collens, CEO, Matter
9:05 a.m. to 9:55 a.m.	Session II: Identifying High-Value Opportunities Explore practical approaches for uncovering unmet needs, validating opportunity areas, and selecting problems with meaningful clinical and market potential. Moderator: Mike Regan, Chief Innovation Officer, Fogarty Innovation Speaker: Ryan Lynch, Sandbox Industries Speaker: Hanson Gifford, The Foundry Speaker: Yael Nir, MD, MBA, Edwards Lifesciences Speaker: Hannah Koczka, Vice President, NM Ventures and Innovation, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
10:10 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.	Session III Funding, Partnerships, and Scaling Innovation Examine how innovators can secure funding, build effective partnerships, and navigate the operational demands of scaling new solutions. Moderator: Andrew Cleeland, CEO, Fogarty Innovation Speaker: Lisa Suennen, AHA Ventures Speaker: Virginia Giddings, Edwards Lifesciences Speaker: Charlie Attlan, Boston Scientific Speaker: David Stevenson, Merck Global Health Fund Speaker: Folkert Asselbergs, MD \| University College London
11:15 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.	Session IV: Fireside Conversation: AI and the Future of Cardiovascular Innovation A forward-looking conversation on how artificial intelligence may reshape discovery, care delivery, clinical decision-making, and the cardiovascular innovation ecosystem. Moderator: Manesh Patel, MD, Duke University Speaker: Lauren Cheung, MD, Director, Apple Health Speaker: Sekar Kathiresan, MD, Verve Therapeutics (Eli Lilly) Speaker: Ben Oakes, PhD, Scribe Therapeutics Speaker: Kyrsten Musich, Salesforce
12:05 p.m.to 1:05 p.m.	Lunch
1:20 p.m. to 2:10 p.m.	Session VI: American Heart Association as Your Innovation Partner Discover how the American Heart Association collaborates with innovators through expertise, networks, evidence, and strategic resources that help accelerate impact. Moderator: Lisa Suennen, Managing Partner, American Heart Association Ventures Innovation Story: Ruby Gadelrab, MDisrupt Innovation Story: Chris Grace, CareAdvisors Innovation Story: Jeff Bennett, Higi Innovation Story: Kwamane Liddell, ThriveLink
2:25 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.	Session VII: Venture Showcase: Companies Transforming Cardiovascular Health Meet emerging companies advancing new technologies and care models designed to transform cardiovascular health and improve patient outcomes. Moderator: Lee Schwamm Showcase Company: Inna Plumb, Auxira Health Showcase Company: Ross Upton, Ultromics Showcase Company: Eric Luthardt, Aurenar Showcase Company: Andrea Ippolito, Simplifed Showcase Company: Chad Hoskins, Phagenesis
3:30 p.m to 4:45 p.m.	Session VIII: Innovation Forum Early-Stage Pitch Competition Early-stage companies present their solutions to an expert judging panel, highlighting the problem, innovation, evidence, and potential for impact. Moderator: Rohan Khera, MD Participants: 4-6 finalist companies Recommended Judges: Virginia Giddings, Edwards Lifesciences Sushma Reddy Animesh Tandon, MD, MS, Cleveland Clinic Mike Regan, Fogarty Folkert Asselbergs, MD \| University College London
5:00 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.	Sessiom IX: Closing Reflections: What Will Define the Next Decade of Cardiovascular Innovation? Leaders reflect on the day’s insights and discuss the forces, partnerships, and priorities likely to shape the next decade of cardiovascular innovation. Moderator: Rohan Khera, MD, MS Speaker: Folkert Asselbergs, MD \| University College London Speaker: Andrew Cleeland, CEO, Fogarty Innovation Speaker: Mintu Turakhia, MD, iRhythm Speaker: Denise Demarais, Ardian
5:45 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.	Networking Reception & Happy Hour Continue the conversation in an engaging setting designed to foster relationships and open the door to new opportunities.

Confirmed Faculty Include:

Folkert W. Asselbergs, MD, PhD, University College London
Lauren Cheung, MD, MBA, Apple Health
Andrew Cleeland, Fogarty Innovation
Steve Collens, Matter
Amy Degenkolb, Alydia Health
Denise Demarais, Ardian
Ruby Gadelrab, MDisrupt
Virginia Giddings, PhD, Edwards Lifesciences
Hanson Gifford, The Foundry
Andrea Ippolito, Simplifed
Sekar Kathiresan, MD, Verve Therapeutics
Rohan Khera, MD, MS
Hannah Koczka, Northwestern Memorial HealthCare
Ryan Lynch, Sandbox Industries
Eric Luthardt, Aurenar
John Morriss, Fogarty Innovation
Ben Oakes, PhD, Scribe Therapeutics
Manesh Patel, MD, Duke University
Inna Plumb, Auxira Health
Mike Regan, Fogarty Innovation
David Stevenson, Merck Global Health Fund
Lisa Suennen, AHA Ventures, American Heart Association
Mintu Turakhia, MD, MAS, iRhythm
Ross Upton, Ultromics

Innovation Forum Planning Workgroup

Special thanks to our Innovation Forum Planning Workgroup for their dedication to creating this program.

Program Chair:

Rohan Khera, MD, MS, Yale School of Medicine

Members:

Pierre Elias, MD, Columbia University
Jessica Golbus, MD, MS, University of Michigan
Virginia Giddings, PhD, Edwards Lifesciences
Anitha John, MD, PhD, Children's National Hospital
Sushma Reddy, MD, Stanford University
Rasu Shrestha, MD, MBA, Advocate Health
Animesh Tandon, MD, MS, Cleveland Clinic
Mintu Turakhia, MD, MS, iRhythm Technologies