Ardens Lifescience, a U.S.-based medical device company, recently clinched victory in a global medical device competition, securing a prize of 175,000 USD. This achievement underscores the company’s significant progress in bolstering its commercialization capabilities through the Global Open Innovation Program, spearheaded by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute, which facilitated valuable exchanges with international experts.
On Thursday, the Korea Health Industry Development Institute announced that Ardens Lifescience had been awarded the grand prize at the 2026 MedTech Innovator APAC Grand Final, held on Monday in Singapore. The company also snagged the Best Presentation Award, adding an extra 5,000 USD to their winnings.
MedTech Innovator is an organization dedicated to discovering and nurturing promising companies in the medical device and healthcare technology sectors. This year’s Asia-Pacific program attracted over 680 companies worldwide, with 20 ultimately selected for final support. Among the Korean contenders, Ardens Lifescience was joined by three others: Lumino Medicine, Prevenotics, and You2MedTech. Including Imprimed, a U.S. company founded by a Korean entrepreneur, the total number of Korea-related companies reached five.
Another U.S. company with Korean roots, Lumino Medicine, clinched the Dovetail Regulatory Award at this competition, pocketing a prize of 25,000 USD.
This success is closely tied to the Global Open Innovation support program initiated by the Institute. In March, the Institute hosted ‘MedTech Spotlight: New Impact Korea 2026’ to foster collaboration between U.S. medical device companies and global industry leaders and investors. The event was organized by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, in partnership with the Institute, the Korea Medical Device Industry Association, and MedTech Innovator APAC.
The event drew applications from 72 companies, both domestic and international, with 16 securing presentation slots. Representatives from global medical device giants and investment firms, including Johnson & Johnson MedTech, Becton Dickinson, B. Braun, and Philips Ventures, were on hand to evaluate the technologies and explore potential collaborations.
Following its participation in this event, Ardens Lifescience was selected as one of the final companies supported by MedTech Innovator APAC. Over the next five months, the company benefited from mentoring by medical device commercialization experts, market entry training, and investor networking opportunities, culminating in their triumph at the final competition. You2MedTech, which had claimed the top spot at the March event, also secured a place in the program through fast-track benefits.
The Institute is now providing follow-up support to help these companies break into the U.S. market. They’re offering specialized consulting on U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals, insurance coverage, and market access strategies in collaboration with the Medical Innovation Center at the University of Utah. Additionally, they’re facilitating connections with local medical institutions and industry experts through the Texas Medical Center.
Park Jong-yoon, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ardens Lifescience, stated that the Institute’s introduction to MedTech Innovator was invaluable. Over the past five months, it has received guidance from various medical device commercialization experts, which has laid a solid foundation for our global market entry. The comprehensive learning experience, covering everything from technology development to clinical strategies, regulatory compliance, and market penetration, was instrumental in the victory.
Ardens Lifescience is currently working to commercialize CAROL, its minimally invasive lung cancer treatment device. Park emphasized that it’s committed to executing the commercialization plan without delay, aiming to deliver a product that will make a real difference for patients battling lung cancer.
Hwang Seong-eun, head of the Institute’s Medical Device and Cosmetics Industry Division, remarked that this achievement is a testament to the innovative technology and global growth potential of our medical device companies. It’s dedicated to expanding open innovation with both domestic and international partners, ensuring that these global collaborations translate into tangible overseas commercialization results.
Ardens Lifescience emerged as a medical device startup in June 2025, spinning off from Tau Medical, a company founded by faculty at Pusan National University. The company is focused on developing cutting-edge, minimally invasive lung cancer treatment devices that utilize liquid metal technology.