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MSK Innovation Competition

MSK Innovation Competition

The MSK Innovation Competition—supported by BJI internal research funding from 2019–2024—sparked remarkable advances in musculoskeletal health by empowering London-based entrepreneurs to bring their ideas to life. Through funding, mentorship, and hands-on pitch experience, this initiative helped transform early concepts into promising innovations with real-world potential.

In partnership with the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship, the program welcomed entrepreneurial MSK experts from across London to showcase their ideas at annual pitch events. Each year, innovators presented their most compelling solutions to a panel of supportive judges, celebrating creativity, commercial potential, and forward-thinking approaches in MSK care.

Top-performing teams were awarded up to $30,000 to accelerate their progress—recognizing not only the strength of their ideas but also their skill in communicating vision, value, and impact.

More than a competition, this program championed bold thinking, nurtured entrepreneurial spirit, and helped participants gain essential skills that will continue to drive innovation well beyond the event.

Many of our competition participants have also taken advantage of the resources available at BioNext, Western's MedTech Incubator, focused on translating early ideas into commercial innovations.

MSK Innovation Competition impact

Western startup aims to increase amputees’ comfort, quality of life

Vessl Prosthetics founders Oleksiy Zaika, Sydney Robinson met through the Medical Innovation Fellowship program

"The MSK Pitch Competition was my first exposure to critically evaluating my ideas for not only healthcare improvement, but market potential. That experience was the foundation for my interest in entrepreneurship, which is turning into an extremely fulfilling career."

MICHAEL LAVDAS, Founder & CTO, Tenomix Inc.

Competition Winners:

2024

Participating Teams:

Team Sensalog: “Validation of a Miniature Device for Tracking Whole-body Physiological Sign”
Team DigitsRehab: "An Innovative Remote Upper Extremity Assessment Platform”
Team NerveWay: "High Resolution Post-Surgical Nerve Imaging for Surgeons”

Winner: Team DigitsRehab: An Innovative Remote Upper Extremity Assessment Platform

https://digitsrehab.com/

2023

Participating Teams:

Team Step Sciences: Manufacturing Custom Sensorimotor Insoles via Novel 3D Printing Technology
Team RCM Sonic Solutions: A Comprehensive 3D/4D Ultrasound Scanning Device

Winner: Team RCM Sonic Solutions (NovaSonix): A Comprehensive 3D/4D Ultrasound Scanning Device

https://novasonixhealthcare.com/

News Stories:

Western Engineering champions innovations in healthcare research

2022

Participating Teams:

Team Kopacz: Manufacturing Custom Sensorimotor Insoles via novel 3D Printing Technology
Team Robinson: Vessl Prosthetics Inc.: automatically adjusting prosthetic socket for below-knee amputees

Winner: Team Robinson: Vessl Prosthetics Inc.: automatically adjusting prosthetic socket for below-knee amputees

https://www.vesslpro.com/

News Stories:

Novel innovations to enhance everyday mobility comfort for all

Western graduates create innovative new design for prosthetic legs

2021

Participating Teams:

Team Abdic: The Simultaneous Multi-View System for Virtual MSK Health Interactions
Team Cunning: The MAC Network: Accelerating The Transition From Volume to Value
Team Deans: Pickle: An App-Based Diagnostic Decision Aid for Musculoskeletal Complaints
Team Reeves: ONPoint: Translating Objective Balance Assessment to Clinical and Home Use