Last Updated: August 28, 2026
The Medical Device Innovation Germinator (MDIG) is an experiential innovation program that connects multidisciplinary student teams with faculty seeking early-stage medical device design and/or evaluation services. In partnership with the Office of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships (OISP), MDIG supports medical technology development through prototyping, market analysis, intellectual property review, and commercialization planning. Students gain hands-on experience in medical technology innovation and entrepreneurship while helping advance promising inventions toward real-world impact.
Faculty must submit an Innovation Disclosure through the Office of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships. These projects are then reviewed by OISP staff and the Executive Team for inclusion in MDIG.
Each Inventor will be assigned a Project Team, consisting of 5–10 undergraduate and graduate students from diverse academic disciplines. Students at all academic levels are encouraged to apply to the Fall 2026 MDIG cohort!
Project Teams have 10 to 12 weeks to assess and evaluate the technology through activities such as prototype development, end-user interviews, and literature and patent reviews.
At the end of the program, each Project Team delivers two key products—a final report and a pitch deck—to the Inventor and OISP.