the MIB Future Panel 2025, organized by the Medical Imaging Center Bonn (MIB) and the Transfer Team of the Medical Faculty Bonn, once again offered an exciting platform for exchange among science, clinics, start-ups, industry, and investors — with a special focus on medical imaging and artificial intelligence (AI).
The highlight was the “Medical Pitch Contest Bonn”, in which ten teams from the Medical Faculty of Bonn presented their ideas to 180 attendees, including prominent investors, competing for prize money totaling €60,000.
“The MIB Future Panel has once again garnered strong resonance this year, both from the pitch teams and the audience. It shows how relevant our thematic focus is and how enriching the exchange on new research approaches is—especially for start-ups and industry,” said Prof. Frank Holz, Director of the Eye Clinic at UKB and founder and spokesperson of the MIB.
AI in Service of Imaging
In the keynote lecture, Prof. Louisa Specht-Riemenschneider, Federal Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information, emphasized the importance of secure data applications in times of large language models and data networking — a central theme in the panel discussion on using Large Language Models (LLMs) in medicine.
Pitch Competition: Visionary Ideas on Stage
Ten research teams presented their innovative projects in five-minute pitches. The jury, composed of investors from High-Tech Gründerfonds, TechVision Fund, Xlife Sciences, RW.Bank Venture Fund, and V-Bio Ventures, evaluated not only technical feasibility but also commercialization potential and social relevance.
Award winners included:
- 1st Place (€30,000): ADHD Cycle
Dr. Alexandra Philipsen, Dr. Marie-Christin Atzor, Rafael Schaider, Victoria Schöffel
Adapting ADHD treatment for women to account for hormonal changes during the menstrual cycle (Digital Health) - 2nd Place (€20,000): CARzi – Tiny Binders, Mighty Fighters
Dr. Tobias Bald, Carolin Birr, Franziska Schneppenheim
A biparatopic CAR T-cell product targeting CD155 for treating melanoma and other solid tumors (Therapy) - 3rd Place (€10,000): CARe RAiSE Ex-Vivo Assay
Valentin Schäfer, Dr. Josephine Blersch, Dr. Philip Denner, Dr. Simon Petzinna
A next-generation diagnostic platform enabling personalized therapy selection in rheumatoid arthritis via a predictive, image-based, ex vivo assay (Diagnostics)
Prof. Bernd Weber, Dean of the Medical Faculty Bonn and acting CEO of UKB, summed up:
“The pitch contest has once again impressively shown with what innovative strength our researchers are shaping the future of medicine. Such formats give progressive ideas a stage and foster interdisciplinary exchange and collaborations, through which research can translate into application.”
Beyond the competition, the panel offered networking opportunities. In the closing session and during the networking lunch, new collaborations between researchers, start-ups, and investor groups were initiated. The MIB Future Panel 2026 is already being planned, with new impulses, workshops, and again a strong pitch competition.
Press contact
Daria Siverina
Deputy Press Officer
Department of Communication, University Hospital Bonn
Phone: (+49) 228 287-14416
E-Mail: daria.siverina@ukbonn.de
