23 organizations ranging from start-ups to well-established companies have been accepted to present their latest innovations to entrepreneurs, innovators, angel investors, and business leaders from across the life sciences space at the Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) 2018 Medtech Conference in Greenville May 2-4, 2018.

SEMDA, a nonprofit trade association focused on making the Southeast a world-class region for medical technology, device, and diagnostic companies, has invited 23 finalist companies to present at PitchRounds 2018, a venue for both “Seed” companies and later-stage organizations to present ideas to panels of institutional investors, regulatory leaders, venture capital directors, IP experts, and others.

Companies from seven Southeastern states will present ideas and technologies to hundreds of industry leaders. Host state South Carolina has 10 companies invited to present, followed by Georgia and Florida with three companies each. North Carolina, Alabama, Virginia, and Tennessee are also represented.

Among the South Carolina companies invited to present are Zylo Therapeutics, Accessible Diagnostics, KIYATEC, and Moterum from host city Greenville, while Sanguine Technologies and Cryogenix from Charleston and Proof Biotechnologies from Columbia are also invited.

Invitees from Georgia include Intent Solutions and nfant, both of Atlanta, while North Carolina entries include Diamond Orthopedic of Charlotte. Memphis, Tenn.'s Sweetbio, Birmingham's Ciculogene, and Nashville's Raiven are also featured invitees.

Twelve early-stage companies from the Carolinas, Alabama, and Florida have been invited to present at PitchRounds, with four finalists to be selected to compete for $10,000 in prize money, while getting to meet investors and partners at sessions and networking receptions. SCBIO, SCRA, and global law firm Eversheds Sutherland are co-sponsors of PitchRounds.

Among the featured speakers committed to present at the conference are keynoter Joe Lee, executive director of life sciences for JP Morgan; Andy Fish, chief strategy officer of AdvaMed; and Denise Hines, North American chair of the Health Information & Management Systems Society and current CEO of eHealth Services Group.

Joe Lee is executive director of life sciences for JP Morgan and leads the Middle Market Banking coverage of life science companies across the Southeast. Widely respected in life science industry circles, Lee will discuss key opportunity areas for growth in the Southeast and provide rapid-growth companies with counsel on how to prepare their organizations for success in the competitive space.

Andrew Fish is chief strategy officer of AdvaMed, a leading trade association advancing medical technology in the U.S. and around the world. As chief strategy officer, Fish leads the association’s strategic planning; oversees AdvaMed's global, regulatory, and payment departments; and coordinates the development and operations of AdvaMed’s membership divisions and sectors.

Dr. Denise Hines is current chair of the North America Board of the Health Information & Management Systems Society (HIMSS), and is actively involved in HIMSS’ Women in Health IT initiatives that promote diversity and recognition. She is CEO of eHealth Services Group and serves as executive director of Georgia’s statewide health information exchange (HIE).

“The Southeastern medtech industry as a whole shows incredible growth and promise, and the diverse entries from across the region reflect that growth,” said Jason Rupp, executive director of SEMDA. “PitchRounds gives us the chance to see the future come to life before our eyes with cutting-edge innovation and game-changing advancements in medical technology, devices, and diagnostics from some of America’s brightest minds.”

The SEMDA conference typically attracts more than 400 executives in medtech and life sciences from throughout the United States. Those interested in attending can review the agenda, speakers, and registration details online at http://www.semda.net.

“These presenters and companies demonstrate that SEMDA has evolved into a truly regional organization that embraces and represents a diverse collective of medtech startups, universities, corporate organizations, investment resources, suppliers, and capabilities from across the southeastern United States,” Rupp said.