August 18, 2026 – Startup Prize: Health, a competition for early-stage health and medical startups supported by Louisiana Economic Development and Louisiana Innovation (LA.IO), announced its 2026 grand prize winners after drawing a record 89 companies to a program aimed in part at expanding Louisiana’s health innovation economy.
Hosted by the Prize Foundation, the 2026 program attracted innovators from 27 states as well as Canada, South Africa, Australia and Algeria. Forty-seven percent of participating companies were founded by women, compared with a national average of 35% cited by Startup Prize, and 52% were founded by entrepreneurs of color.