Innovation Nexus Conference

2025 Program Agenda
The Venetian Convention & Expo Center, Las Vegas, NV
The Venetian Ballroom CD, Level 2
Friday, April 25, 2025, 8 am – 6:30 pm PST

Times

Title

Speakers(s)
7 – 8 a.m.

Registration and Networking Breakfast

  • The Venetian Hallway (Registration)
  • The Venetian Ballroom AB (Breakfast)

8 – 8:10 a.m.

 Welcome and Opening Remarks
 Steven A. Kaplan, MD, FACS, Incoming Physician Director, Innovation Nexus
8:05 – 8:50 a.m. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: How to Approach Investors

Moderator:
Andrew Cleeland, BS, CEO, Fogarty Innovation

Panel Members:
Duke Herrell, MD, Founder and CEO, Virtuoso Surgical
Michael Demurjian, BA, CEO and Chairman, Aspargo Labs
Ryan Drant, Founder and Director, Questa Capital 
Susan Stimson, BS, Managing Director, KCK Medtech
8:55 – 9:55 a.m. Reverse Pitches

Moderator:
Derick Maggard, MS, Innovation Nexus Director Consultant

Companies:
Olympus
Pfizer
ImmunityBio
Questa Capital 
9:55 – 10:10 a.m. Networking Coffee Break
  • The Venetian Ballroom AB
10:10 – 11:55 a.m. Showcase Presentations: Part 1

Moderator:
Jennie Xue, BS, Senior Managing Director, Guggenheim Securities

Companies:
Verve Medical
Andromeda Surgical, Inc.
DriQ Health
Contraline
HomeScope
Avlos Medical, LLC
Bot Image AI 
11:55 – 12:55 p.m.

Lunch and Networking

  • The Venetian Ballroom AB
1 – 1:45 p.m. Embracing the Future: The Power of Innovation in a Changing World

Keynote Speaker:
Patrick Soon–Shiong, MD, Executive Chairman and Global Chief Scientific and Medical Officer, ImmunityBio
1:50 – 2:45 p.m.

From Idea to Impact: Navigating the Path from Concept to Commercialization

 Moderator:
Denise Demarais, Chief Operations Officer, Fogarty Innovation

Panel Members:
Emily Blum, MD, Director, Global Center for Medical Innovation (GCMI)
Shreya Mehta,  CEO and founder, Zenflow
Cynthia Yee, BA, BS,  Partner, Vensana Capital
David Perry, President and CEO, Urotronic, Inc.
2:45 – 3:00 p.m.

Networking Coffee Break

  • The Venetian Ballroom AB
3 – 4:50 p.m.

Showcase Presentations: Part 2

Moderator:
Alexis E. Te, MD, Professor of Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

Companies:
PS Fertility
InnoCare Urologies, LLC
Dolor Therapeutics
Vesica Health
CathConnect
ProFocal
ProArc
4:50 – 5:20 p.m. The Future of AUA Innovation Nexus

Moderator:
Steven A. Kaplan, MD, FACS, Incoming Physician Director, Innovation Nexus

AUA Leadership:
Mike Sheppard, CPA, CAE, CEO, AUA
Patricia Hope, MSc, CMDO & EVP, AUA
David Penson, MD, MPH, MMHC, Board Secretary, AUA
Derick Maggard, MS, Innovation Nexus Director Consultant
5:20 – 5:30 p.m.

Johnson & Johnson Special Announcement

  • In Partnership with the AUA

Presenters:
Christopher Cutie, MD, Vice President, Disease Area Stronghold Leader, Bladder Cancer, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Charles Drake, MD, PhD, Vice President, Disease Area Stronghold Leader, Prostate Cancer and Immunotherapy, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine
Peter Schulam, MD, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson MedTech
Steven A. Kaplan, MD, FACS, Incoming Physician Director, Innovation Nexus
5:30 – 5:35 p.m. Closing Remarks

Steven A. Kaplan, MD, FACS, Incoming Physician Director, Innovation Nexus
5:35 – 6:30 p.m. Showcase Awards Ceremony & Networking Reception
  • The Venetian Ballroom AB