Five promising startups have been selected to represent the ASPS Plastic Surgery specialty track in the 2026 MedTech Innovator (MTI) program, which highlights emerging companies with the potential to improve patient outcomes. Each company will participate in MTI's accelerator program, designed to position early- to mid-stage medical device, diagnostic and digital health companies for commercialization and growth.

The startups advancing through the ASPS Plastic Surgery track are FeminAI, ImageAssist, GenesisTissue, Tissuelock and GenAssist. They join a cohort of 65 startups that will compete for a share of $800,000 in funding. Winners will be announced this fall during the MedTech Conference in Boston.

"Plastic surgery has always been a specialty driven by innovation, and the Society's unique partnership with MedTech Innovator allows us to help shape the next generation of technologies," said Babak Mehrara, MD, president of The Plastic Surgery Foundation. "By connecting entrepreneurs with the expertise of plastic surgeons, we're helping ensure these solutions are developed with patients' needs in mind while accelerating innovations that have the potential to strengthen patient care across the specialty."

Interest in the ASPS Plastic Surgery track continued to grow this year, with 135 companies applying for consideration. Following a competitive review process, 12 startups advanced to the live-pitch judging round in San Francisco, where the top five were selected to represent ASPS in the 2026 plastic surgery accelerator track.

The five companies will also be featured at Plastic Surgery The Meeting in Houston, Oct. 15-18, where they will showcase their technologies and engage directly with plastic surgeons and industry leaders. Participants will also receive coaching from experienced entrepreneurs, while taking part in MedTech Innovator's corporate mentorship program, which pairs each startup with senior industry executives for individualized guidance and strategic support.

The 2026 accelerator marks the fifth year of the collaboration between ASPS and MedTech Innovator. During that span, 18 cohort companies have gone through the program with $120 million in funding raised; two of the companies have had exits. The 18 companies that have participated in the ASPS Plastic Surgery track have also won more than $337,000 in prizes from the MTI program.

Since MTI was founded in 2013, the program has supported more than 800 startups, helping participants secure more than $11 billion in equity funding and achieve more than 500 FDA approvals and authorizations, underscoring its role as a leading catalyst for medical technology innovation.

Based in Los Angeles, MedTech Innovator is the world's largest accelerator of medical technology companies and the premier nonprofit startup accelerator in the medical technology industry. Its mission is to improve the lives of patients by accelerating the growth of companies that are transforming the healthcare system. In collaboration with 35 corporate partners, as well as a broader network of more than 1,000 industry executives including investors, business development representatives and other stakeholders, MedTech Innovator provides startups with individualized mentorship and feedback, funding opportunities and continual engagement with peers and advisors.

For more information about MedTech Innovator, visit https://medtechinnovator.org/ and follow @MedTechAwards on X and MedTech Innovator on LinkedIn.