MedTech Summit Holds Court in Montreux

Although it might be hard to believe as you try to muscle your way through the teeming masses at the messe, the entire global med-tech industry will not have converged on Düsseldorf next week to attend Medica and Compamed. At least some industry insiders will have headed south for the European Tech Tour MedTech Summit in Montreux, Switzerland. The event will bring together 24 European and Israeli medical technology companies with venture capitalists and industry professionals to spark some entrepreneurial magic. At least, that’s the plan.

The two dozen companies were chosen competitively by a selection committee of 20 leading investment professionals and corporate executives. “I have been impressed with the quality of the selected companies, half of which are in the early stage of development and half in the expansion stage,” says Dr. Brian Hashemi, President of the 2008 European MedTech Summit. “These companies represent the very best technologies from across the sector including cardiology, orthopaedics, artificial organ/assist, drug delivery, diagnostics, and imaging.”

The CEOs of the 24 selected companies come from Switzerland, Germany, Israel, France, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, and Liechtenstein. They will each have 20 minutes to present their business plans to an international delegation of more than 100 investors, medical technology leaders, and other industry professionals who have signed up for the event with a view to investing or aiding these companies achieve their globalization plans. These delegates come from across Europe, the United States, Israel, China, and Japan and will participate in a discussion on important issues facing the industry such as refinancing, growth, and exits in turbulent times; trends in medicine and technology; healthcare systems; individualized medicine; consumer-directed care; and reimbursement policies.

Summit participants will continue with the program at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne on November 20, where they will receive a welcome presentation by Professor Patrick Aebischer and other EPFL faculty. The night before, Scott Parazynski, a medical doctor, med-tech inventor, and NASA astronaut, will present the keynote speech at the gala dinner at Château de Chillon.

The European Tech Tour Association is a non-profit organization founded by Sven Lingjaerde in Switzerland in 1998 and has successfully organized 30 Tech Tours across Europe, Israel, Russia, and India, since its inception 10 years ago.

Tags: European Tech Tour Association, European Tech Tour MedTech Summit