2026 Application for eWEAR Health Prize @ Stanford U., $25,000 prize
The objective of the eWEAR Health Prize @ Stanford U. is to encourage emerging companies with breakthrough, deep tech innovations for health or medical use. The event is foremost an opportunity for contestants to participate in a positive environment to…
- gain recognition as a finalist invited to present in the eWEAR Health Prize @Stanford U. competition;
- pitch to investors;
- describe their company to a public audience;
- receive feedback on pitch and company idea;
- network with potential investors and business partners.
There will be up to 5 companies competing. Finalists traveling from outside of California may request a travel grant for $1000, one per company.
Up to three international universities that are collaborating with Stanford U. may send a participant to pitch at the event. However, these participants are not part of the application process, are not competing, and are not eligible to receive the prize.
Frequently asked questions can be found below.
Application Process
Applications will be accepted until Friday, September 25, 2026 at 5:00pm PDT.
To apply to be invited to pitch at the eWEAR Health Prize @ Stanford U. competition, provide the requested information on the online form. Responses should indicate how the innovation fits the theme of the competition.
Applicants invited to compete in the pitch competition will be notified by Thursday, October 1, 2026.
Eligibility
The company must fit the theme of Deep Tech and AI in the medical/health sector with innovation in one or more of the following areas: brain-machine interfaces, longevity, precision health, wearables, or robotics.
Companies should be at a very early stage, seeking pre-seed funding, or seed funding that is pre-A round funding. Companies seeking A-round funding or later will not be considered.
Applicants should be the founder (or co-founder) of the company and be 18 to 35 years old on November 6, 2026. The company must be incorporated in the U.S.A. and have a business location in the U.S.A.
The applicant must travel to Stanford U. to pitch in-person. Sending an alternate to pitch instead is discouraged, and is subject to the alternate meeting all eligibility and other requirements.
Key Dates
- Applications open: July 20, 2026
- Application submission deadline: September 25, 2026 at 5:00pm PDT
- Notification of invitation to compete: October 1, 2026
- Final version of slides provided to event organizers: October 30, 2026
- eWEAR Health Prize @ Stanford U. competition event: November 6, 2026
Participant Selection and Judging
Finalists will be chosen from the applicants to compete in the pitch competition based on criteria, such as:
- Transformative impact of the innovation: How much does the innovation offer an advantage/benefit, versus known alternate solutions?
- Moonshot potential: What future applications or capabilities does the innovation enable beyond the initial uses?
- Market opportunity: How many users could this innovation benefit?
- Potential to improve quality of life: What is the ability of the innovation to contribute to improving quality of life, and/or creating social good for those it is intended to help?
The winner will be selected at the pitch event by a panel of judges composed of investors, entrepreneurs, physicians, and experts from industry.
Requirements
Finalists present in person for 7 minutes at the pitch competition and attend the award ceremony at the end of the event. To prepare, each finalist will have a 30-minute meeting with event organizers via Zoom in October and send final presentation slides by October 30th. Finalists agree to have their photos taken during the event and posted on websites and social media.
Audience
The competition will be in-person only (not broadcast) with a live audience and registration open to the public. Approximately, 250 attendees are expected. The audience is mostly from the Stanford community, investors, and companies in the tech and medical sectors.
Contact
Questions? Email us at wearable-electronics@stanford.edu
FAQ's
Q: Will participant expenses be reimbursed?
A: No, participants will be responsible for their own expenses related to the competition, for example, travel, parking, meals, and lodging expenses.
Q: Will companies need to provide equity to receive the prize?
A: No equity will be requested to receive the prize.
Q: Does the technology need to be related to wearables?
A: The pitch competition is open to deep tech. No advantage is given to wearable-related technologies.
Q: Will there be confidentiality agreements in place?
A: There are no confidentiality agreements for the competition. Please present only information that is fine to share with the public.
Q: Can I register to attend the event as an audience member?
A: Yes, more information on the event will be on the website in September or you can fill out the attendee interest form here to be notified when registration opens