2021 Conference programme

Steered by a prestigious Committee, the MedFIT conference programme brings together bright minds to discuss the latest trends in MedTech, diagnostic and digital health, to debate on innovation-driven topics, to foster learning and provoke conversations that matter. International experts will address current industry issues related to collaboration, financing, market access and regulation as well as MedTech digitalisation.

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Plenary Session

DAY ONE - Tuesday, September 7^th

11:30 AM
12:30 PM

From product-focused to solution-focused: How are MedTech companies reviewing their value proposition?

Moderator: Daniel Bejoy, Senior Industry Analyst, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Frost & Sullivan

The increasing digitalisation and consumerisation of healthcare, along with changing reimbursement models and care delivery pathways, have created opportunities to generate value for MedTech not only through the manufacture and sale of products, but also through the development of more holistic and data-driven solutions.

To what extent does this transition affect the way R&D efforts are led and MedTech companies go-to market model? How can the right financial and clinical stakeholders be identified early in the development to generate evidence and demonstrate the value of innovative products and services? To what extent does this influence MedTech companies’ collaboration choices?

Jean-Marc Wismer, COO, MindMaze
Jeroen Kemperman, Senior Manager Strategy & Business Development, Zilveren Kruis – Achmea
Carmen van Vilsteren, Director of Strategic Area Health // Chair of the Board, Eindhoven University of Technology // Eindhoven MedTech Innovation Center
Daniel Bejoy, Senior Industry Analyst, Healthcare & Life Sciences, Frost & Sullivan
Nick West, Chief Medical Officer & DVP, Global Medical Affairs, Vascular, Abbott

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TRACK 1: COLLABORATE TO INNOVATE

DAY ONE - Tuesday, December 7^th

1:30 PM
2:30 PM

Breaking silos: How to incentive interoperability in MedTech and connected health?

Moderator: Minna Hendolin, Leading Specialist, HealthData, Sitra

Joining the dots of patient data, diagnosis and decision making is the holy grail for connected health. What is standing in the way? Who should drive change? How can further collaboration models lead the way?

Anthony Dubois, Co-Founder, Akimed
Martina Ahlberg, Innovation Manager // Coordinator, Karolinska Center for Innovation // EU project Platform for Innovation of Procurement and Procurement of Innovation
Minna Hendolin, Leading Specialist, HealthData, Sitra
Dipak Kalra, President, The European Institute for Innovation through Health Data
Rémy Choquet, Head of Medical Data & Evidence, Roche

DAY TWO - Wednesday, December 8^th

2:30 PM
3:30 PM

Embracing collaborations: The key to successfully designing, scaling and using digital health solutions?

Moderator: Artur Olesch, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, about Digital Health

MedTech companies now face the challenge of designing user-friendly digital products and services while supporting their adoption and use by clinicians, healthcare professionals and patients. How do collaborations and partnerships with existing and emerging players, academia and innovative start-ups help to build digital capabilities and secure the deployment of digital medical technologies? How to best ensure that connected devices are intuitive and easy to use? What are the best practices for involving healthcare professionals in the early stages of innovative product development? How to ensure the best training and support for practitioners and develop the necessary skills to optimise the use of technologies?

Karolina Mackiewicz, Innovation Director, ECHAlliance
Artur Olesch, Founder & Editor-in-Chief, about Digital Health
Viktor Matyas, CEO, Aignostics
Armand Castillejo, Collaborative R&D Program Manager, STMicroelectronics
Vera Guerreiro, Global Business Development & Strategy, Mediktor

DAY THREE - Thursday, December 9^th

9:30 AM
10:30 AM

Is your start-up ready to engage with corporates?

Moderator: Suzanne Elvidge, Freelance writer, Biopharma, Healthcare, Business

What does a start-up need to be ready to collaborate with industry? What are the benefits or constraints to partner with corporate at the early stages of a start-up? On which grounds and what kind of partnerships are set up? How to deal with multiple partners? What are MedTech big players looking for in their strategic partnerships and what can they bring to the development of a young company? What can be the obstacles on the big players part? How to create the win-win scenario to advance technology?

Anke Cassing, Principal, High-Tech Gründerfonds
Marco Majer, Head of Ecosystems, 5-HT Digital Hub for Chemistry & Health
Olivier Delporte, CEO, Miracor Medical
Caroline de Mareuil-Villette, Founding Partner, ICOSA
Xavier Bertrand, VP Healthcare Services & Alliances EMEA, Boston Scientific

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TRACK 2: FINANCING INNOVATION

DAY ONE - Tuesday, December 7^th

9:30 AM
10:30 AM

Investors’ perspective on investing in MedTech post COVID-19

Moderator: Geoff Davison, CEO, Bionow

Almost two years later, how has COVID-19 pandemic influenced investors and what is the impact on early-stage pattern of investment? Have some sub-sectors started to become more interesting to private equity firms?

Daniel O’Mahony, Partner, Seroba Life Sciences
Geoff Davison, CEO, Bionow
Sylvain Sachot, Principal, Asabys Partners

DAY TWO - Wednesday, December 8^th

4:30 PM
5:30 PM

From seed stage to regulatory approval: How to get your milestones financed?

