Applications for next year’s OrthoPitch competition are now being accepted.

OrthoPitch is a technology competition for early and mid-stage companies with novel, innovative and potentially disruptive product concepts or solutions for improving existing standards or orthopedic care. OrthoPitch will take place during the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 2025 Annual Meeting in San Diego (March 10-14). Presented by MCRA and AAOS, OrthoPitch gives companies the opportunity to participate in a multi-stage, rapid pitch competition. Every OrthoPitch submission is thoroughly reviewed by a panel of industry experts and members of the AAOS Devices, Biologics and Technology Committee. The top three submissions will be invited to pitch their concepts live during the AAOS Annual Meeting, with one concept earning bragging rights and other prizes.

OrthoPitch submissions are limited to one submission per applicant. Applicants should provide in video format (5-10 minutes) the following items:

1. Unmet need and market opportunity
2. Technical description of the product and procedure* concept  (*if applicable)
3. Evidence (pre-clinical and clinical if available)
4. Regulatory plan
5. Reimbursement plan
6. U.S. distribution and commercialization plan

Video submissions for the initial application process can be informal (for example, it can be a voiceover to a pitch deck).  Applicants must also provide supporting documentation in PDF format. The top three chosen finalists must attend the live OrthoPitch event during the AAOS 2025 Annual Meeting and develop a professional video (one minute) in advance of the event to be shared in front of the live audience.

Application Review Periods are as follows:

• Application window closes on approximately Aug. 3, 2024
• First round review closes in mid-September, 2024
• Second round review closes in early November 2024
• Participants in the final round live at AAOS 2025 will be notified by approximately Nov. 15, 2024
• Final round participants will provide a one-minute professional video by Jan. 1, 2025

Evaluations will be conducted in two virtual rounds, with AAOS’ Devices, Biologics, and Technology (DBT) Committee reviewing all applications for the first round to narrow the field to be reviewed by the second round. The second round of reviewers will narrow the applications to the top choices. All review fields are graded on a 10-point scale (10 is best), and these scores are averaged for a single overall rating score. The applicants with the highest overall scores will move on to the final round. In the pre-screening phase, the presentations will only be to the key personnel, panelists, and contest judges, however, finalists will present their submissions publicly at the AAOS 2025 meeting.

First Round
(Initial impact to practice of medicine): Surgeons from AAOS’ DBT Committee will review each technology with a focus on its impact on the practice of medicine and impact on patient care.

1. Product concept
2. Unmet need and market opportunity
3. Improvement in the standard of care. Ease of implementation or integration into practice

Second Round
(Judging all attributes): A panel of regulatory, reimbursement, and commercialization experts, physicians, and investors will judge each technology with a focus on all attributes—ease to market, reimbursement coverage, impact on market, commercialization.

Final Round
At AAOS 2025 Annual Meeting, the top three finalists will take the stage to pitch their products. Finalists will be asked to produce a short one-minute video to introduce their product, and will further give a brief live presentation, in front of a panel of judges. Finalists should expect to be prepared to field hard-hitting questions from these judges prior to the final winner selection. The grand prize will may include, but is not limited to:

• Recognition as the winner of OrthoPitch for 2025
• Exposure to top seed and early-stage investors physicians, strategists, and fellow industry members
• Complimentary booth at AAOS Annual Meeting in 2026
• One 20-minute Innovation Theater time slot at the 2026 AAOS Annual Meeting
• Complimentary webinar with AAOS
• One-on-one coordinated meetings with a minimum of nine leading medtech investors