Private event

SPARK Capstone & Pitch Day 2025

Tuesday, November 18
1:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus,
Washington, DC

About The Event

Join us for SPARK Capstone and Pitch Day 2025, a flagship event spotlighting breakthrough innovations and technologies from the SPARK portfolio at the intersection of pediatrics and health security.

​Hosted by SPARK Hub and Children’s National, this event brings together the BARDA Accelerator Network (BAN) team, Children’s National faculty, SPARK portfolio companies, mentors, and a dynamic mix of stakeholders to celebrate the accomplishments of the 2025 SPARK cohort, foster collaborations, and spark momentum for the next generation of pediatric health security solutions.

Event Agenda

12:30 PM
Registration Check-in & Photo Op

1:00 – 1:05 PM
Welcome
Julia Finkel, Principal Investigator, SPARK

1:05 – 1:20 PM
Investing in Health Security Innovations for Preparedness and Response
Mary Larkin, Program Manager, BARDA

1:20 – 1:40 PM
Keynote Address: Preparing for the Inevitable: Why Pediatric Medical Countermeasures Must Be Part of the Nation’s Readiness Strategy
Kurt Newman, President Emeritus, Children’s National Hospital

1:40 – 2:10 PM 
Panel Discussion | Ensuring Pediatric Equity in Medical Countermeasures: From Evidence to Action | Moderated by Kolaleh Eskandanian, Program Director, SPARK

2:10 – 2:25 PM
Break

2:25 – 3:25 PM
SPARK Portfolio Presentations

  1. AcQumen Medical

  2. BugSee

  3. Congruence Medical Solutions

  4. Deep Breathe

  5. Rhinomed

  6. VaxSyna

  7. WearableDose

  8. Sibel Health

  9. Vesynta

3:25 – 3:40 PM
Break

3:40 – 4:00 PM
Fireside Chat: From SPARK to Market
Moderated by Raymond Blanchard, BioHealth Innovation

4:00 – 5:30 PM
Networking Reception (Hosted bar courtesy of Key Tech)

Please note: Attendance is reserved for approved guests, and confirmation will be required for entry.

Location

Children’s National Research and Innovation Campus
7144 13th Pl NW, Washington, DC 20012, USA

Parking garage address (for GPS): 7185 13th Place NW, Washington, DC 20012
Garage access: Use the entrance marked Visitor and Patient Parking. This entrance takes you to Level 3 of the garage, directly across from event building.
Parking rates: $1 for first 45 mins; $4 for one hour; $8 for two hours; $12 for three hours; $16 maximum per day.

About SPARK

The Special Populations Acceleration Research and Knowledge (SPARK) for Innovations in Pediatrics, a BARDA Accelerator Network (BAN) Hub, led by Children’s National Hospital, supports the development of innovations that address challenges around the advancement and availability of medical countermeasures for pediatric populations.

About BARDA Accelerator Network

​Established by the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), part of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the BARDA Accelerator Network fosters the growth of health security innovation ecosystems globally and accelerates the development and commercialization of next-generation health security solutions.

Questions?

Email us at sparkhub@childrensnational.org