Events / 2024 Women in Innovation & Technology Luncheon

2024 Women in Innovation & Technology Luncheon

Hosted by the Office of Technology Management, the annual Women in Innovation & Technology (WIT) Luncheon is back on October 30, 2024!

WIT brings together WashU’s women academic researchers to celebrate their achievements in technology commercialization and showcase successful role models. Join us this year for keynote speaker, Jennifer N. Avari Silva, MD, a professor of pediatrics and of biomedical engineering and Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer, Sentiar, Inc., and Co-Founder and Consultant, Excera, Inc.

“Extending Reality for Physician Visualization: Insights on Translating an Idea into a Startup Company”

In a fireside chat format, Dr. Silva will share valuable insights into entrepreneurship and navigating the startup world as an academic researcher.

New this year:  Pre-event Networking Session. For additional opportunity to learn and network, optional roundtable discussions will be facilitated prior to the Luncheon at 10:30-11:15 am. Come early to connect with peers and the OTM team!

Topics will include:

•         I’m thinking about or ready to start my company

•         I’ve disclosed or filed for a patent… What next?

•         Where do I start? Looking to learn more

Sign up for the topic of your choice in the Luncheon registration form.

The event is open to all.


Jennifer N. Avari Silva, MD, FHRS, FACC, FAHA, CCEP-PC

Jennifer N. Avari Silva, MD
  • Director, Pediatric Electrophysiology, St. Louis Children’s Hospital
  • Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship, Washington University in St Louis
  • Professor, Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering, Washington University in St Louis
  • Co-Founder & Chief Medical Officer, Sentiar, Inc.
  • Co-Founder & Consultant, Excera, Inc.

Jennifer Silva is Director of Pediatric Electrophysiology and a Professor of Pediatrics and Biomedical Engineering at Washington University School of Medicine/St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and serves as the Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship for Washington University SOM. She serves in leadership roles within the Heart Rhythm Society (leadership roles in Women in Electrophysiology, Growth and Leadership Opportunity for Women in Electrophysiology, HRX, Digital Health Committee), Pediatric and Congenital Electrophysiology Society (President), American College of Cardiology (leadership roles on the Innovation Council, Industry Advisory Forum, Applied Health and Innovation Council) and the NIH-SBIR study section for Cardiovascular Innovation. She is a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors and serves on the Editorial Boards of numerous journals including Circulation: Arrhythmia and ElectrophysiologyHeart Rhythm O2, and Cardiovascular Digital Health journals.

The scope of her research has been in innovation and emerging technologies with on developing and identifying clinical applications of new and emerging technologies within cardiac electrophysiology, particularly in the scope of wearable and advanced wearable technologies, including the extended realities.

Jennifer is the co-inventor and co-founder of SentiAR, Inc, a venture-backed software device spinout from Washington University which is developing the first mixed reality platform to display intraprocedural 3-dimensional holographic visualization of a patient’s cardiac anatomy with real time catheter locations for cardiac electrophysiology studies with FDA clearance in 2020. In 2018, the company received a NIH-SBIR Fast Track award, and has raised >$10M in venture funding. Most recently, she has co-founded a second company, Excera, Inc. which aims to improve outcomes for ultrasound-guided minimally invasive procedures. She has worked with several medical device companies including AliveCor, St Jude Medical/Abbott, Medtronic and Biosense Webster regarding development and implementation of novel technologies targeted to unmet clinical needs and development of regulatory pathways.

Learn more