SPARK Capstone & Pitch Day 2025
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, 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 Begins
1:00 – 1:05 PM – Welcome
Julia Finkel, Principal Investigator, SPARK
1:05 – 1:20 PM – Opening Remarks
Representatives from BARDA
1:20 – 1:40 PM – Keynote Address
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
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.
About SPARK
The Special Populations Acceleration Research and Knowledge (SPARK) for Innovations in Pediatrics, a BARDA Accelerator Network (BAN) Hub for Special Populations, 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.
Questions? Visit www.mcm4kids.org or email us at [email protected]
Crowd Release | Notice of Filming & Photography
By entering an event or program of the Children's National Hospital, you are entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur.Your entry and presence on the event premises constitute your consent to be photographed, filmed, and/or otherwise recorded and to the release, publication, exhibition, or reproduction of all recorded media of your appearance, voice, and name for any purpose whatsoever in perpetuity in connection with the Children's National initiatives, including, by way of example only, use on websites, in social media, news, and advertising.
By entering the event premises, you waive and release any claims you may have related to the use of recorded media of you at the event, including. without limitation, any right to inspect or approve the photo, video or audio recording of you, any claims for invasion of privacy, violation of the right of publicity, defamation, and copyright infringement or for any fees for use of such record media. You understand that all photography, filming and/or recording will be done in reliance on this consent. If you do not agree to the foregoing, please do not participate in today's event.