Altaris MedTech delivering the winning elevator pitch at the 2026 Rice Business Plan Competition in Houston.

Isomere, Inc. — Rogers, Arkansas

Recognition

Five judging panels. Four states. One consistent verdict: strep testing is broken, and the fix is worth funding.

Isomere, Inc. competed as Altaris MedTech through April 2026.

Lance Lockwood and Joey Hobbs accepting first place for Altaris MedTech at the 2026 Arkansas Governor's Cup.

Statehouse Convention Center, Little Rock

1st Place

Arkansas Governor's Cup

High Growth / Technology · Graduate Division · April 2026

First place in the 25th annual competition, drawn from a $141,000 prize pool and teams representing four states.

$20,000Non-dilutive
Altaris MedTech presenting at the Rice Business Plan Competition finals in Houston.

Rice Alliance, Houston

4th Place + Pitch Champion

Rice Business Plan Competition

Rice Alliance for Technology & Entrepreneurship · April 2026

A top-seven finish among 42 teams at the world's largest and richest student startup competition — the University of Arkansas' strongest result since 2018. Also won the Mercury Fund Elevator Pitch Competition outright, first across all 42 teams.

$6,000Incl. pitch prize
Altaris MedTech recognized during the inaugural Made@UofA Week.

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

Top Honors

Made@UofA Week

Office of Entrepreneurship & Innovation · 2026

One of three ventures recognized at the University of Arkansas' inaugural capstone showcase for campus-born companies.

Joey Hobbs pitching Altaris MedTech at the Servin' the South Business Model Competition.

University of Mississippi, Oxford

1st Place

Servin' the South Business Model Competition

Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship · November 2025

First out of 45 competing teams, selected from 60 invited institutions across the mid-South.

$10,000Non-dilutive
The Altaris MedTech team accepting first place at the SEC Student Pitch Competition at Vanderbilt University.

Vanderbilt University, Nashville

1st Place

SEC Student Pitch Competition

10th Annual · October 2025

First place at the conference-wide competition, judged by operators and investors drawn from across all sixteen SEC institutions.

$10,000Non-dilutive
$46,000

In non-dilutive prize capital, deployed directly into bacteria validation and clinical study design.

Any one competition could be a fluke. But when you place consistently in front of completely different panels of judges and investors, you start to trust that the market is telling you something real.

Lance Lockwood · Co-founder & CEO