UK HealthTech Industrial Council marks first year accelerating innovation, investment and collaboration across the MedTech sector

Established by CPI in partnership with the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI) and the British In Vitro Diagnostics Association (BIVDA), the Council has already begun to shape a more connected and coordinated ecosystem. Over the past 12 months, it has launched a national HealthTech conference, supported the development of multi-million-pound R&D programmes, and contributed to policy discussions to unlock growth across the sector. 

MedTech plays a critical role in the UK’s life sciences economy. With a turnover of £48 billion, the sector includes around 4000 businesses and employs almost 196,000 people, accounting for over half of life sciences employment. Despite its scale and impact, however, MedTech has historically attracted less investment than other parts of the ecosystem. 

The Council was formed to address this challenge by providing a unified forum focused on technology, R&D and manufacturing across medical devices and diagnostics. It brings together companies with a strong UK presence alongside organisations including Innovate UK, NIHR, the NHS, and the Office for Life Sciences, and offers close collaboration with ABHI and BIVDA. 

The Council is co-chaired by Amit Agarwal, Chief Scientific Officer at Danaher Diagnostics, alongside a senior leader from Smith+Nephew, with support from Rahul Kapoor, Director of HealthTech at CPI. 

One of the Council’s first major outcomes was the creation of the Innovation in MedTech and Diagnostics Conference, designed as a platform to connect stakeholders across government, the NHS, global industry and the UK’s SME community. The inaugural event attracted more than 130 participants over 2 days, including international delegates, and focused on key challenges around R&D, manufacturing scale-up, regulation and adoption. 

The conference will return for its second annual edition in London on 6 – 7 October 2026, bringing together leaders from across the global HealthTech ecosystem to explore emerging areas of innovation and collaboration. 

Over the past year, the Council has also strengthened collaboration between leading UK HealthTech organisations, helping to shape industrial R&D programmes that drive investment and technology-led innovation. One area of focus is digital and computational pathology, where the Council is exploring how to build new translational capabilities in the UK. While radiology has undergone widespread digitisation, delivering efficiencies for healthcare systems and improvements in patient care, pathology has lagged behind – presenting a significant opportunity for both healthcare delivery and industrial growth. 

Complementing this work, the Council has supported a £5 million programme to develop next-generation cancer diagnostics. The programme will advance sample preparation and data architectures, enabling multi-omic approaches and laying the foundations for more integrated, data-driven diagnostics. 

The Council has also played an active role in shaping policy discussions around the future of the UK life sciences sector. Members have contributed to the Life Sciences Sector Plan, with a focus on strengthening support for R&D, manufacturing capability, SME growth and NHS adoption. These discussions have highlighted the need for clearer funding pathways, stronger incentives for manufacturing scale-up, and improved routes for innovation into healthcare systems. 

Through ongoing engagement across its membership, the Council continues to ensure the voice of the MedTech sector is represented in national policy discussions. Members have emphasised the need for more tailored interventions that reflect the sector’s distinct development timelines and regulatory pathways, alongside improved connectivity between industry, government and healthcare stakeholders. 

As the Council enters its second year, its focus will remain on strengthening collaboration across the UK HealthTech ecosystem and accelerating the translation of innovation into real-world healthcare solutions. 

Registration is now open for the Innovation in MedTech and Diagnostics Conference, taking place in London on 6 – 7 October 2026. The event will bring together leaders from industry, healthcare, UK government and investment to explore the future of health technology innovation, manufacturing and adoption. Register now to secure your place.