Powerful Medical has made history as the first company to win both the Best Science Startup and Overall Winner titles at the esteemed Health Tech Competition during the American Heart Association (AHA) Scientific Sessions 2024 in Chicago, Illinois. This achievement highlights the company’s pioneering role in cardiovascular healthcare innovation, with its flagship product, PMcardio, recognized for its transformative impact on diagnostics and care coordination, particularly in detecting STEMI equivalents and occlusive myocardial infarctions (OMI).
The AHA Health Tech Competition celebrates cutting-edge technologies advancing the prevention and management of cardiovascular diseases. In the final round, competing against four exceptional health tech startups, Powerful Medical convinced a distinguished panel of judges, including leading physicians, scientists, and industry experts, with its visionary presentation of PMcardio and the exceptional capabilities of its OMI AI model.
PMcardio, a CE-certified Class IIb EU MDR medical device, has rapidly gained trust among over 60,000 clinicians worldwide. Leveraging AI trained on millions of real-world outcomes, the platform interprets 12-lead ECGs for 39 indications, streamlining diagnostics and improving care pathways. In just 18 months, PMcardio has analyzed more than 500,000 ECGs across 16 European markets, driving better care coordination and delivering measurable clinical improvements.
This milestone reflects Powerful Medical's commitment to revolutionizing cardiovascular healthcare through precision, speed, and innovation.
“This platform not only transforms cardiovascular diagnostics but also empowers clinicians through our AI-augmented chest pain patient pathway. It is a critical step toward delivering equitable, efficient, and timely care for all patients, regardless of demographics. We’re proud to contribute to meaningful advancements in cardiology,” said Dr. Robert Herman, Chief Medical Officer of Powerful Medical.
The recognition at the AHA Health Tech Competition also coincides with Powerful Medical’s prominent presence at the AHA 2024 Scientific Sessions, where the company presented its latest advancements in AI-driven cardiovascular care:
- November 16: Gender disparities in cardiac care, presented by Dr. Timea Kisova
- November 16: AI-powered smartphone diagnostics, presented by Anthony Demolder, MD
- November 18: Cath lab activation solutions, presented by Dr. Robert Herman
- November 18: External validations of PMcardio (“Queen of Hearts”), presented by Dr. Samantha Harris (Washington University in St. Louis) and Dr. James Choi (Mount Sinai Morningside)
“We are honored to receive this recognition from the American Heart Association,” said Martin Herman, Co-Founder and CEO of Powerful Medical. “Winning both the Best Science Pitch and Overall Winner awards is a testament to the potential of PMcardio to revolutionize cardiovascular care. This achievement is not just for our team, but for the thousands of clinicians and patients worldwide who benefit from our technology.”
The AHA Health Tech Competition’s rigorous two-pitch format evaluated companies on both scientific impact and business scalability. Powerful Medical impressed the judges with its demonstrated efficacy and a scalable business model addressing global cardiovascular challenges, including high rates of misdiagnosis and delayed treatment for heart attacks.
Joining a distinguished roster of past winners, Powerful Medical has further solidified its position as a leader in healthcare innovation. With a robust deal pipeline, ongoing clinical studies, and its FDA De Novo clearance on the horizon, PMcardio is preparing for its U.S. expansion, supported by a $25 million Series A funding round.
For more information visit: www.powerfulmedical.com
Photo Caption: From left to right: Nancy Brown, CEO of the American Heart Association; Felix Bauer (COO), Martin Herman (CEO), and Robert Herman, M.D. (CMO) of Powerful Medical, winners of the AHA’s Health Tech Competition 2024; and Star Jones, attorney, TV host, and AHA national volunteer.
Photo Credit: Charlie Hall.
Powerful Medical, founded in 2017, is a deep-tech company revolutionizing cardiovascular care through AI-driven solutions. Its flagship product, PMcardio, interprets 12-lead ECGs to diagnose 39 cardiovascular conditions, including acute myocardial infarctions. At the core of the platform is the OMI AI ECG model, which identifies critical heart attack subgroups, ensuring accurate and timely diagnoses, even in challenging cases.
The company's care coordination platform enhances patient management by streamlining workflows, enabling faster triage and referrals, and fostering collaboration among healthcare providers, hospitals, and first responders.
Powerful Medical's innovations have been validated through international clinical research and featured in peer-reviewed publications. The company has received recognition from Google for Startups, Forbes 30 Under 30 Europe, and the European Innovation Council Accelerator, securing €7.5 million in funding.