INVEST Digital Health, scheduled for October 29 with a spotlight on consumers across digital health, diagnostics, drug platforms and self-insured employers, will once again take place at Pegasus Park. In addition to being a hub of startup and healthcare innovation, the campus is also home to MedCity News partner and accelerator Health Wildcatters.
Health Wildcatters co-founder and CEO Dr. Hubert Zajicek will moderate a panel discussion at INVEST Digital Health on how convenience is reshaping clinical strategy. The panel will explore how providers are offering patients the level of consumer-
centric convenience they’ve become accustomed to in other areas of their life — and how this shift can lead to
improved loyalty, adherence and outcomes. Among the panelists for the session are: Angeline Chen, Novellia Founding Director of Product, Arpan Parikh, Kin Health CEO, Travis Rush, Reperio Health CEO.
Commenting on the new cohort, Zajicek said:
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“We are thrilled to welcome 10 innovative healthcare startups to Dallas and the rapidly growing North Texas healthcare ecosystem. In the years ahead, the innovation driven by these 10 startups has the potential to address some of healthcare’s most complex challenges and shape the future of care.”
To view the full agenda and register, click here.
This week, Health Wildcatters unveiled its 14th cohort of healthcare startups. The 2026 cohort brings together 10 innovative startups representing the U.S., Canada, and Israel, with 1/3 of the companies female-founded or female-led, according to an emailed press release.
They include:
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Atomistic Insights develops physics-guided AI for protein dynamics and drug discovery. Its proprietary DeepPath platform reveals biologically relevant protein conformations and hidden drug-binding opportunities, helping discovery teams identify new pockets, prioritize compounds, and accelerate therapeutic development.
Co-founders: Katie Kuo and Shiyao Bao
Calaris Diagnostics is developing novel saliva-based diagnostic technologies for the early detection of chronic diseases, beginning with fatty liver disease (MASLD/MASH).
Founder: Dr. Jim Chen
DISCHARGEpath is an agentic AI platform automating hospital discharge coordination, including eligibility, prior authorization, post-acute placement, durable medical equipment, transportation, and remote patient monitoring.
Founder: Sean Elwell
EquiShift is a U.S.-based health IT company developing an AI-powered demand forecasting platform that predicts patient demand and generates shift-specific staffing recommendations. It also helps hospitals optimize workforce allocation, reduce staffing costs, and combat clinician burnout.
CEO: Snehita Sana
Full Time Nurse Staffing Inc. is addressing the U.S. nursing shortage by recruiting, training, licensing, and employing registered nurses from Mexico to strengthen the healthcare workforce.
Founder: Brett McDonald
MG Health Tech Inc.is a deep-tech company combining AI, healthcare, and connected-device engineering to enable real-time, data-driven care through AI/ML technology, proprietary sensor hardware, and advanced connectivity infrastructure.
Founder and CEO: Ganesh Natesan, MG Health Tech
PatientX, Inc. is an independent patient experience benchmarking platform that captures real-time feedback from clinical trial participants and uses AI-powered analytics to help pharmaceutical sponsors and research sites identify barriers to retention and improve the patient experience.
Co-Founders: Farah Ahmad and Jodie Huddleston
SanaOculis is a U.S.-based medical device company developing a non-invasive neurostimulation device designed to stop the progression of vision-affecting glaucoma.
CEO: Soumendu Bhattacharya
Sub-Q Bionics is developing a fully implantable bionic lymphatic drainage system designed to treat lymphedema, a chronic and progressive condition that particularly impacts cancer survivors who have undergone lymph node removal.
CEO: Jordan Pollack
Venom Biologics is developing non-opioid treatments for chronic pain, including an engineered peptide derived from scorpion venom that targets NaV1.8, a sodium channel in pain-sensing neurons.
CEO and co-founder: Neil Luhar
To register for INVEST Digital Health, view the agenda, and apply to speak at the conference, click here.
Photo: Getty Images