Hear This: Entrepreneur Pitches

Pitch Your Idea to the ENT Community

The organizing committee of the ENT Innovation Connection and the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation invite submissions for Hear This: Entrepreneur Pitches, a high-energy showcase of pre-commercial innovations in otolaryngology.

If you are developing a digital health tool, medical device, diagnostic platform, or therapeutic innovation relevant to ENT, we want to hear from you. Teams may be seeking collaborators, clinical advisors, feedback, or funding.

The top teams will be selected to showcase their work at the ENT Innovation Connection on October 16, 2026 in Los Angeles, California ahead of the AAO-HNSF 2026 Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO. The top three submissions will pitch live before an expert panel of investor and industry judges.

The submission deadline is July 25, 2026. Top teams will be notified by August 22, 2026.

Eligibility

• This opportunity is open to all individuals, teams, and early-stage companies with pre-commercial innovations relevant to otolaryngology-head and neck surgery.
• The concept or product must not currently be for sale and must not be for sale prior to October 16, 2026.
• This is a non-confidential public event. Presenters should not share information that is not protected by intellectual property filings. The AAO-HNSF does not provide intellectual property protection for this event.
• Faculty, residents, fellows, students, and industry inventors are all welcome to apply.

Selection Process

All eligible submissions will be reviewed and scored by a panel organized through the AAO-HNS Medical Devices and Drugs Committee (MDDC). Scoring is blinded to presenter names and affiliations.

Applications are scored across three criteria:

Event Format

• All selected finalists (three teams) will display and demonstrate their innovations during an open showcase reception
• The top three teams (by MDDC score) will pitch live before a panel of expert investor and industry judges
• Audience members will cast votes for a People’s Choice Award via live polling
• Prizes include a feature spotlight in the AAO-HNS Bulletin and recognition at the Annual Meeting

Timeline

Questions? Please contact the session organizer:

Peter Santa Maria, MBBS, PhD | [email protected]
Professor and Division Chief, Otology & Neurotology, University of Pittsburgh/UPMC