Global Health Innovation Grand Challenge Awards 2026
The Summit featured the Global Health Innovation Grand Challenge Pitch competition to showcase groundbreaking solutions to real-world health problems. Teams of medical students and engineering students presented engineering-driven solutions to address some of the toughest challenges in modern health care, including surgical safety, disease prevention, diagnosis, and technology-assisted advances in doctor-patient interactions.
Bleeding Point Detection Algorithm for Endoscopic Spinal Surgery | 1st Place - $50,000 award
University of Illinois-Chicago College of Medicine
The team developed a novel artificial intelligence (AI) model producing a real-time map of unintended bleeding during minimally invasive spinal surgeries. The method pinpoints bleeds so surgeons can control bleeding that can obscure the view of the surgical field.
Neuroguard | 2nd Place - $40,000 award
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
The new surgical add-on device is designed to make mastectomies safer by pinpointing the location of important nerves within the surgical field. The technology combines nerve stimulation capabilities with existing intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) to help surgeons avoid unintentionally severing nerves. This team advanced to the finals of last year’s competition.
VaxiPatch: Thermostable R21/Matrix-M Microneedle Vaccine for Climate-Resilient Malaria | 3rd Place - $30,000 award
Nanyang Technological University
This innovation tackles the challenge of delivering crucial anti-malaria vaccines to under-resourced locations. The team’s technology locks vaccines into a dry matrix that removes water and prevents heat-driven degradation in challenging climates. Dissolvable microneedles embedded in a self-applied patch eliminate the need for a trained vaccine administrator.
Invogenix | 4th Place - $20,000 award
Carle Illinois College of Medicine
This AI system is built on global clinical standards specifically for small and independent medical practices. The tool serves as an assistant to convert patient-physician interactions into customizable clinical notes. It supports standardized diagnostic and treatment codes to ensure that patient records remain complete and that insurance claims are approved.
Non-Contact Screening of Carotid Artery Stenosis Using Facial Imaging Photoplethysmography (iPPG) | 5th Place - $10,000 award
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University College of Medicine (NYCU)
This device is designed to provide a non-contact carotid stenosis screening method using facial imaging from a standard camera. The system analyzes subtle, region-specific facial blood volume pulsations in the face and forehead to detect vascular changes caused by disease in the major arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to the brain, face, and neck.
“Through partnerships and collaborations in the global consortium, we are advancing the future of medical education, connecting people and data from around the world to advance medical research, and breaking down barriers to advancing and scaling medical innovations for the benefit of society.”
Mark Cohen
CI MED Dean and Global Consortium Executive Council President
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