Medica success for innovators looking to strengthen trade ties

This year, at Medica, the Department for International Trade (DIT) joined forces with DIT Scotland, DIT Ireland, Welsh Government and UK Trade Associations, including the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), GAMBICA and Medilink, to help increase the visibility of UK companies at the four-day exhibition.

A joint DIT & ABHI UK Pavilion stand provided a unique opportunity for innovators to join UK Government in showcasing the strengths of UK HealthTech and innovation on the international stage. UK exhibitors were also able to meet with DIT experts to promote their business and access bespoke 1-2-1 advice to help explore their global potential.

In total 268 meetings took place, with attendees commending the quality of support to help them raise their profile and make valuable contacts. Nine UK companies also joined the DIT delegation, and held over 55 meetings with non-UK companies that have so far resulted in 17 new international business leads.

The portfolio of innovations presented by UK companies ranged from a sustainable, non-invasive device for continuous blood glucose monitoring, a ground-breaking technology to revolutionise the neuromotor disease diagnostic and monitoring pathways, and a range of pioneering diagnostics, devices and digital health technologies for key areas such as critical care, orthopaedics, clinical training, and surgery.

Exhibitor Edward Sheppard, product marketing manager, Innovia Medical said: “We met with many of our distributors and plenty of potential new customers, strengthening relationships and developing new ones. Utilising the space provided by the ABHI was pivotal to a successful Medica. We look forward to exhibiting with the team again next year!”

The Department for International Trade, and its MedTech and genomics specialist, Dr Neil Ebenezer, also took to the stage to present on a number of important topics, including the Potential Future UK MedTech Regulatory Framework, the UK MedTech Landscape and changes to IP since the end of the Brexit transition period.

Dr Neil Ebenezer said: “I was delighted to be at Medica this year and to present to attendees. The show once again proved its significance and value in facilitating meetings with global partners, providing a platform to demonstrate the UK’s strengths across the sector, and helping UK companies drive forward their international ambitions.”

DIT’s director for science and technology, Aphrodite Spanou said: “It is our mission to give UK exporters all the necessary tools, support and opportunities to succeed in their export journey. Medica presented a major opportunity to showcase UK MedTech market leaders and pioneering start-ups’ latest products, technologies and services to key buyers from across the world.”

New to 2022 was the UK Presentation Theatre, delivered in partnership with law firm Sidley Austin and Welsh Government. The dedicated area, which ran throughout the entire show, played host to a series of interactive demonstrations and presentations across all four days, drawing sizeable crowds and offering companies greater opportunities to showcase their products and attract new global investment.

Over 81,000 visitors from various sectors of the global healthcare industry came to Düsseldorf, Germany, to attend Media 2022 and Compamed 2022, which included over 5,000 exhibitors from 70 nations.