Luminoah wins Virginia Startup World Cup

Charlottesville-based medical technology company Luminoah won first place at the Virginia Startup World Cup on Aug. 21 and will now advance to the global finals in San Francisco this October.

The competition, organized by California-based global venture capital firm Pegasus Tech Ventures and co-hosted locally by nonprofit Innovate Hampton Roads and the Virginia Beach government, drew 10 finalists from across Virginia to pitch at the Sandler Center for the Performing Arts in Virginia Beach.

Health care executive Neal Piper launched Luminoah in 2020, following a personal crisis. In 2019, Piper’s 3-year-old son, Noah, was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor that left him dependent on enteral nutrition, also known as tube feeding. Unfortunately, that involved him being tethered to an IV pole or carrying a bulky backpack. Wanting a better solution, Piper launched Luminoah to reinvent care for patients nationwide.

The company’s signature innovation is a small, lightweight and portable enteral pump that’s compatible with smartphones and able to track nutritional intake. Piper said the product “feels more like a smartphone than medical equipment” and will allow children to attend school and adults to spend time with friends instead of being fed on a bedside.

“This is going to completely change the way people live,” he said.

The winner of the global finals on Oct. 17 will win a $1 million investment prize.

Zack Miller, an affiliate of Innovate Hampton Roads who helped organize the Virginia competition, said that more than 100 Virginia startups applied for this year’s event. A panel of judges with experience in judging startups narrowed the field to 10 finalists. On Aug. 21, each of those finalists delivered a 4-minute pitch on the problem they are trying to address, their company’s solution, and the traction they have achieved.

Miller said the event is beneficial even for those who don’t win, as it offers exposure and fundraising connections. Last year’s Virginia winner, ivWatch of Newport News, went on to place third worldwide, while other 2024 Virginia participants collectively raised over $24 million after competing.

For Piper, advancing to the global competition was “extremely humbling.” While his son is now cancer-free, he hopes his product can benefit millions of other patients. Luminoah is targeting Food and Drug Administration clearance in early 2026 and has plans to expand globally.

“I’m just proud to represent the commonwealth in this competition,” Piper said. “Let’s take home the big prize here at the Startup World Cup in October.”