SPARC Health and BioUtah announced they will co-host the signature Shark Tank-style pitch competition at the 2026 Wilson Sonsini Entrepreneur & Investor Life Sciences Summit. The competition, taking place on March 12, 2026, at the Hilton Salt Lake City Center, provides early-stage healthcare companies with a premier platform to showcase innovations to experienced investors and industry leaders.
This event matters because it addresses a critical gap in healthcare innovation funding. Participants gain a rare platform to pitch to a specialized panel of judges who possess the deep industry expertise required to fund and scale complex medical technologies, pharmaceuticals, and digital health solutions. The competition's timing is strategically significant, occurring after the global JPMorgan Healthcare Conference in March. This allows participating companies to take the "JPM momentum" and apply it to a focused regional stage, presenting their refined business cases to an audience specifically looking to invest in the Intermountain West's ecosystem.
The competition's structure adds to its importance for the healthcare industry. It features category-specific tracks for Medical Devices, Pharma, and Biotech, ensuring founders are evaluated against their true peers. This targeted approach increases the likelihood that innovative solutions receive appropriate attention and funding from investors who understand their specific market challenges and regulatory environments. Beyond the cash prize pool, companies benefit from high-level exposure, complimentary summit registrations, and a year of BioUtah membership to sustain their growth long after the event ends.
The implications of this announcement extend beyond individual companies to the broader healthcare innovation landscape. By creating a dedicated platform for early-stage healthcare ventures, the competition helps accelerate the development of new medical technologies and treatments that could improve patient outcomes and healthcare efficiency. The regional focus on the Intermountain West ecosystem represents a strategic effort to build investment infrastructure outside traditional healthcare hubs, potentially leading to more geographically diverse innovation and economic development.
For entrepreneurs, this competition represents more than just a chance to win funding. It provides access to mentorship, networking opportunities, and industry validation that can be crucial for early-stage companies navigating complex healthcare markets. The partnership between SPARC Health and BioUtah brings together complementary resources and expertise, with SPARC Health accelerating healthcare startup growth through targeted programming, mentorship, and capital access, while BioUtah serves Utah's life sciences industry as an independent trade association. The Wilson Sonsini Entrepreneur & Investor Life Sciences Summit, now in its 12th year and presented by BioUtah and Brigham Young University College of Life Sciences & Tech Transfer Office, brings together entrepreneurs and investors to advance healthcare innovation through keynote presentations, panel discussions, and this signature pitch competition.
