Max Kopp balances coursework, extracurricular activities, and college aspirations like other high school students. However, aside from the typical high school challenges, his life outside of school involves leading groundbreaking research in two trillion-dollar industries: medical technology and aerospace engineering. 

At just 17, Kopp is pioneering noninvasive glucose monitoring solutions through his startup, Vitasense, while also developing AI-driven smart sensors for spacecraft — two innovations that could reshape how people manage chronic diseases and how space missions ensure safety in extreme environments.

Kopp’s journey underscores a broader shift in science and technology: a new generation of innovators is no longer waiting for traditional career paths to make an impact. Instead, young minds like his are stepping into problem-solving roles traditionally held by industry veterans, using cutting-edge research, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology to create solutions that challenge existing systems.

A Personal Drive to Reinvent Diabetes Care

For Kopp, scientific innovation is not just about theoretical breakthroughs, it is deeply personal. Diagnosed with hereditary diabetes, he has lived with the challenges of traditional glucose monitoring, which often requires frequent, painful blood tests or the use of costly continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) that may not be accessible to all patients. While CGMs have improved diabetes management, they remain expensive and often require sensor implants, limiting widespread adoption.

Recognizing these barriers, Kopp founded Vitasense, a medical technology startup focused on non-invasive biosensors to provide a pain-free, affordable alternative to blood glucose monitoring. His research integrates nanomaterials, artificial intelligence, and photonic biosensing, enabling glucose detection through the skin without requiring blood samples.

“Too many diabetes patients face unnecessary hurdles — painful pricks, high costs, and limited accessibility. If we can eliminate these, why wouldn’t we?” Kopp says. “Non-invasive glucose monitoring should be the norm, not the exception.”

His approach is to reduce patients’ economic burden, allowing insurance companies and healthcare providers to adopt noninvasive monitoring solutions. As telehealth and digital healthcare evolve, Kopp’s research aligns with a growing movement to make diagnostics more patient-friendly and widely available.

The Expanding Commercial Market for Non-Invasive Diagnostics

The market for continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices is projected to reach $20 billion by 2030, with diabetes-related healthcare spending exceeding $760 billion annually. While CGMs have improved over the years, they remain invasive and reliant on disposables, increasing long-term patient costs.

Non-invasive glucose monitoring is ideal in diabetes care, with significant medical technology firms investing heavily in optical and electromagnetic sensing methods. Companies like Apple, Dexcom, and Abbott have explored similar solutions, yet commercialized non-invasive glucose monitors remain elusive due to technological and regulatory challenges.

Kopp’s research aims to push the field forward by focusing on real-time AI-driven glucose analytics combined with low-cost, flexible biosensors. His startup is exploring how miniaturization and machine learning could refine sensor accuracy, addressing some issues that have stalled non-invasive glucose monitoring from becoming mainstream.

Aerospace Safety: The Other Billion-Dollar Problem He’s Tackling

While Vitasense is working toward healthcare innovation, Kopp’s other research focuses on a completely different, yet equally critical, challenge: structural health monitoring for spacecraft.

Modern space exploration is entering an era of commercial expansion, with companies like SpaceX, Blue Origin, and NASA preparing for long-duration missions, lunar exploration, and Mars colonization. However, one of the biggest obstacles to deep-space travel is ensuring spacecraft structural integrity over long missions. Undetected micro-damage or pressure leaks can lead to catastrophic failures, as seen in the Boeing CST-100 Starliner’s helium leaks or the Apollo 13 oxygen tank explosion.

Kopp’s research in inkjet-printed nanomaterial sensors is focused on developing a deployable, real-time damage detection system for spacecraft. His AI-driven sensor arrays seek to monitor spacecraft structures autonomously, providing real-time analytics on potential weak points or microfractures before they escalate into mission-threatening failures.

“Right now, spacecraft inspections rely on scheduled maintenance and manual checks. My research focuses on creating an AI-driven safety net that detects damage the moment it happens,” Kopp emphasizes. “That’s why autonomous, real-time monitoring is essential for mission success.”

His research, which integrates machine learning and nanotechnology, could have applications beyond space travel. Aerospace manufacturers, defense contractors, and commercial airlines are all investing in smarter diagnostic technologies that reduce maintenance costs and improve safety standards. The aerospace structural monitoring industry is expected to grow to $5.2 billion by 2030, highlighting the increasing demand for autonomous safety solutions in this sector.

Balancing Research, Business, and the Realities of Being 17

While Kopp’s research places him at the forefront of two major industries, he also balances the challenges of being a high school student, scientist, and startup founder. Navigating scientific validation, funding opportunities, and regulatory hurdles while managing academic coursework is no small feat.

“It’s a challenge, but I don’t see science as separate from my life — it’s something I’m passionate about, so it never feels like work.”

Competitions and science fairs have provided Kopp a platform to gain recognition and mentorship opportunities, leading to his awards at the National Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS), the S.-T. Yau High School Science Award, and the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF). In 2025, he was also named to Philly Inno’s 25 Under 25, a list spotlighting young changemakers across the region who are shaping the future through science, innovation, and entrepreneurship.

Most recently, on March 18, 2025, Kopp was awarded the prestigious Naval Science Award by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) at the MCSRC Science Fair. This recognition from the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps honors outstanding STEM achievements in environmental science. Kopp’s project stood out for its scientific depth and innovation, earning him a personal commendation from Rear Admiral Kurt J. Rothenhaus, Chief of Naval Research.

Beyond competitions, he also founded The Kopp Foundation for Diabetes, which seeks to support research in non-invasive glucose monitoring, advocate for healthcare affordability, and promote awareness of emerging diabetes management technologies. Through his foundation, he hopes to bridge the gap between scientific discovery and real-world accessibility, a challenge that remains prevalent in medical innovation.

The Future of His Work in Med-Tech and Aerospace

As Kopp continues his research, Vitasense’s next steps involve refining sensor accuracy, regulatory approval processes, and potential collaborations with healthcare institutions. His aerospace research aims to move toward integration with real-world testing in partnership with aerospace engineering teams working on structural monitoring solutions.

While many young innovators are expected to “wait their turn” in deep-tech fields, Kopp’s journey reflects a growing trend of student researchers stepping into leadership roles within scientific and engineering communities. His work challenges preconceived notions of age and experience, showing that access to research tools, interdisciplinary collaboration, and digital learning platforms enables young scientists to contribute meaningfully to significant technological advancements.

“Innovation isn’t just about coming up with ideas. It’s about making sure those ideas solve real problems meaningfully,” states Kopp.

Kopp’s vision, whether in revolutionizing diabetes care or enhancing space travel safety, shows how next-generation researchers are not just preparing for the future, they are already building it.

For more information, visit Max Kopp Tech.