LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 27, 2026--
MedTech Innovator (MTI), the world’s largest and most impactful accelerator for medical technology startups, today announced the 65 companies selected for its highly competitive 2026 Accelerator Cohort and simultaneously launched the MTI Index, a new branded recognition platform that makes the MTI portfolio permanently discoverable by investors, health systems, and media.
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The 2026 cohort, representing the top 4% of 1,835 global applicants, will participate in MTI's flagship four-month program designed and proven to de-risk medtech innovation and accelerate the path to U.S. market success. These 65 companies also form the cohort of the inaugural MTI Index 2026, the definitive recognition platform for medtech innovation.
Introducing the MTI Index
The MTI Index is a dynamic, time-banded benchmark designed to quantify the growth, survival, and commercial traction of medical technology innovation that gives investors, strategics, health systems, and media a structured way to discover and track the most promising companies in the sector. Periodic updates will be issued on the MTI Index, highlighting movement, category trends, and inflection points that define each cycle.
Being named to the MTI Index is a distinction. Companies on the Index have cleared one of the most competitive vetting processes in the industry, the Radar Evaluation Process which included MTI’s flagship in-person event, Radar Forum. Invited companies earned their place among the top fraction of global applicants assessed by hundreds of subject matter experts from every major stakeholder type who understand exactly what it takes to bring medical technology to market.
“MedTech Innovator’s accelerator is a comprehensive platform for risk mitigation and value creation that helps the world’s most promising medtech startups achieve success in raising capital and U.S. market access,” said Paul Grand, CEO and founder. "The MTI Index makes value creation permanent, visible, and quantifiable. For the first time, the industry has a single, trusted destination to discover, track, and engage with vetted companies shaping the future of medtech, starting with this year's extraordinary cohort."
Explore the MTI Index 2026: The interactive index, including company profiles, clinical categories, and key data points on all 65 companies, is available now at https://medtechinnovator.org/2026-mti-index/. Press and investors are encouraged to explore, filter, and share.
The MTI Index 2026 companies represent 18 U.S. states, 16 countries and include:
Cardiovascular & Interventional
Diagnostics & Monitoring
GI & Urology
Neurotech
Regenerative Medicine & Wound Care
Surgical & Orthopedic
About the 2026 Accelerator Program
This year’s program launches at the invitation-only Innovator Summit on June 2-4 in San Francisco. This event connects the leadership teams from the latest cohort with MTI’s partners, alumni, and other healthcare innovation stakeholders in the MTI ecosystem. Additionally, the 2026 cohort companies will present at an investor showcase at Wilson Sonsini’s 33rd Medical Device Digital Health Conference on June 5 in San Francisco.
During the four month accelerator, the cohort of 65 early and mid-stage medical device, diagnostic, and digital health companies will gain access to MTI’s proprietary platform, mentors, coaches, and peer network to identify strategies and planning that can avoid costly delays and increase the chance of success in raising capital and accessing the U.S. market. Particular emphasis will be placed on the downstream evidence requirements of physicians, professional societies, payers, health systems, and patients. The accelerator is proven to produce results, bringing over 500 products to market to-date, with a 93% survival rate over the past decade.
The MTI accelerator culminates with a series of showcases and competitions where companies in the 2026 cohort receive industry visibility and compete for a share of $800,000 in funding. All 65 companies will participate October 18-21 in Boston at The MedTech Conference, powered by AdvaMed, where companies will present in showcase panels and gain access to industry and investor partnering opportunities. The MTI early-stage finals competition will be held at The MedTech Conference on October 20. The MTI mid-stage finals competition will be held November 3-5 at the MedTech Strategist Innovation Summit in San Diego.
As part of this year’s accelerator, five companies will participate in the MTI/ASPS Plastic Surgery Accelerator track held in partnership with the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS); and eight will participate in the Heart and Brain Health Accelerator in collaboration with the American Heart Association (AHA) Ventures and Studio Red. Participants in these specialty tracks will receive additional mentorship from their respective sponsors/collaborators and opportunities to participate in additional industry events.
