Let’s explore how technology is transforming healthcare, together. Don’t miss it!
AUG 27, 2025
8:00 A.M. - 5:00 P.M.
Spark Ideas
Build Connections
Advance Health
A new era of health innovation is here!
Be part of the region's most exciting tech festival
24+
Technologies
Brought to
Market
60+
Technologies
Scored and
Evaluated
20M
Revenue Generated
for Clients from
New Techologies
Save the date and be part of the wave
We’re joining forces to bring health innovators, tech leaders, and change makers together for a powerful experience.
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Next Wave Health brings community, creativity, and purpose-driven innovation to Disrupt Health. A new name, a bigger stage, but the same commitment to transforming healthcare through innovation.
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It’s time to Spark Ideas, Build Connections, and Advance Health. let’s explore how technology is transforming healthcare, together.
Disrupt Health | Agenda Update
WHAT TO EXPECT
PANELS ON CRITICAL ISSUES IN MEDICINE
CASE STUDIES IN BUILDING BUSINESSES IN HEALTH
BIG IDEAS TO TRANSFORM CARE AND IMPROVE OUTCOMES
From startup pivots that saved lives to live company-building sessions, Disrupt Health focuses on the bold decisions and unlikely partnerships driving healthcare transformation. Through founder stories, early adopter panels, and audience-driven discussion, we go beyond theory to show how healthcare innovation actually happens—messy, collaborative, and full of breakthroughs.
AGENDA
10:00 AM – 10:10 AM
Welcome Address & How Focused Ultrasound and Histotripsy are Transforming Cancer Care
Martin Martino, MD, Medical Director of Gynecologic Oncology and Robotic Surgery
10:10 AM - 10:45 AM
Disrupting Cost: Skyrocketing Healthcare Costs, How We Got Here and Tools to Afford Care Again
Why does healthcare cost so much—and what can we do about it? This session breaks down the systemic drivers of rising costs and highlights disruptive startups, policy shifts, and digital tools that are helping patients and providers regain control.
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Vinay Patel, Chief Pharmacy Officer of Proactive MD, Founder of MakorRx
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Randi Beesing, Owner of Any Lab Test Now and Arcpoint Labs, Jacksonville
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Shweta Patel, MD, OB/GYN and Founder of Gaya Wellness
Go behind the scenes of what it really takes to build a medical device company. Hear from speakers who participate in every part of the commercialization journey - from funding it during early development, to licensing, clinical trials, and exit. At the end of this session you will understand how to start with success in mind - whether you’re an inventor or an executive looking to license.
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Eric Heinz, Founder and Managing Partner of Heinz Ventures
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Duane Mancini, Chief Executive Officer & Co-Founder of Project MedTech
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Emanuel Tkach, MD, Chief Science Officer at Nunex
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SP Bowers, MD, Surgeon at Mayo Clinic and Founder of Suture Shield LLC
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM
Device to Company: Steps to Commercialize New Medical Technologies
1:00 PM– 1:45 PM
The Future of Mental Health: Scalable Care for a Growing Crisis
The demand for mental health support is exploding, but the system wasn’t built to handle it. This session dives into the innovators reimagining how we detect, monitor, and treat anxiety and depression—using digital tools, AI, and behavioral science to reach more people, earlier and more effectively.
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Angie LeRoy, Ph.D, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Principal Investigator of the University of North Florida HEAL Lab
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Sean Orr, MD Neurologists, Co-Founder of the Neurogenesis Project and CEO of Florida Doctors Magazine
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Alexandra Field, Clinical Director at Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Centerstone
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Emily Adams, Co-Founder, Transformative Leadership LLC | Leadership + Operations
1:45 PM– 2:30 PM
Innovations in Healthcare Education presented by UNF MedNexus
Cutting-edge programs and partnerships are transforming healthcare training, expanding access, and preparing the next generation of medical professionals. Explore the future of healthcare education in this panel highlighting the innovative approaches and collaborative efforts driving the UNF MedNexus initiative. ​
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Julie Williams Merten, Ph.D., Associate Dean of MedNexus, University of North Florida
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M.Laura Habegger, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Biology Department, University of North Florida
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Colleen J. Kalynych, Ed.D., Associate Dean for Medical Education, University of Florida College of Medicine Jacksonville
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Matthew Thompson, M.D., CEO Co-Founder of Telescope Health
Winning your first customer can make or break an early-stage healthcare company. In this session, the founders of an AI-powered referral tool sit down with their earliest adopters to unpack what earned their trust, what made them take the leap, and how that first “yes” shaped the product’s future—including its surprising evolution into a tool for early cancer detection.
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Jamie Wisser, MD, Trauma Surgeon and Founder & CEO of Actual HealthCare Solutions
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Robert Holton, President and COO of Actual HealthCare Solutions
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Kenny Powell, MD, Founder and Majority Owner at Coastal Health Care
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JD Wilson, VP of Technology at Coastal Health Care
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Jason Englehardt, Health Tech Investor and Founder of Silicon Beach
3:15 PM– 4:00 PM
They Said Yes: Why These Doctors Took a Chance on a New AI Tool
Logistics & Traveling to Disrupt Health
Prime Osborn III Convention Center is located in Downtown Jacksonville and is accessible by car (parking lot next to the center) and through public transportation (via the Skyway between Downtown and LaVilla Station) Doors Open at 8am and the Welcome address and Keynote begin at 9am.
STEERING COMMITTEE
Vinay Patel, PharmD, Chief Pharmacy Officer at Proactive MD
Emily Adams, C-Founder of Transformative Leadership LLC
Emanuel Tkach, MD, CSO at Nunex
Dasha Tyshlek, CEO & Chief Strategy Officer, StratCraft
MEDIA PRESENCE
Florida Doctor’s Magazine
Project MedTech Podcast
MedEvidence Podcast
Biomedical Frontiers: Stories with Innovators in Healthcare Podcast
