Spark Tank
The Med Ed Pitch Event
From Inspiration
to Impact
Fueling creative solutions that strengthen learning and impact patient outcomes.
Spark Tank is a live pitch competition that invites medical educators, students, and academic innovators to form teams and present original proposals to a panel of reviewers.
Teams step onto the stage to share a clearly defined challenge and a practical solution—whether that takes the form of a new teaching approach, curriculum design, assessment strategy, or educational technology.
The purpose is straightforward: identify promising ideas and provide support to move two of them forward. Selected teams receive institutional backing to further develop and implement their proposals. Spark Tank does more than select projects. It creates a structured space for thoughtful risk-taking, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and the public exchange of ideas. By inviting teams to articulate problems clearly and defend their solutions, the competition strengthens both the proposals themselves and the broader culture of innovation in health professions education.
Thank you to the Rymer Innovation Awards program and the Doug Jones Family Endowment in Medical Education for their generous support of this event.
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Stay tuned for the next team application cycle!
General details about eligibility, timelines, and submission requirements can be found on the bottom of this page.
Inside
Spark Tank 2026
This year marked the launch of our very first Spark Tank pitch event—a space designed to surface promising ideas, connect creative educators, and move innovation from concept to action. The atmosphere balanced energy with intention—equal parts curiosity, rigor, and encouragement.
Five teams stepped forward to present solutions to real challenges in health professions education, sharing their proposals with a panel of expert judges who provided feedback, asked probing questions, and helped teams refine their ideas:
- HABLA-AI (Healthcare Avatars for Bilingual Language Acquisition) — Anuja Riles, Alyssia Miller De Rutté, Clint Carlson, John Gregory
- Denver Health LIC Service Learning — Anne Frank, Elizabeth Westerby, Elisa Bye, Shruti Patel, Ekshika Patel, Isabel Freisner
- Pharm Corner — Matthew Zuckerman, Laurie Halmo, Ema Arai
- Team Lifeline — John Malamon, Bryon Bhagwandin, Kelly Bogaert, Linda Ussi, Mackson Zephaniah
- Bad News, Better Conversations — Meaghan Broderick, Nicole Christian, Lavanya Easwaran, Quinlan Cuddy
This inaugural Spark Tank drew a larger-than-anticipated audience and highlighted thoughtful, high-impact innovation in medical education, showcasing the creativity, collaboration, and forward-thinking that will continue to shape future cycles of the competition.
The photos below capture these moments—teams presenting their ideas, judges engaging with proposals, and the energy of a community coming together to support innovation.
"This was a fantastic event. I really enjoyed seeing the variety of problems being solved across the school."
Photo Gallery
Congratulations to the 2026 Spark Tank Winners
Congratulations to the teams selected to receive support, and sincere appreciation to every group that participated. By stepping onto the stage, each team contributed to a culture where innovation is not only encouraged, but examined, strengthened, and advanced together.
HABLA-AI (Healthcare Avatars for Bilingual Language Acquisition)
Anuja Riles, Alyssia Miller De Rutté, Clint Carlson, and John Gregory
Pharm Corner
Matthew Zuckerman, Laurie Halmo, Ema Arai
Spark Tank 2026 Details
Date & Time
February 12, 2026, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
Location
Anschutz Health Sciences Building
P12-210 West Conference Center
Additional Details
- Lunch provided for those registered by January 15
- Event program includes presentations from finalist teams
- Audience participation: vote for your favorite team!
Questions
Contact us at [email protected]
Sign up to be part of the audience!
Scroll down to apply to compete as a team.
For Teams
Timeline
September 1- November 1, 2025
Team applications open
November 2-30, 2025
Application review and team selection
December 1, 2025
Team selections announced
February 3, 2026
Pitch Lab: Med Ed Edition (optional workshop to rehearse your pitch)
February 12, 2026
Spark Tank Pitch Event and awards
Eligibility
- Each team must include at least one active member of the Academy of Medical Educators.
- Each team must have at least one learner (student, resident, or fellow).
- Team lead must be a paid CU SOM faculty member.
- Team lead must not have received Rymer funding within the past five years.
Funding
- Up to two teams will be selected
- A maximum of $5,000 will be awarded for one-year projects, supporting:
- Consultant support
- Student stipends
- Equipment & supplies
- Travel for project presentations and dissemination activities
- Awards are expected to be made approximately April 1, 2026
Team Applications
All submissions must be completed via the online application form, accessible with the button below. To prepare, gather the following information before starting the form:
- Team name
- Team members
- Team lead (point of contact)
- Departments represented (check all that apply)
- Academy of Medical Educators members on your team
- Learners on your team (student, resident, fellow, etc.)
- Past Rymer Innovation Award recipients on your team
- Brief description of your innovation (max 200 words)
- Feasibility confirmation and leadership approval for any new curriculum or educational approach (identify approver)
Application forms will be available via the link below during the application window.
Pitch Support
The Office for Faculty Development offers the following resources to help you prepare for Spark Tank and feel ready to present your innovation clearly, confidently, and effectively.
Pitch Lab Workshop
Participate in a hands-on session to refine your presentation skills, practice delivery, and get constructive feedback. Visit the Faculty Development Workshops webpage for more information and to register.
Instructional Design Consultations
Access one-on-one support through the Office for Faculty Development for guidance on your pitch materials, including slide deck review, organization, clarity, and recommendations for improvement. Note: consultants provide advice and feedback—they do not create the materials for you. Visit consultation booking page to schedule a session.
Pitch Event
Panel Judging
Expert judges will evaluate each pitch based on criteria such as team composition, innovation, feasibility, and alignment with CU SOM goals.
Audience Judging
Attendees of the final pitch event will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite presentations. Audience input contributes to recognizing innovative ideas and adds an interactive element to the event.
Award Criteria
On February 12th, team pitches will be judged by an expert panel along the following criteria:
| Category | Criteria |
Problem Approach |
|
People |
|
Product |
|
Potential / Predictability |
|
Purpose |
|
Presentation Quality |
|
