2025 TERMIS-AM Business Plan Competition (BPC)

 

We invite you to participate in the TERMIS Americas 2025 Business Plan & Pitch Competition. Five individuals or groups will be selected from the submissions and will present a 5-7 minute pitch in front of the TERMIS community as well as a panel of judges with experience in entrepreneurship and technology commercialization. Additionally, the selected five finalists will have the opportunity to individually, virtually meet with an entrepreneurial pitch coach prior to the competition to support their pitch and overall communication in preparation for the competition.

 

Using criteria including but not limited-to: product-need-fit, customer identification and validation, technological innovation, business model, and overall communication and presentation style, the Judges will select 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, who will receive a monetary award of $2,000, $1,000, or $500, respectively. An additional “Audience Favorite” award of $500 will be granted to the individual or group that the present audience votes to be most compelling.

 

Important Dates & Events

  • TERMIS Americas Business Plan & Pitch Competition will be held in Detroit, MI, US at the annual TERMIS Americas Conference on Nov 10, 2025 from 3:00 - 4:30pm. 
  • Executive Summary (see below for details) and submitter details must be submitted through this form no later than September 29th, 2025.
  • Five finalists will be selected and notified by October 6th.
  • Following notification, selected finalists will be connected with entrepreneurial pitch coaches to schedule coaching session(s).

 

Submission deadline: Monday, September 29, 2025 - 11:59 PM Eastern Time

BPC Submission
  • The applicants not chosen to compete in the Finals will be awarded an Honorable Mention and present a poster, where they will provide a 1-min elevator pitch during the poster session. We expect there will be great opportunities, presenting to an audience that include venture capitalists, commercialization experts and business leaders that can build relationships and guide individuals and teams beyond TERMIS 2025.
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  • The submitted Executive Summary (1 page MAXIMUM) should address the following areas:
  • A) Problem and Market Need
  • The specific challenge your organization seeks to address, with an emphasis on its relevance to tissue engineering and regenerative medicine.
  • B) Proposed Solution and Competitive Edge
  • Present your approach to solving the identified problem. Highlight what makes your solution different or superior to existing and developing alternatives may include unique technical features, performance advantages, cost efficiency, scalability, or integration capabilities that provide a distinct market position. Please also provide a brief statement on the status of any relevant intellectual property (i.e. granted patents or patent applications).
  • C) Business Model and Approach
  • Summarize your business model, including but not limited to: who are your customers and/or partners?; how big is the market you are addressing?; how will you generate revenue?
  • D) Regulatory and Manufacturing Pathway (if applicable)
  • Explain the regulatory pathway you intend to pursue, including anticipated submission types, timelines, and interactions with regulatory agencies.
  • E) Team and Experience
  • Outline the proposed research and development activities. Break down the work by major components, specifying quantitative goals, anticipated deliverables, and key milestones. Include details on relevant preclinical testing or planned studies that will advance the technology toward readiness.
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  • Other Executive Summary Requirements
  • Executive Summaries are limited to 1-page and should be single spaced, minimum 10pt font, and with normal 1” margins.
  • Figures and images may be included but must fit within the 1-page limitation.
  • Bullet points are allowed and encouraged for quick succinct communication when advantageous.
  • Eligibility
  • Teams or businesses can address any topic within the scope of the TERMIS community, including but not limited to:
  • Medical devices
  • Therapeutics
  • Biotools and instrumentation
  • Diagnostics
  • Services
  • Personnel and Workforce Development
  • Non-incorporated teams or legally incorporated business entities with less than $200,000 raised in equity capital. This does not include non-dilutive sources of funding including but not limited to government grants, SBIR/STTR, etc.
  • Submitting teams do not need to be legally incorporated as a business to participate but should at least have a team name and preliminary logo prior to the November 10th pitch date.
  • While all stages of technological development are welcome, including early concepts, we do encourage that applicants ensure they have appropriate intellectual property positions and protections before submitting an application. Participants recognize that presenting at the Business Competition constitutes public disclosure.
  • Only one submission per individual applicant or team.

Business Plan Competition Committee
Paul Dalton, VivoTex
Adam Jakus, BioThera3 Advising & Consulting | PRO Therapeutics

Nicole Black, MedTech Innovator

Hector Capella, Viscus Biologics

Nilabh Kajave, Humabiologics

A.J. Mellott, Ronawk | Stella