Wednesday, September 17 | 2:00–5:00 PM | Grand Rapids, MI

Health Tech Showcase: Beyond the Medical Mile

An afternoon with the founders building the future of health tech in Michigan. Real stories of scaling, lessons from the field, and proof of traction. Stay for rooftop networking with a curated group of emerging startups and growth-stage leaders.

Reserve Your SpotSee Participating Startups
Sponsored by
Michigan State University Research Foundation logo featuring a Spartan helmet icon alongside the university name.
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Scaling Companies Panel

Four founders. Four perspectives.

What does it take to grow a health tech company in West Michigan? Founders from SxanPro, Mentavi Health, The Patient Company, and Root Functional Medicine share the choices, partnerships, and turning points that shaped their growth.

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Ashlea Souffrou
Founder & CEO

Serial entrepreneur with three medical device patents and EY’s 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year, driving innovation in healthcare supply chain.

Healthcare Inventory
Data
Supply Chain

SxanPro uses patented mobile tech to turn healthcare inventory data into actionable intelligence. By harnessing Unique Device Identification (UDI), hospitals capture cost recovery opportunities and improve supply chain efficiency.

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Keith Brophy
CEO

Accomplished entrepreneur and past EY Entrepreneur of the Year, known for scaling startups, leading acquisitions, and advising state and federal leaders on healthcare innovation.

Digital Health
Behavioral Health
Diagnostics

Mentavi delivers digital mental health assessments and care online, making diagnosis and treatment more accessible. With flexible pathways and data-driven tools, Mentavi is expanding access to evidence-based behavioral health.

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Erica Armstrong, MD
Founder & CEO

Physician, author, and founder pioneering scalable care models in functional medicine and chronic disease treatment.

Care Delivery
Functional Medicine
Virtual Care

Root offers physician-led, dietitian-supported care to address the drivers of chronic conditions. Through virtual care and personalized treatment, Root’s model provides patients with more time, more insight, and more lasting support.

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Travis Smith
Director of Customer Success

Healthcare operations leader focused on scaling customer success and strengthening partnerships.

MedTech Device
Patient Transfer
Patient Safety

The Patient Company’s SimPull device modernizes lateral patient transfers. Designed with clinicians, it reduces staff injuries, lowers patient risk, and improves workflow efficiency inside hospitals.

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Emerging Startup Showcase

Building the Future of Health Tech

From digital platforms to medical devices, West Michigan’s founders are building companies that advance care, improve efficiency, and expand access. Meet 12–15 of the region’s most promising startups, each bringing fresh solutions and traction from the field.

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BioTechnology
Lucid Biosystems uses its breakthrough technology to develop personalized cell therapies for cancer treatment
Rick Leach, PhD
Co-founder/CEO
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Care Delivery
A platform connecting families to senior living and care options with trusted, no-cost guidance
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Renee Phillips, MBA
CEO/Advisor
Mobile phone screen showing Community Stor(ie)s app with a sentiment score of 4 and user comments about healthcare experiences, alongside a webpage banner inviting users to share their healthcare stories on the stor(ie) platform.
Digital Health
At Stor(ie), we desire to bring transparency to everyone's healthcare experiences. Everypatient, family member, and clinician has a stor(ie) to tell
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Nate Baar
Co-founder/CEO
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Digital Health
AI companion with reminders and caregiver alerts for older adults
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Dan Hungerford
Founder/CEO
Care Delivery
Whole-health primary care for adults 65+, with continuous monitoring
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Nancy Tuohy
Founder
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Devices
Maker of the Tibbe™ external urinary device; veteran-owned medtech
Dan Byers
President
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Devices
Retractable oxygen-tubing reel to reduce tangles and trip risk at home
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Austin Pollock
CEO/Co-Founder
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Digital Health
Movement health digital platform focused on reducing the instances, costs, and consequences of falls
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Scott Damman
CEO/Co-Founder
Digital Health
AI-powered rare-disease community and diagnostics platform
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CEO/Founder
Zach DeBruine
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Digital Health
Provider platform to connect, communicate, and coordinate for better outcomes
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Tom Stevenson
CEO/Co-Founder
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Digital Health
Field care-delivery and coordination platform for payers and providers
Cindy Bauer
Founder/CEO
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Devices
Oxygen therapy safety and monitoring solutions for home and clinical use
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Valerie Obenchain
Founder/CEO
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Devices
BluLateral creates wireless tools that deliver evidence-based stress regulation for military, first responders, and clinical markets
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Chris Causey
Founder/CEO
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Agenda

Where founders and partners connect.

Register to Attend

2:00 – 3:30 PM

Panel + Showcase

Four founder stories. Candid lessons from the scaling journey.

3:30 – 5:00 PM

Rooftop Networking

Direct conversations with emerging startups, investors, and partners.