ACRM Annual Conference

LaunchPad

A Rehabilitation Technology Innovation Competition

Monday 27 October 2025*

LaunchPad is an annual competition created to highlight innovative rehabilitation technologies developed by non-profit research and engineering labs and startup companies. The competition is held at ACRM’s annual conference each fall.

Dates are subject to change*

Current deadline

19 April 2025

ACRM LaunchPad

This year’s competition will be held during the ACRM Annual Conference — the largest interdisciplinary rehabilitation research conference in the world.

ACRM is where cutting-edge research and technology meet clinical practice to improve the quality of life for people with disabilities. The conference is attended by thousands of researchers and clinicians who value cutting-edge research and technology.

Don't forget to submit!

What is it?

The ACRM Technology Networking Group is pleased to announce LaunchPad — an exciting opportunity to pitch your company or idea to a panel of rehab industry experts and an audience of clinicians, researchers, engineers, and decision-makers to receive market feedback and win prizes.

LaunchPad is an annual competition created to highlight innovative rehabilitation technologies developed by non-profit research and engineering labs and startup companies. The competition is held at ACRM’s annual conference each fall.

How it Works

STAGE 1 - Spring

LaunchPad is a 6-month, 2-stage competition, beginning with the submission of applications in the spring by competitors. The application deadline is 19 April 2025.  Applications should include an Executive Summary that describes the following:

  • Your innovative rehabilitation technology
  • Your target user
  • The problem addressed
  • Evidence of efficacy and other user feedback
  • Evidence of adoption, if any

Download the Executive Summary Outline to identify the information needed to submit an application.

STAGE 2 - Fall

Finalists will present their technologies before a panel of interdisciplinary judges, including healthcare administrators, rehabilitation technology researchers and engineers, rehabilitation clinicians, medical doctors, and technology entrepreneurs to win prizes and gain valuable feedback from rehab professionals at the ACRM Annual Conference.

Who Should Apply

  • Early-stage health technology companies
    • (Limited to companies that have been in business less than 5 years, have up to Series A funding OR below $500K in gross revenue from product sales
  • Rehabilitation research labs/ researchers working on technology-based solutions
  • Accepted finalists receive 20% DISCOUNT off the Registration Rates for the Annual Conference

Audience

The conference is attended by thousands of researchers, physicians and clinicians, engineers, and business and community leaders who value cutting-edge rehabilitation research and technology. Last year, 81% of all attendees identified themselves as purchasing decision-makers & influencers for their departments!

Awards & Prizes

First place: “Best Overall”

  • The recipient will receive an 8 x 10 inline exhibit booth space at the ACRM 2025 Annual Conference EXPO, including 1 exhibitor registrations to attend Core Conference programming ($4,499 value)
  • The recipient will be interviewed for an upcoming episode of the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation podcast, RehabCast.

Secondary awards: “Most Innovative” and “Most Impactful”

  • The “Most Innovative” and “Most Impactful” winners will be featured in a shared inline booth space (8’ x 10’) at the ACRM 2025 Annual Conference EXPO.
  • All three winners will receive one complimentary full color one-page advertisement in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

2024 LaunchPad Winners

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The Technology Networking Group (TNG) aims to be recognized as the leading international networking group providing collaboration and resources for development and deployment of technology in the field of rehabilitation medicine.

  • Venue for interdisciplinary group of rehabilitation professionals – academicians, clinicians, researchers, rehabilitation, technology industry, end-users.
  • Interdisciplinary group dedicated to promoting rehab technology R&D, bench-to-bedside application to the clinical environment and effective technology transfer for availability to end-users.
ACRM Technology Networking Group

Proposal Submission Guidelines

The ACRM Annual Fall Conference: Progress in Rehabilitation Research is the premier educational conference for evidence-based learning in rehabilitation medicine. The 2025 Program Committee invites proposals focused on research evidence and its translation into clinical practice. 

ACRM is especially interested in the following 40 topics:

  • Aging Research & Geriatric Rehabilitation
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Arts & Neuroscience
  • Athlete Development & Sports Rehabilitation
  • Behavioral Health Sciences
  • Big Data
  • Brain Injury
  • Burn Rehabilitation
  • Cancer Rehabilitation
  • Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
  • Career Development
  • Caregiver Needs
  • Clinical Practice (assessment, diagnosis, treatment, knowledge translation/EBP, implementation science, program development)
  • Complementary Integrative Rehabilitation Medicine
  • COVID-19 and Long COVID (Post-Acute Sequelae SARS-CoV-2 infection, PASC)
  • Cross-Cutting
  • Cultural Competency
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
  • Early Mobilization/Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit
  • Ethics
  • Health Services Research
  • International
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle Medicine
  • Limb Care (including prosthetics/orthotics)
  • Machine Learning
  • Measurement
  • Military and Veterans Affairs
  • Neurodegenerative Disease (e.g. MS, Parkinson’s disease)
  • Neuroplasticity (includes neuroscience)
  • Pain Rehabilitation
  • Pediatric Rehabilitation
  • Rehabilitation Treatment Specification System
  • Skin Management
  • Spasticity
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Stroke
  • Technology (e.g. robotics, assistive technology, mHealth)
  • Telehealth
  • Trauma 
  • Writing Grants & Getting Funded 

Proposals that are interdisciplinary in nature, or include international or early career presenters are encouraged!

Avoidance of Commercialism

All presentations must avoid commercialism. Presentations that constitute promotion and advertising will be prohibited. This includes pervasive and inappropriate use of logos. No advertising matter of any kind may be distributed. No material may be displayed that in any way directly promotes the commercial interest of any company or enterprise, or of the author(s)/presenter(s). If the cost of presentation has been underwritten to any extent, a clear acknowledgment stating support and identifying the particular source should be included (e.g., “The support of [name of corporation/institute] for this project is gratefully acknowledged.”) Statements made in presentations are the sole responsibility of the author(s)/presenter(s). Any statement made should not be viewed as, or considered representative of, any formal stance or position taken on any product, subject, or issue by ACRM.

Accreditation Requirements

At the time of online submission, submitters must provide complete contact information (e.g., name, credentials, title, institution, mailing address, email, and phone) for all authors/presenters associated with the submission. Further, all submitters, authors, and presenters must submit a current CV or resume and electronically sign a continuing education (CE) agreement and disclosure form. Failure to do so prevents acceptance of a submission. An electronic copy of presentations must be held on file with ACRM.

Conference Attendance and Presenter Expenses

Presenters for all accepted proposals are required to register for the conference, and are fully responsible for all of their expenses related to the conference (e.g., registration, airfare, hotel, meals).

Questions

Email Raeda Anderson, PhD or submit them via the form below. 

Don't forget to submit!