Central Virginia VA Health Care System Showcases Breakthroughs in Veteran Care at Annual IDEAS Center Demo Day

Held in an open-house format, Demo Day provided a vibrant platform for exploring and sharing new solutions designed to enhance the health and well-being of Veterans. This year’s event featured 40 exhibits, highlighting 10 employee-developed products, 16 unique programs, and a wide range of collaborative projects with internal and external partners.

“Our annual Demo Day shines a spotlight on the creativity, dedication, and teamwork driving innovation across our system,” said Katheryn Beckner, director of IDEAS Center for Innovation at the Richmond VA Medical Center. “These projects represent the future of Veteran care, and we are proud to see such strong partnerships and bold ideas moving forward.”

Key collaborators included the VCU School of Innovation, the Richmond Office of Advanced Manufacturing (ROAM), and CVHCS Research. More than 10 external industry and academic partners also joined, including Amazon Web Services, Icarus, BioLiberty, and Strolll.

As part of the celebration, two CVHCS innovators received Excellence in Innovation Awards, designed and 3D-printed by ROAM:

• Dr. Lauren Siff – honored for Immersive Therapy for Gynecologic and Urogynecologic Procedures.
• Dr. Kathryn Gates – recognized for Empowering Mobility in Patients with Pressure Injuries.

“These awardees embody the IDEAS Center’s mission to transform Veteran care through innovation,” Beckner said. “Their projects not only demonstrate clinical impact but also inspire others to think differently about how we serve Veterans.”

The IDEAS Center remains a cornerstone for advancing innovation within CVHCS, fostering partnerships that translate into real-world solutions to benefit Veterans across Central Virginia and beyond.

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Jeff Clements, Public Affairs Specialist