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*

Submissions are closed

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 register!

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 EXTENDED TO 2 May 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 2026 Annual Conference EXPO, including 1 exhibitor registration 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. (Please note this is the same year in which the competition is held. We encourage finalists to be prepared to exhibit if they win these awards.)

In addition, all three winners will be featured in a complimentary, shared, full-color, one-page LaunchPad advertisement in the Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

2024 LaunchPad Winners

RehabCast

Hear from Past Winners featured in the ACRM Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation podcast, RehabCast.

Episode 53

Robotics & Restoration: Transforming Stroke and Spasticity Care

Meet Kristin Nuckols, an occupational therapist and co-founder of Imago Rehab, ACRM 2024 LaunchPad winner, creator of a wearable soft robotic glove. This groundbreaking device empowers stroke survivors to regain independence by bringing therapy into their homes.

Listen below

Episode 51

Aphasia Dialogue & Older TBIs: 2023 Launchpad Winner & Outcomes Research on Older TBIs

Meet Maheen M. Adamson, PhD, MHL, ACRM 2023 LaunchPad winner, to discuss Give Voice to the Speechless for A Vision Neuroscience-Based Communication & Detection Solution.

Listen below

Episode 44

Igniting Progress: Meet the ACRM LaunchPad 2022 Winner and Explore Sex-Related Discrepancies after SCI

Meet the ACRM 2022 LaunchPad winner, Lianna Genovese, who is the CEO & Founder of ImaginAble Solutions. Her Guided Hands™ device helps enable anyone with limited fine motor skills to write, paint, draw and access technology. 

Listen below

Episode 41

Meet the winner of the 2021 ACRM Launchpad competition, Braze Mobility’s Pooja Viswanathan. We take a close look at her technology making it easier & safer for wheelchair users who don’t have eyes in the back of their heads to navigate all sorts of spaces. 

Episode 33

Meet the ACRM 2020 LaunchPad winning rehab engineering project – a virtual occupational therapy tool utilizing object recognition developed by Sam Colachis of Battelle. We talk with him about his winning submission and what else he and the neuro group at Battelle are up to these days.

Don't forget to submit

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 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
  • Caregiver Needs & Related Research
  • 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)
  • Early Mobilization/Rehabilitation in the Intensive Care Unit;Health Services Research
  • International
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle Medicine
  • Limb Care
  • Measurement
  • Machine Learning
  • 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
  • Spatial Neglect
  • Spinal Cord Injury
  • Strengthening Opportunities and Accessibility in Rehabilitation
  • 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!