Our flagship program
HEALING Pitch Competition
HEALING - Healthcare Entrepreneurs Advancing and Leading Innovation alongside Neurogether
A judged stage for healthcare and life-science startups across North Dakota and the upper Midwest.
Last year we hosted HEALING 2025, a two-day event in Grand Forks. The recap below is from that competition.
HEALING 2026 is open. Five startups. One stage. Fargo, October 21.
Apply for HEALING 2026Last year
HEALING 2025
14
Total applicants
10
Finalists selected
4 / 6
Finalists from MN / ND
$4,500
Cash prizes
$4,000
In-kind prizes
Teams represented healthcare and bioscience ventures from across both North Dakota and Minnesota, reflecting HEALING’s regional draw.
2025 Event overview
Two days for healthcare founders, clinicians, and the regional innovation community.
Ten finalists pitched live to a panel of judges for cash and in-kind prizes. Applicants and finalists spanned both North Dakota and Minnesota. The room brought together entrepreneurs, clinicians, researchers, investors, and ecosystem partners.
Main event
The HIVE
Grand Forks, ND
The live pitch competition — ten finalists, one judging panel, cash and in-kind prizes.
Pre-event social
The Landing
Grand Forks, ND
Fireside chat with founders plus live music — an intimate kickoff for the innovation community.
Recap photos
From The Landing to The HIVE
Images from the HEALING 2025 pre-event social at The Landing and the live finale at The HIVE.
1 / 15
The pitch competition
10 finalists, 10 bold ideas
Healthcare and life-science ventures that pitched live at the HEALING 2025 finale.
- 01Houser Labs
- 02BuzzCare
- 03MindMend Biotech LLC
- 04The 2 Second Tourniquet
- 05Strong Knee Mo-Pro
- 06Elevate BioTech
- 07Arctic Lava
- 08Rainbow Hair Hats (Uncharted Light)
- 09Meatspace Canine Company
- 10UniSteam
Judges & evaluation
Main event judging panel
These judges scored the live pitches at the finale.
Melissa Hernandez
Dr. Zvika Shinar, PhD
Johnny Ryan
Judges & evaluation
Screening judges
A separate screening panel selected the 10 finalists from a pool of 14 applicants ahead of the event.
Dakota Venture Group
Pathway Ventures
New Era Ventures
ILT Academy
Speakers & performers
Voices and moments that brought energy to both days
Pre-event fireside chat
Founders on stage at The Landing
- Cody Carlson
- Stephen Rider
- Tamara Bertram
Moderator: Austin Steffen
Live music
Original songs for the community
Tamara Bertram & team performed at the pre-event social.
James Bergman performed an original song, “Big Things,” inspired by the entrepreneurs’ stories, at the main event.
“The innovation happening here in North Dakota and Minnesota is truly inspiring — and this is just the beginning.”
Neurogether Ventures Foundations, HEALING 2025
Organizing team
HEALING 2025 was produced by the Neurogether Ventures Foundations team in Grand Forks, with support from the regional healthcare and entrepreneurship community.