The complex, debilitating diseases that respiratory specialists treat require innovative ideas to overcome—along with the funding to implement them.

The 2025 Respiratory Innovation Summit, hosted alongside the ATS 2025 International Conference in San Francisco, will unite innovators, investors, clinicians, and advocacy groups leading efforts to develop new treatments for diseases affecting patients’ lungs and airways. The event will take place at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis from 5 – 9 p.m. on Friday, May 16, and 7:15 a.m. – 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 17.

The RIS historically has featured more than 390 global attendees, including leaders from start-ups, business development, venture capital, government, academia, and clinical medicine.

Past attendees often attest to the impact of this event, such as Samay Founder and CEO Maria Artunduaga, MD, MPH, MTM.

“I founded a respiratory company driven by a deeply personal mission: to address the devastating impact of COPD, the disease that claimed my grandmother’s life,” Dr. Artunduaga said. “Initially, I was apprehensive about introducing our innovative approach—active acoustics as a potential replacement for the 150-year-old standard of care, spirometry. However, Samay’s innovation was met with unexpected enthusiasm at the summit.

“I was honored to present our work from the podium and had the privilege of engaging with a diverse network of individuals, including fellow innovators, strategic partners, and leading adult and pediatric pulmonologists,” she continued. “This valuable exchange fostered a shared desire to accelerate the path to patient impact. Several of these connections have blossomed into strategic partnerships, provided access to critical clinical trial sites, and connected me with esteemed advisors who are now guiding our journey to develop a product that truly benefits both patients and physicians.”

The ATS encourages all companies bringing innovation to the fields of pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine to apply for the RIS. The planning committee will review all applications and select 80 organizations for poster presentations. Among the 80 finalists, 25 will also share an oral presentation. In addition, this year’s agenda includes panels spotlighting venture capital, angel investors, and business development, with plenty of time for networking. 

“The RIS is a great forum to showcase new ideas, shifting paradigms, and cutting-edge technologies, all in the fervent practical pursuit of innovation through partnering and collaboration,” said Abdulkader Rahmo, PhD, co-founder, president, and CSO of SMSbiotech.

The 2025 RIS will begin with a networking reception and keynote address on Friday, followed by a full day of programming on Saturday, including continental breakfast, lunch, and a closing reception. The RIS is a non-CME program.

Registration for the RIS and the ATS 2025 International Conference are processed in the same system, but signing up for one event does not include or require registration for the other. RIS attendees are encouraged to take advantage of hotel blocks offered during ATS 2025 and to engage with the larger ATS community in San Francisco.

To register for the RIS and to view a detailed program agenda, visit https://conference.thoracic.org/program/ris/.

The ATS thanks United Therapeutics, Lovelace Biomedical, Vicore Pharma, Genentech, Inc., and GSK for their generous support of the Respiratory Innovation Summit.