Moderator: Arezki Yaiche, Head of Coverage France & Benelux, Acuris

Developing a roadmap and trying to understand the timing and cost of all potential steps are keys to avoid falling into funding gaps down the road. This means structuring the necessary funds early to achieve specific milestones and subsequent financing rounds to be achieved. How can a young company finance the large expenses prior to regulatory approval? How to identify the right equity partners and involve them in your ongoing operations?

This panel discussion gathering expert investors and successful entrepreneurs aims to provide a better understanding of the timelines, operations, and budgets required to best measure the available funding options at the onset of new start-ups.

Christian Hense, Chief Operating Officer, Universal Diagnostics
Alexander König, CEO & Founder, ReActive Robotics
Thijs Cohen Tervaert, Junior Partner, INKEF Capital
Eric Garnier, Member of the Board of Directors and Head of National Business Angels Networks, Angels Santé

11:30 AM
12:30 PM

How to address the right investors as boundaries are blurring between medical devices, diagnostic and digital health technologies?

Moderator: Sergio Ferreira, Senior Innovation Advisor, Norway Health Tech

How have investment strategies evolved with the digitalisation of the MedTech sector? Are traditional MedTech investors diversifying their portfolios? Are there newcomer investors in the field because of digital heath and new opportunities or investments sources? How do early stage MedTech companies continue to attract investment and on what ground?

Klaus Stöckemann, Managing Partner, Peppermint Venture Partners
Jerome Samson, Investment Manager, European Investment Fund
Sergio Ferreira, Senior Innovation Advisor, Norway Health Tech

DAY THREE - Thursday, December 9^th

3:00 PM
4:00 PM

Which alternative funding options to VCs for biotech & MedTech start-ups?

Moderator: Tobias Silberzahn, Partner Pharma & MedTech, McKinsey & Company

There is more money than ever fuelling the biotech and MedTech industries, and different kind of investors are entering the stage with more influence than previously thought possible. Which options are there? What do you need to identify these funding sources? What are the expectations and specificities of working with angel investors, disease foundations, private equity firms, cross-over funds and family offices? What are the best funding strategies for biotech & MedTech start-ups?

Rémi Soula, Founding Partner, Entrepreneur in Residence, Argobio
Jamie Kemler, VP, Intellectual Property Business Strategy, Stryker
Stefano Marzario, Senior Investment Officer, European Investment Bank
Andreas Schmidt, CEO, Board Director, Proteona

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TRACK 3: INNOVATION TO MARKET

DAY ONE - Tuesday, December 7^th

3:30 PM
4:30 PM

From big companies to founder: Hear the stories of executives turned MedTech entrepreneurs

Moderator: Eugene Borukhovich, Chairman & COO, YourCoach.Health

This session will be held as an interview followed by a group discussion, in order to make the most of the speakers’ entrepreneurial background. What motivated their choices when creating a company? What did they gain from their experience in a large MedTech company? What were the obstacles they had not foreseen?

Peter Gingras, President & CEO, Viscus Biologics
Philippe Bastide, CEO & Co-Founder, Dianosic
Eugene Borukhovich, Chairman & COO, YourCoach.Health
Mike Karim, CEO, Oxford Endovascular

DAY TWO - Wednesday, December 8^th

9:30 AM
10:30 AM

Case study: Which business model for digital innovations to manage chronic diseases?

Moderator: Tobias Silberzahn, Partner Pharma & MedTech, McKinsey & Company

Innovative digital solutions intend to make a difference in addressing chronic conditions. As they include and connect a growing number of devices, apps and services to support patients and their caregivers, what are their actual contribution to chronic illness management? What are the current business models for consumers and payers? How are these solutions adopted by the end users and what is their added value?

Anna King, Commercial Director, Health Innovation Network South London, AHSN
Cyndi Williams, CEO & Founder, Quin
Anish Shindore, Head, BDH External Innovation and Alliances, Digital Care & DTx, Biogen

DAY THREE - Thursday, December 9^th

11:30 AM
12:30 PM

Medical-grade devices vs. consumer-grade devices: How is digitalisation blurring the lines for diagnostic and monitoring solutions?

Moderator: Blaise Jacholkowski, Principal Consultant Pharma & Life Sciences / Digital Health, Zühlke Group

Evolving consumer expectation and anytime patient data access are making way for non-traditional players to disrupt the healthcare industry. While MedTech and diagnostic sectors have already changed with rising digital medical-grade solutions, what are the challenges additionally brought by the rapid development of consumer-grade devices? How are MedTech players to stay competitive when an increasing number of consumer-level trackers & apps may successfully turn into certified medical devices? Is the reimbursement model the only one that’s right? On which grounds to choose between going over-the-counter or reimbursed for these types of solutions?

Florian Graillot, Founding Partner, astoryaVC
Benjamin Friedrich, Chief Medical Officer, Temedica
Blaise Jacholkowski, Principal Consultant Pharma & Life Sciences / Digital Health, Zühlke Group