ATTD Ignite 2025 delivered on its promise to energize the global diabetes innovation ecosystem, bringing together clinicians, entrepreneurs, researchers, investors, and industry leaders for a half-day of thought leadership, real-world collaboration, and start-up inspiration.
Held on Wednesday, March 19th, just before the ATTD Congress, the onsite event welcomed 415 participants — 306 in person and 109 virtually — with a vibrant mix of clinicians (39%), industry professionals (16%), startups (10%), researchers (8%), and venture capitalists (2%).
🔥 Diabetes Tech Tank Steals the Spotlight
The highlight of the morning was the Diabetes Tech Tank, ATTD’s Shark Tank-style pitch session. Five bold startups took center stage to present their solutions to a distinguished panel of experts. Each pitch was evaluated based on Innovation & Uniqueness, Clinical & Scientific Validity, Market Potential & Scalability, Business Model & Financial Viability, and Impact on Patient Care & Accessibility.
The expert panel included:
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Sean Sullivan, Senior Program Officer, Helmsley Trust
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Fredrik Debong, Founder & Partner, 1921.vc
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Nadia Ait-Aissa, Founder, Affect Health
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Jon Brilliant, Co-Founder & CFO, Luna Diabetes
The session sparked lively debate and clear momentum, with GlucoSet taking home the title of winner of the first edition of the Diabetes Tech Tank.
“The Ignite Session was particularly inspiring and an eye-opener for me — it was wonderful to witness the passion and innovation of start-ups dedicated to advancing diabetes care. Beyond the session itself, I took concrete steps to support two start-ups.”
— Nadia Ait-Aissa, Founder & CEO, Affect Health
💡 Panel Discussions, Workshops & Networking Moments
The morning kicked off with a Workshop: Empowering Startups for Success, followed by two dedicated networking breaks and two high-level panel discussions:
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Integrating Startups into Established Healthcare Systems
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Future-Proofing Diabetes Tech: Designing for the Next Wave of Disruptive Innovations
Participants shared feedback highlighting the quality and relevance of the event:
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84% rated the experience as High or Very High Quality
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76% found the topics Extremely or Very Relevant
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95% said Ignite Met or Exceeded Expectations
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62% made new connections during the event
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67% found these connections Extremely or Very Relevant
“The format works. Going forward, we should consider expanding the pitch session, bringing in more interactive elements or a keynote from a founder with a compelling story.”
— Craig Cooper, Partner, Serpentine Ventures
Watch the Ignite 2025 Session Recording:
🔭 What’s Next? ATTD Ignite 2026 in Barcelona
Feedback from participants and panelists reinforced the value of this initiative, with a strong call to expand Ignite’s reach both throughout the year and at the upcoming ATTD 2026 in Barcelona.
🤝 Get Involved
Are you an investor, startup founder, or innovation leader interested in supporting or joining the next edition of ATTD Ignite?
📨 Reach out to Catarina Morais (cmorais@kenes.com) to learn how you can contribute to the Tech Hub, apply for a future Tech Tank, or partner with ATTD to support innovation year-round.