Enrico Ascher Vascular Innovation Institute

Overview

The Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation’s Enrico Ascher Vascular Innovation Institute is a national innovation initiative designed to accelerate the next generation of breakthroughs in vascular care.

Built for vascular surgeons with transformative ideas, the Institute provides structured education, expert mentorship, strategic industry and investor engagement and early-stage funding support to help move promising concepts from clinical insight to real-world impact.

The Institute reflects the SVS Foundation’s commitment to strengthening the future of vascular surgery by investing in physician-led innovation, commercialization education, and cross-sector collaboration. The SVS Foundation is uniquely positioned to advance vascular innovation by combining scientific credibility, clinical expertise, national reach, and strategic industry collaboration within one trusted professional community.

The Institute is generously supported by Dr. Enrico Ascher and Dr. Natalie Ascher. Learn more about Dr. Ascher’s legacy.

Why the Institute Matters

Developed in partnership with the SVS Research Council and the SVS Innovation Task Force, the Institute creates a dedicated pathway for innovators working to solve critical challenges in vascular care.

Vascular surgeons are uniquely positioned to identify unmet clinical needs — but many lack access to the infrastructure, mentorship and commercialization pathways needed to advance innovative solutions. The Enrico Ascher Vascular Innovation Institute was created to help bridge that gap.

By connecting clinicians with experienced advisors, educators, investors and industry leaders, the Institute aims to:

• Accelerate physician-led innovation in vascular care 
• Support the translation of ideas into scalable solutions 
• Expand innovation education within the vascular community 
• Foster collaboration across medicine, research, technology, and industry 
• Build a long-term innovation ecosystem within vascular surgery