Eight MedTech Startups to Keep an Eye On in 2025

Mann Parikh's personal experience with his grandfather's surgery, which resulted in chronic pain and disability due to nerve damage, served as the catalyst for his innovative startup, NerView Surgical Inc. This medtech company aims to revolutionize how surgeons identify and avoid nerves during procedures, thus preventing inadvertent nerve injuries that can lead to severe complications.

Parikh's dedication to finding a solution stemmed from extensive conversations with surgeons, revealing that many rely solely on their eyesight, often leading to avoidable injuries. He graduated with a Bachelor of Health Sciences from McMaster University and has already achieved significant milestones, including winning multiple pitch competitions and establishing key partnerships. Notably, NerView was recognized as the only Canadian medtech company to win the 2025 Canadian Innovation Exchange (CIX) Startup Award in the emerging category.

At the core of NerView's innovation is the NerveSense device, which utilizes advanced optical imaging, computer vision, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide surgeons with real-time, color-overlay visuals of nerves during open surgery. This eliminates the need for dye injections or invasive electrodes, minimizing physical contact with patients. By facilitating nerve visualization, NerveSense aims to reduce the risk of permanent complications like chronic pain and sensory loss.

Currently, NerView is part of the second cohort of the Communitech MedTech Accelerator program, which supports early-stage health tech companies in navigating commercialization, regulatory challenges, and funding opportunities. Parikh emphasizes the importance of this mentorship, as it provides invaluable insight from experts who have faced similar challenges.

The accelerator program features a diverse range of startups tackling various medical issues. For instance, AI Vali is enhancing medical imaging workflows for endoscopy, while Awenza is developing tools to aid muscle recovery post-injury by providing real-time feedback. Cobionix is working on autonomous robotics for medical tasks, and ESI Imaging is making breast cancer screenings quicker and more accessible with radiation-free imaging technology.

Other startups in the cohort are Maman Biomedical, which has designed a needle-free patch for comfort in fertility treatments; Illumacell, focusing on advanced light-based cancer therapies; and Vibraint, which helps individuals with paralysis regain movement using brain-computer interfaces and AI.

Each startup receives mentorship and networking opportunities vital for growth in the medtech industry. Parikh is especially enthusiastic about leveraging the program's resources to refine NerView's development processes further.

With five generations of prototypes and plans for early-stage human clinical trials, NerView is poised for impactful growth. Parikh reflects on the broader implications of his work, noting that many people are affected by surgical nerve injuries. He is committed to equipping surgeons with the tools necessary to prevent these injuries, embodying his goal of transforming the surgical landscape for the better.