Network Event

Global Health Innovators Summit III

Start: 16 September 2026
End: 16 September 2026
Location: Nashville
, United States

Global Health Innovators Summit III (GHIS III)

Presented by Global Health Innovators, Global Health Connector and in collaboration with the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce, the Global Health Innovation Summit III (GHIS III) is Nashville’s premier gathering for global health leaders.

Taking place on September 16, 2026, at Cannery Hall, Nashville, this full-day summit serves as the definitive U.S. market entry point for international healthcare and healthtech companies looking to leverage Nashville's massive $100B+ healthcare ecosystem.

We have a special discount code for our Global Health Connector community: GHISFRIEND for a 20% discount.

 

Core Theme: "Where Health Lives"

How do music, art, sport, and culture shape the health of populations - and what does that mean for innovators?

This year´s summit will explore how cultural pillars shape population health outcomes and equity.  Programming will be centered around four key tracks:

  • Music: Therapeutic, clinical, and community healing.
  • Sport: Athletic culture and its impact on population health.
  • Art: Creative expression and structural arts-in-health initiatives.
  • Culture: How international contexts shape health equity and patient outcomes.
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Pre-Summit Event: Startup Workshop

Date: September 15, 2026 Location: Nashville Entrepreneur Center

Kickstart your summit experience with a dedicated, hands-on masterclass designed for international founders entering the U.S. healthcare landscape. Led by our US Ambassador, Nicole Althaus, this targeted session breaks down practical strategies for scaling, navigating regional hubs, and establishing a successful operational footprint in America.

Learn more about the session structure and curriculum here. 

Summit Sessions & High-Signal Panels

The day will feature world-class speakers, curated panel discussions, and tight, high-signal presentations:

  • Catalyst Conversations: rapid-fire, 7-minute TED-style talks delivering high-impact insights from health systems, VC, and NGO leaders.
  • Rural Health's $50B Federal Moment: Strategies for startups and investors to align with historic federal funding for rural care delivery.
  • Venture Capital in Digital Health: Top VCs break down investment conviction and what international founders underestimate when raising U.S. capital.
  • U.S. Health Innovation Ecosystems: A deep dive guiding global companies on navigating market entry and finding their ideal geographic landing zone.
  • Mapping the Digital Health Landscape: Market intelligence cutting through the noise to show which categories are scaling versus consolidating.

 

 

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The Global Health Connector International Pitch Event

The GHIS III International Pitch Event will provide a high-stakes, global stage for high-growth healthcare innovation. The competition will serve as a direct bridge connecting international founders with elite capital and ecosystem leaders.

  • 12 Global Finalists: Hand-selected through a rigorous international screening process.
  • 3-Minute Pitches: Rapid-fire delivery focused on U.S. scalability and commercial viability.
  • Interactive Q&A: Live cross-examination by an elite panel of healthcare judges.
  • The Grand Prize: An exclusive fast-pass straight to the prestigious HLTH main stage in Las Vegas, unlocking massive global visibility.

You can apply to GHIS III International Pitch Event here (Deadline 31st July)

If you are interested in sponsorship, there is a way to get involved! For more information, please contact heather@globalhealthconnector.com and review the official Sponsor Pack.

Agenda
Day 1
From the Ground Up: Unlocking America's $50 Billion Rural Health Moment

A landmark 2025 federal law created a $50 billion program to transform rural healthcare access, quality, and sustainability, with every state now holding an active award. This panel looks at how that money is actually being deployed and where the real openings are for startups, health systems, and technology providers. Expect a candid conversation about the distance between a funding announcement and patient impact.

  • JW Randolph, TN Department of Health
  • Lisa Piercey, MD, Tristeal Capital Partnners
  • Andrew Burnett, TN Hospital Association
Big Bets, Small Windows: How Top-Tier VCs Are Writing Checks in Digital Health Right Now

Some of the most active investors in digital health discuss what's driving conviction in 2026 and how they think about the regulatory and reimbursement gauntlet that separates a great product from a scalable business. The conversation moves past standard pitch advice to what founders consistently underestimate when raising — including how international founders should approach entering the U.S. market.

