How Unlikely Partnerships May Be The Way Forward For Medtech Innovators

Ernst & Young's recent report on the impact that data-driven platforms are having on traditional life-sciences companies shows that medtech – in common with other industries ranging from car manufacture to education to taxi services – is not immune to technological disruption. The power of data, combined with changing consumer expectations and ever more outsourcing of medical care from health institutions to self-managing patients, has opened enormous markets for tech innovators looking to deliver next generation medtech.

These potential markets in turn are driving a great deal of research and development. This is reflected in the sheer volume of patent applications, a form of intellectual property (IP) protection, in the medtech category. The most recent annual report from the European Patent Office (EPO) revealed that medtech remains the most popular category for patent filing globally. There were 12,263 medtech patents filed in 2017, a 6.2 per cent increase on the