Exclusive healthcare partner meeting: focus on future topics in the medtech sector

22.05.2026

How will the medical technology industry develop in the coming years? What role will artificial intelligence, resilient structures and innovative care concepts play in a sustainable healthcare system? Around 50 representatives from the healthcare partner network addressed these and other questions at this year's exclusive Bayern Innovativ partner meeting on 11 May 2026 in Nuremberg. The aim of the partner meeting is to bring companies together for discussions and to pool potential.

The keynote speech by Dr. Thilo Kaltenbach and Jonas Lehmann from management consultants Roland Berger kicked off the event. The focus was on current findings from the "Future of Health" study series, which regularly analyzes international developments and derives future scenarios for the industry.

The results of the study presented showed that healthcare systems around the world are facing similar challenges: The need for care is growing faster than the available resources. Ageing societies, medical progress and rising expectations of the population are increasing the pressure on systems. At the same time, it is becoming apparent that additional funding alone will not be enough to ensure long-term care. Instead, new approaches to efficiency, collaboration and digital transformation are needed.

Roland Berger has identified seven key success factors for successful healthcare systems: coordination, governance, use of resources, innovation, digitalization, public health and equitable access. In particular, the networking of the various stakeholders, patient-centered care and the intelligent use of healthcare data are seen as key levers for sustainable and efficient healthcare.

Another focus of the event was the question of how companies and organizations can successfully shape the use of artificial intelligence. The results of the study show that many players have already gained initial experience with AI, but that there is still a considerable need for action. The biggest challenges include a lack of technological expertise, the integration of AI into existing IT structures and the availability of high-quality data.

Accordingly, many companies see their most important tasks as investing in AI technologies and data infrastructures, building up new skills, driving forward pilot projects and developing clear AI strategies. The speakers emphasized that technological change must be actively shaped: Those who create the necessary conditions at an early stage will be able to make much better use of the potential of AI in the future(AI Transfer Plus).

In addition to the technical impulses, the event offered the opportunity for discussions between companies, research institutions, healthcare providers and other players in the innovation ecosystem at the subsequent themed tables. The discussions that arose here showed that risk management, standardization and strong partnerships are becoming increasingly important in the face of global challenges such as geopolitical crises, supply chain risks, cyberattacks and the effects of climate change. Cooperation, knowledge transfer and the exchange of new technologies play a central role here.

When it came to the reimbursement and financing of innovative solutions, it became clear once again that many innovations continue to face complex regulatory and reimbursement-related hurdles. The participants emphasized the need for clear responsibilities, innovation-friendly framework conditions and faster paths into existing reimbursement models.

The exclusive partner meeting made it clear that many companies in the healthcare and medical technology sector are facing similar challenges - be it in dealing with artificial intelligence, regulatory requirements or changes in the healthcare sector. This makes it all the more important to share experiences, learn from each other and develop solutions together.

Bayern Innovativ's Health Innovation Network offers the right platform for this. It creates space for professional dialog, new partnerships and the joint design of sustainable healthcare. After all, innovation is created where different perspectives come together and people start talking to each other.