Two Student-Led Startups Earn $50k in Funding in Global Medical Innovation Competition
SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (October 23, 2026) — A judging panel of top medtech industry executives named ARSS and SoundPass Medical as the inaugural winners of two startup divisions of the Center for Medical Innovation’s Bench to Bedside APEX competition, recognizing the companies for their innovative medical technologies and strong potential to improve patient care.
Bench to Bedside APEX expands CMI’s nationally recognized Bench to Bedside program into a global competition for student-founded health care startups. The competition connects emerging companies with mentorship, funding, and resources to accelerate the development of medical technologies addressing unmet clinical needs.
Following a multi-stage competition that culminated in a live grand finale in Salt Lake City, judges selected winners in two categories: Emerging Innovators and Scaling Startups. Each winning team receives $50,000 in non-dilutive funding, a year of incubator space at the Sorenson Center for Medical Innovation, mentorship from industry experts, and additional commercialization support.
