UR Health Lab Events

Pitch Competition 2026

How can we reimagine healthcare at UR Medicine?

What breakthrough could meaningfully improve patient outcomes? How might technology help us deliver smarter, more connected care?

We want to hear your ideas!

The UR Health Lab Pitch Competition invites you to form a team, develop your concept, receive mentorship from UR Health Lab leaders, and compete for $1,000 in seed funding to bring your solution to life.

The winning team receives the $1,000 along with resources from the UR Health Lab to build proof of concept/minimum viable product to pilot at UR/URMC.

Who Should Apply?

• UR/URMC students, faculty, and staff
• Individuals with basic knowledge of technology and above
• Those with project ideas related to healthcare, technology, and innovation
• Those who can commit to attending all in-person Workshops (Event Schedule below). Virtual Office Hours are optional.

Applications will be assessed on the following criteria:

• Feasibility of project
• Alignment with UR Health Lab Mission
• Institutional impact/scalability

Ready to Apply?

Apply to participate in the Pitch Competition.

Event Schedule

Workshop 1: Monday, March 3, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Location: In-person, TBD

• How to Build an Effective Pitch
• Pitching Yourself

Homework: Develop brief self-pitch for the next meeting

Workshop 2: Monday, April 6, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Location: In-person, TBD

• Identifying the Problem
• Current Solutions/Market Research

Homework: Refine and present problem statement

Office Hours: Monday, April 13, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

• Special guest appearances
• Opportunity for teams to touch base with the Education Core to practice, ask questions, and refine their work from Workshops 1 and 2

Workshop 3: Monday, April 20, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Location: In-person, TBD

• Your Solution & Implementation
• Sustainment & Scalability

Office Hours: Monday, April 27, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

• Special guest appearances
• Opportunities for the teams to touch base with the Education Core to practice, ask questions, and refine their work from Workshops 1, 2, and 3

Workshop 4: Tuesday, May 5, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Location: In-person, TBD

• Putting it All Together
• Pitch Practice

Pitch Competition: Friday, May 22, 2026 from 12:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Location: TBD

• Putting it All Together
• Pitch Practice

Team Participation Criteria

• Ability to attend each of the in-person workshops
• Ability to attend the full Pitch Competition

Looking to Participate in Another Way?

• Attend the Pitch Competition as an Audience Member. Register to Attend.
• Interested in being an expert panelist or judge? Email Brooke to learn more: Brooke_Baiocchi@URMC.rochester.edu