There is a huge opportunity for Medtech startups — and it’s in Europe. While the United States remains the engine of global Medtech innovation, Europe is emerging as the next frontier for adoption and scale. For startups and scaleups ready to expand internationally, and for partners able to bridge the gap, the time to act is now.

This is the key message emerging  from “The Future of Medtech: European and Global Trends in Chronic Diseases”, the new Report developed by Mind the Bridge with the support of Theras.

A global industry shifting gears

According to the Report, global Medtech funding reached $15.4 billion in the first half of 2025, a 13% rebound compared to 2024, confirming a renewed investor appetite after a period of correction. The industry remains dominated by the US, which captures nearly 80% of all Medtech venture capital, while Europe accounts for just 15–20%. 

“The world of innovation remains deeply asymmetric. The United States continues to dominate global Medtech investment. This imbalance, however, signals not weakness but opportunity,” said Alberto Onetti, Chairman of Mind the Bridge. “Europe is home to over 400 million patients, universal healthcare systems, and strong reimbursement frameworks that create stable, long-term demand. Success here depends on the right local partnerships that bring clinical credibility and market access — that’s what we call the Partner Advantage.”

Europe: The next Medtech frontier

Europe’s public health systems, which together spend almost 10% of GDP on healthcare, generate predictable demand for solutions that improve efficiency and outcomes. Chronic and metabolic diseases alone impose an annual cost exceeding €1 trillion, and new technologies that address these needs could unlock enormous value.

The report highlights that Medtech is evolving from experimentation to integration. Capital is increasingly concentrated in companies with validated business models and regulatory approvals, signaling a maturing industry that prioritizes real-world impact.

Three pillars driving Medtech growth

The analysis divides the sector into three main segments:

  • In Vitro Diagnostics (IVDs): recovering after a post-pandemic slowdown, with $2.7B raised globally in H1 2025;
  • Medical Devices: the most stable segment, drawing $4.8B in global funding in H1 2025;
  • Digital Health: the fastest-growing area, rebounding to $7.9B globally in H1 2025, driven by telemedicine, AI, and connected health platforms.

“Innovation on its own just doesn’t move the needle,” said Matteo Centola, Corporate Innovation Director at Theras. “What matters is getting those ideas where they can actually make a difference — into hospitals, into clinics, into the daily lives of patients. That’s why we built our open innovation approach the way we did: we work side-by-side with startups, doctors, and care teams, helping them navigate the real world, not just the slide deck. Partnering with Mind the Bridge lets us bring global breakthroughs into European care systems with purpose and speed. Because at the end of the day, it’s about impact, not hype — it’s about people.”

Beyond innovation: Translation and collaboration

The report stresses that expanding into Europe is not simply a matter of technology transfer. Success depends on the ability to adapt — to translate business models, reimbursement strategies, and go-to-market approaches to fit complex national ecosystems.

“As ecosystems evolve, the real challenge is not invention but translation,” added Marco Marinucci, CEO of Mind the Bridge. “We see growing interest from US Medtech scaleups looking to expand in Europe, and from European corporates eager to act as bridges to innovation. The opportunity is mutual.”

A call to bridge innovation and impact

While the US continues to dominate global Medtech investment, Europe’s combination of scale, public investment, and unmet clinical need makes it the next frontier for growth. The “Future of Medtech. European and Global Trends in Chronic Diseases” Report provides a roadmap for startups, investors, and healthcare leaders aiming to bridge these ecosystems — and transform innovation into measurable impact.

The full report is available for free download on the Mind the Bridge Ecosystem platform.