  • Craig Martin, Investment and Operating Executive
  • Marina Kussero, a16z
  • Navid Farzad, First Cressey Ventures
The Rules of the Road: Washington's Agenda for Health Innovation

Coverage, payment, data access, and the rules governing AI are all set at the federal level, where a single line in a rule can decide whether a promising product becomes a viable business. This panel brings federal voices together to explain where government is encouraging AI adoption versus where it intends to regulate, and what a model announcement signals about commercial timing. Built for practical intelligence rather than policy recitation.

  • Marissa Lee, CMMI
  • Gita Deo, MPH, CMMI
  • Laurennt Shiels, CMMI
  • Stephen Konya, HHS. ONC
  • Amy Gleason, CMS / White House
The Global Stage for Digital Health Innovation
  • Lori Odom, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
  • Adrianna Carreño, Florida High Tech Corridor
  • Barry Singleton, Nexus Leeds
Signal in the Noise: Mapping the Digital Health Explosion

Generative AI has produced new entrants faster than any buyer can reasonably evaluate, and the hard problem is no longer finding solutions — it's separating signal from noise. This panel convenes independent experts with no product to sell and no position to defend, who spend their days tracking capital flows, adoption behavior, and the evidence beneath the claims. They'll address which categories are genuinely accelerating and what separates a solution that survives procurement from one that stalls in pilot.

  • Chris Rogers, Ziegler
  • Kerry Amato, American Medical Association
  • Alison Curfmann, MD, Startup Physicians
Digital Health Investing Trends
  • Jessa Kelley, Thyme Care
  • Megan Zweig, Rock Health Advisory
Music Meets Health
  • Rondal Richardson, Music Community Foundation
  • Annie Mosher, Singer-Songwriter
International Pitch Competition - Founders Take the Stage
  • Gracie Francis, Host of the International pitch Event
Short Talks, Long Shadows
  • Rusty Holman, MD, Resonate Leadership Lab
  • Douglas Slakey, MD, Belmont University
  • Sally Parker, Nashville Innovation Alliance
Where Health Lives, Seen
  • Conor McClure, Belfast School of Art
  • William DeShazer, Siloam Flourish
Day 2
Thursday, August 31, 2020
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Thursday, August 31, 2020
Day 3
Thursday, August 31, 2020
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Thursday, August 31, 2020
Speakers
Abby Lemons
Chief Strategy and Communications Officer, Alive Hospice
Adriana Carreño
Cluster Manager, Life Sciences, Florida High Tech Corridor
Alison Curfman
Startup Physicians
Amy Gleason
CMS / White House
Andrew Burnett
Vice President, Rural Health, TN Hospital Association
Annie Mosher
Singer-Songwriter
Barry Singleton
Barry Singleton
Nexus Leeds, University of Leeds
Chris Rogers
Senior Managing Director, Ziegler
Conor McClure
Belfast School of Arts
Craig Martin
Investment and Operating Executive, Brown Advisory
Douglas Slakey, MD
HCA Healthcare Health Systems Science Endowed Chair y AI & Technology in Healthcare Section Lead, Belmont University
Gita Deo, MPH
Senior Advisor & Chief of Staff, CMMI
Gracie Francis
Principal, Caduceus TALENT
Jessa Kelley
Chief of Staff, Thyme Care
JW Randolph
Deputy Commissioner for Public Health Infrastructure, Tennessee Department of Health
Kerry Amato
VP Partnerships and Ecosystem Engagement, American Medical Association
Laurent Shiels
AI & Product Lead, Healthcare Innovation, CMMI
Lisa Piercey, MD
Managing Partner, Tristela Capital Partners
Lori Odom
Lori Odom
SVP, Economic Development, International Business, Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce
Marina Kusserow
Partner, a16z
Marissa Lee
CMMI
Megan Zweig
President & CEO, Rock Health Advisory
Navid Farzad
Managing Partner, Frist Cressey Ventures
Ronald Richardson
Executive Director, Music Community Foundation
Rustly Holman, MD
CEO and Founder, Resonate Leadership Lab
Sally Parker
Interim Executive Director, Nashville Innovation Alliance
Stephen Konya
Chief, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, HHS - ONC
William DeShazer
Siloam Flourish
International Pitching Competition
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Global Health Innovators Summit II (2025)

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