MedTech Innovator’s founding sponsors are Johnson & Johnson MedTech and Research Corporation Technologies. Annual program sponsors include Asahi Intecc, Becton Dickinson and Company, Dexcom, Edwards Lifesciences, LivaNova, Olympus Corporation of the Americas, Samsung Research, Zimmer Biomet, Andrews Cooper, BioT Medical, Cambridge Consultants, Canon Quality Group, Forj Medical, Greenlight Guru, Infera, LIFTT Consulting, Medmarc, NAMSA, PDV MedTech, PRIA Healthcare, ProLucid Technologies, Proxima Clinical Research, RQM+, Sequenex, Stifel, Synesqo, Veeva Systems, and Velentium. MTI’s Association collaborators are the American Heart Association Ventures, the American Heart Association’s Studio Red, and the American Society for Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). The organization’s industry partners include AdvaMed, DeviceTalks, Health+Commerce, MedTech Color, MedTech Strategist, and Wilson Sonsini.
About the MTI Index
The MTI Index is a dynamic, time-banded benchmark designed to quantify medical technology innovation for investors, health systems, and media. The Annual Cohort Index is released each year alongside the MTI cohort announcement. Specialty Indexes, organized by therapeutic category, will be released on a rolling basis. MTI will issue updates on the Index periodically, highlighting movement, category trends, and inflection points that define each cycle. To explore the 2026 MTI Index, visit https://medtechinnovator.org/2026-mti-index/.
About MedTech Innovator
MedTech Innovator is the world’s largest accelerator of medical device, digital health, and diagnostic companies. Its mission is to improve human health by accelerating the growth of companies transforming patient care. MTI has been a catalyst for groundbreaking healthcare solutions, sourcing over 20,000+ applicants and fostering the growth of 838 graduates. Alumni have collectively raised $12 billion in follow-on funding, achieved 63 acquisitions, and introduced 500+ products to the market, improving the health of millions worldwide. For more information about MedTech Innovator, its annual programs, portfolio of industry-leading startups, and insights on trends, visit MTI’s website, follow MTI on LinkedIn, and subscribe to its monthly newsletter.
65 companies selected for the inaugural 2026 MTI Index.
NEW YORK (AP) — Tim Ream was filled with anxiety, right up until 1 p.m. Friday.
“Leaving the training ground and walking to my car with a box full of bobbleheads to take home to my kids,” the 38-year-old defender recalled, “my WhatsApp started to go a little bit crazy.”
Ream was among 26 players who received a video in a group chat from Sam Zapata, the U.S. national team administrative manager, informing those selected for the World Cup roster.
“Guys, if you are watching that video, it is because you are in,” U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino told them. “I am so excited to communicate that you are going to be on the roster for the World Cup 2026, in the World Cup that you are going to host.”
“It made me stop on my tracks,” said Ream, hoping to become the oldest U.S. player to appear in soccer's top tournament.
Midfielders Gio Reyna and Sebastian Berhalter, sons of a former captain and an ex-coach, were picked by along with forward Alejandro Zendejas.
Midfielders Diego Luna and Tanner Tessmann were left off.
Holding American jerseys with wavy red and white stripes, players were introduced Tuesday at a made-for-TV event on the roof of the South Street Seaport’s Pier 17 with the Brooklyn Bridge as a backdrop. They were announced in the numerical order of jersey numbers assigned by equipment manager Kyle Robertson, taking seniority into account. All were on hand except for defender Chris Richards, in Germany with Crystal Palace for Wednesday’s UEFA Conference League final.
“We want this so bad,” said forward Christian Pulisic, the biggest American star. “If you're not a little bit nervous, you don’t feel a little, you don’t care. So, we care so much.”
Defender Sergiño Dest, midfielder Tyler Adams and forward Haji Wright were added after missing March friendlies because of injuries. Zendejas was bypassed for the March roster after a knee injury last fall.
A few minutes after the Friday video arrived, emails were sent to all 55 players on the preliminary roster informing them of their fate. Pochettino didn't give explanations to those omitted, comparing the rejection with how he felt when Tottenham executive chairman Daniel Levy fired him as manager in 2019 and then asked to speak.
“What do you want to talk about (with) me?” Pochettino said. “I don't want to hear nothing.”
Luna missed the March matches because of a knee injury after playing in 17 of 18 international games last year.
“It’s painful because I really know what it means to be out of the roster,” said Pochettino, who failed to make Argentina's roster as a defender in 1994 and 1998, then was chosen in 2002.
“During two weeks I didn’t sleep," the coach said. "And today still I cannot enjoy the 26 guys that are in front of me because I am thinking in players that are out.”
Final rosters are submitted to FIFA on June 1 and injuries could cause a change until one day before the U.S. opener against Paraguay on June 12.
“Things can happen. They need to be ready because maybe we can call,” Pochettino said.
Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna, nearly was sent home from the 2022 World Cup by then-coach Gregg Berhalter for lack of hustle and made just four starts this season for Borussia Mönchengladbach — none since Dec. 19.
“I don’t say that he’s going to play the game, but he can help,” Pochettino said. “He can help because he’s a different player, different talent, and I think in all the roster you need to have a player like him.”
Sebastian Berhalter, a 25-year-old son of the former coach, made his national team debut last June and became the Americans' best corner-kick taker.
Players dropped who had been on the March roster included goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, Tessmann and fellow midfielder Aidan Morris. Two players were sidelined by recent injuries: midfielder Johnny Cardoso (right ankle surgery) and forward Patrick Agyemang (torn right Achilles). Defender Cameron Carter-Vickers is recovering from a torn Achilles in October.
Half the roster returns from the last World Cup: goalkeeper Matt Turner; Dest, Ream and fellow defenders Antonee Robinson and Joe Scally; Adams and fellow midfielders Weston McKennie, Reyna and Cristian Roldan; and Pulisic and Wright at forward with Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah.
Richards and Miles Robinson were picked after injuries sidelined them ahead of the 2022 tournament.
Richards is a health concern after tearing two left ankle ligaments on May 17. Pochettino said he won't know Richards' status until he arrives in the U.S. for training because clubs “hide things.”
“Was really, really tough to have the real information to make our best decision,” Pochettino said. “How selfish, no, is the people in soccer or in football?”
Among the final cuts four years ago, Ricardo Pepi made it this time.
Players from 2022 left off included goalkeepers Ethan Horvath and Sean Johnson; Carter-Vickers and fellow defenders Aaron Long, Shaq Moore, DeAndre Yedlin and Walker Zimmerman; midfielders Kellyn Acosta, Luca de la Torre and Yunus Musah; and forwards Jesús Ferreira, Jordan Morris and Josh Sargent.
This year's average age of 26 years, 332 days as of the U.S. opener is up from 25-216 four years ago and the fifth-youngest for an American World Cup roster.
Just eight players were taken from Major League Soccer, the fewest since four in 2010. Five players are based in England, three each in Germany’s Bundesliga and France’s Ligue 1, two apiece in Italy’s Serie A and the Dutch Eredivisie, and one each in Mexico, Scotland and Spain.
Pulisic ended his AC Milan season scoreless in 19 games since Dec. 28 and has gone eight U.S. matches without a goal since November 2024.
Pochettino's three strikers finished their club seasons in form, combining for 56 goals: Folarin Balogun and Pepi scored 19 each and Wright 18.
For the first time since 1990, no American goalkeepers are from European clubs.
Ream will be 38 years, 250 days on the day the U.S. plays its opener, older than defender Fernando Clavijo when the U.S. was knocked out by Brazil in 1994.
Defender Alex Freeman, a son of former Super Bowl champion Antonio Freeman, is the youngest American this year at 21.
No. 3 goalkeeper Chris Brady is the first player on the U.S. World Cup roster with no international experience since backup goalkeeper Juergen Sommer in 1994.
AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
Forward Alex Zendejas of the United States men's national soccer team is presented during the announcement of the team roster on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York City, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Midfielder Giovanni Reyna of the United States men's national soccer team is presented during the announcement of the team roster on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York City, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Defender Tim Ream of the United States men's national soccer team is presented during the announcement of the team roster on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York City, ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
United States men's national soccer team pose after announcement of the team's roster, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York, ahead of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
FILE - United States head coach Mauricio Pochettino, left, talks with midfielder Diego Luna (10) as they walk off the field at halftime of the team's CONCACAF Gold Cup final soccer match against Mexico in Houston, Sunday, July 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, File)
FILE - United States' Gio Reyna (7) controls the ball during a CONCACAF Nations League final soccer match against Mexico, Sunday, March 24, 2024, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)
Marcus “Eagleman” Cranston, right, arrives for the announcement of the United States men's national soccer team roster, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York, ahead of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Fans arrive for the announcement of the United States men's national soccer team roster, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York, ahead of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
United States men's national soccer team pose after announcement of the team's roster, Tuesday, May 26, 2026, in New York, ahead of the FIFA World Cup soccer tournament. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC midfielder Sebastian Berhalter kicks the ball during the first half of an MLS soccer match against FC Dallas in Frisco, Texas, Wednesday, May 13, 2026. (AP Photo/LM Otero)
