Company honored for creating the world's first Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) system for people with Parkinson's
March 30, 2026 /3BL/ - Medtronic, a global leader in healthcare technology, is proud to announce its inclusion in Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies list of 2026. The company earned a spot for its BrainSense™ Adaptive DBS therapy for people with Parkinson’s, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year.
“Medtronic is proof that massive companies can still be innovative. It may be the largest medical device firm in the world, but it continues to invest heavily in the AI, robotics and data-driven platforms needed to extend its reach well beyond traditional hardware,” Fast Company wrote.
There are over 10 million people living with Parkinson's disease globally,1 and while there is no cure, deep brain stimulation (DBS) has been transforming lives for more than 30 years. Medtronic recently enhanced its Percept™ DBS neurostimulators with exclusive BrainSense™ Adaptive technology† for people with Parkinson's. This feature personalizes therapy based on a patient's brain activity in real time – minimizing the need for patients to manually adjust stimulation2. Approximately more than 2,000 people worldwide have received aDBS therapy since its approval3.
“Being recognized by Fast Company as one of the most innovative companies in medical devices is powerful recognition of the work our teams are doing to transform Parkinson’s care,” said Paolo Di Vincenzo, president of the Neuromodulation business, part of the Neuroscience portfolio at Medtronic. “With BrainSense™ Adaptive DBS, we are moving beyond traditional DBS to a responsive, personalized approach that advances therapy for patients and pushes the field of Brain Modulation forward.”
Medtronic spent more than twenty years developing a complete, sensing-enabled DBS system leveraging exclusive BrainSense™ technology to detect, capture, and classify different brain signals. This advancement put Medtronic at the forefront of incorporating therapeutic brain-computer interface (BCI) technology into DBS therapy and BrainSense™ Adaptive DBS presents the largest commercial launch of BCI technology – ever.
“Our list of the Most Innovative Companies is about spotlighting organizations that don’t just adapt to change – they drive it,” said Brendan Vaughan, editor-in-chief of Fast Company. “The companies we honor this year are redefining what leadership looks like in 2026, pairing bold ideas with measurable impact and turning breakthrough innovation into real-world value. They are setting the pace for their industries and offering a blueprint for what sustained innovation can achieve.”
About Medtronic
Bold thinking. Bolder actions. We are Medtronic. Medtronic plc, headquartered in Galway, Ireland, is the leading global healthcare technology company that boldly attacks the most challenging health problems facing humanity by searching out and finding solutions. Our Mission — to alleviate pain, restore health, and extend life — unites a global team of 95,000+ passionate people across more than 150 countries. Our technologies and therapies treat 70 health conditions and include cardiac devices, surgical robotics, insulin pumps, surgical tools, patient monitoring systems, and more. Powered by our diverse knowledge, insatiable curiosity, and desire to help all those who need it, we deliver innovative technologies that transform the lives of two people every second, every hour, every day. Expect more from us as we empower insight-driven care, experiences that put people first, and better outcomes for our world. In everything we do, we are engineering the extraordinary. For more information on Medtronic, visit www.Medtronic.com and follow Medtronic on LinkedIn.
†The sensing feature of the Percept™ PC and Percept™ RC system is intended for use in patients receiving DBS where chronically recorded bioelectric data may provide useful, objective information regarding patient clinical status.
About Fast Company
Fast Company is the only media brand fully dedicated to the vital intersection of business, innovation, and design, engaging the most influential leaders, companies, and thinkers on the future of business. Headquartered in New York City, Fast Company is published by Mansueto Ventures LLC, along with fellow business publication Inc. For more information, please visit fastcompany.com.
References
- Luo, Y., Qiao, L., Li, M., Wen, X., Zhang, W., & Li, X. (2025). Global, regional, national epidemiology and trends of Parkinson's disease from 1990 to 2021: findings from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. Frontiers in aging neuroscience, 16, 1498756.
- Stanslaski S, Summers RLS, Tonder L, et al. Sensing data and methodology from the Adaptive DBS Algorithm for Personalized Therapy in Parkinson's Disease (ADAPT-PD) clinical trial. NPJ Parkinsons Dis. 2024;10(1):174.
- Medtronic data on file.
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