MedtechWOMEN Names Hyperfine CEO Maria Sainz Winner of 2026 Ferolyn Powell Leadership Award

Starlight Cardiovascular co-founder and CEO Beverly Tang receives MedtechWOMEN’s first Rising Star Award for advancing minimally invasive pediatric heart care

MENLO PARK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MedtechWOMEN today announced that Maria Sainz, President and CEO of Hyperfine, Inc., has been named the recipient of its 2026 Ferolyn Powell Leadership Award, and that Beverly Tang, co-founder and CEO of Starlight Cardiovascular, has received MedtechWOMEN’s first-ever Rising Star Award. Both leaders were recognized at the annual MedtechVISION Annual Conference at the Rosewood Sand Hill in Menlo Park, Calif.

Since 2016, the Ferolyn Powell Leadership Award has honored medtech leaders who embody the spirit of the late Ferolyn Powell — an innovator and mentor who dedicated her career to improving patient care while supporting and empowering others. Sainz has spent more than three decades in healthcare technology, including nearly 20 years as a CEO of both publicly traded and privately held companies. She currently leads Hyperfine, Inc. and previously served as CEO of Aegea Medical, CardioKinetix, and Concentric Medical. Throughout her career, Sainz has focused on bringing breakthrough technologies to patients while supporting the next generation of medtech leaders.

"I had the opportunity to work for Maria Sainz at the beginning of my career, and she has been a role model and mentor to me and many others since then," said Amy Raimundo, MedtechWOMEN co-founder and board member. "She brings drive, excellence, and courage with a commitment to developing the next generation of leaders. Maria even shared the stage with Ferolyn at our very first MedtechVISION Annual Conference in 2011. So many medtech leaders today can be traced back to Maria’s leadership, and we’re proud to honor her with an award in Ferolyn's name."

"It is such an honor to be recognized with the Ferolyn Powell Award," said Sainz. "Ferolyn was a visionary who combined relentless execution with a deep care for people. I hope to continue building on her legacy by advancing meaningful innovation for patients and supporting the next generation of medtech leaders."

Introduced this year, the Rising Star Award recognizes an emerging leader whose work is shaping the future of patient care. Tang co-founded Starlight Cardiovascular, a San Diego-based startup developing a portfolio of technologies for babies born with congenital heart disease. A founding member of Stryker Neurovascular's Advanced Technology and Innovation team and a Stanford-trained engineer, Tang has built her career around treating life-threatening cardiovascular and neurovascular conditions.

"Bev Tang embodies exactly what we created the Rising Star Award to celebrate," said Deb Kilpatrick, MedtechWOMEN co-founder and board member. "From cardiovascular biomechanics research to interventional device R&D to her leadership in pediatric congenital heart care, she has consistently taken on problems others hadn't yet cracked. We're proud to recognize her as our first Rising Star."

About MedtechWOMEN

MedtechWOMEN is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2010 by women executives in the medical technology industry. Its mission is to connect, educate, and inspire current and future leaders in medtech through thought-provoking dialogue, inclusive networking, and a commitment to advancing diversity. MedtechWOMEN envisions a future in which leadership in medtech reflects the diversity of the patients and communities it serves—driving innovation and improving healthcare outcomes for all. Learn more at medtechwomen.org.