We recently had the pleasure of participating in Surgtech 2024, the premier conference exploring the latest surgical technology innovations. Hosted by NIHR (National Institute for Health and Care Research) HRC on March 21-22 in Leeds, the two-day event provided an excellent forum for learning, networking and sharing our expertise.
In the lead up to Surgtech, we announced our speakers Richard Hall and Richard Shaw would be presenting on healthcare funding landscapes and promoting sustainability in surgical technologies respectively. We also teased an interactive word cloud activity planned for our exhibition booth to gather insights on barriers to innovation.
Day one kicked off with an inspiring opening speech by Vee Mapunde emphasizing the increasing importance of considering sustainability early in health technology projects. This set the tone for our messaging around adopting eco-friendly practices. Later that afternoon, our Sustainability Lead Rich Shaw gave a well-attended talk demonstrating cost benefits medical device companies can realize by going green.
The second day featured an engaging panel discussion with Shaw exploring how embedding sustainability into value propositions can unlock more funding opportunities for startups. We enjoyed this insightful dialogue alongside Dr. Graeme Howling, Emma Glass and others.
A highlight throughout the conference was our interactive word cloud visualizer. We were delighted by the level of engagement as 106 attendees contributed their thoughts in real-time on the biggest obstacles to fostering innovation in surgical tech. An analysis revealed funding constraints, regulatory hurdles, lack of clinical evidence and insufficient collaboration among the top barriers mentioned.
These findings reinforced what we've long suspected - that MedTech innovators face systemic hurdles on multiple fronts. As purpose-driven consultants, we are committed to helping clients navigate and overcome these challenges through inclusive, sustainable practices that demonstrate clear user benefits.
We'd like to thank all the attendees who stopped by our booth to participate in the word cloud activity and engage with our team. The connections made and perspectives gleaned over the productive two days will undoubtedly prove invaluable as we continue supporting innovation that advances patient care.