Market access concerns dominated at the annual BioWales In London event, where AstraZeneca set out industry’s priorities and the UK Office for Life Sciences struck an optimistic tone about how the UK will lastingly improve uptake of innovation.

Capital remains available for good healthtech projects, but it is more concentrated and harder to find than of late. Founders and inventors must know how to unlock it. The BioWales 2025 investor panel told them where they could be going wrong.

A change of government, hospital reform and a drive towards healthcare digitization are keeping German medtech manufacturers on their toes. Making the MDR more user-friendly and winning support for a medtech strategy are arguably bigger priorities. US export tariffs have also pushed their way onto the agenda. BVMed chief executive Marc-Pierre Möll puts it all into context.

Not everyone welcomes change as much as lawyers do. There is much of that ahead for Clifford Chance partner and life science expert Gunnar Sachs as he negotiates political shifts and surfs the rising tide of legal challenges to help companies stay compliant and competitive. Musicianship provides the work-life balance.

Germany’s incoming coalition government has reacted positively to industry’s calls for a dedicated medtech strategy to boost economic growth. Faster digitization, lower energy costs and “IVDR 2.0” are also on the in vitro diagnostic industry’s agenda.

The architect of Germany’s hospital reform, Karl Lauterbach, will not be retained as health minister according to how the new CDU/CSU-SPD coalition government plans to spread the ministerial portfolios.