Ian Bolland explains why he's excited about this year's Med-Tech Innovation Expo.
Mikal Ludlow Photography
Med Tech Innovation Expo 2021 at NEC BirminghamPicture by Mikal Ludlow PhotographyTel; 0785517720528-9-21
It seems like barely a year since I was last writing an editor’s letter telling you why you should come to Med-Tech Innovation Expo. Admittedly that’s because our last show was in September as we made our first steps towards living normally again following a pandemic only for a fuel crisis to come along and challenge us too, but we are back nine months later with Med-Tech Innovation Expo.
For those who regularly read this magazine, you might be familiar with a lot of what I’m about to say with our year-round Expo features in this title, and there will be plenty of column inches dedicated to what you can look forward to on the show floor and stages – and for those who have picked up this magazine in Hall 10 at The NEC or prior to your visit to Birmingham (and sorry to those who can’t make it), then welcome to the magazine that runs alongside the show.
Of course, we haven’t been the only show in town. Just in April I had the pleasure, along with my colleagues, to head across the Atlantic to connect with many of you and others, at MD&M West in Anaheim. It was my first time at the event, which may surprise you but much of my time at the helm here has been taken up by COVID-19 and lambasting government policy. Believe me, I don’t like doing that all the time, and it was nice that once we were able to step off our flights we could remove our masks to talk about new projects, new ideas, what’s changed and how things may or may not have been reshaped thanks to the events of the last two-and-a-bit years.
Though we’re still recovering, it felt like the buzz was back as we met new and old faces – some fresh eyed into the industry, and others re-energised at our newfound freedoms and ability to put the ideas into practice that may have been sat on for a little while longer than was perhaps desired.
I’m hoping for more of the same when we all meet on 8-9th June. This includes two days of insightful thought leadership across our two stages including a return of Pitch@Med-Tech Innovation Expo as our budding start-ups compete again, you can hear from those on the show floor plus enjoy more insights about the latest technological development on the Introducing Health-Tech Stage. Then on the Med-Tech Innovation Conference Stage you can learn about how we can tackle the NHS backlog, new manufacturing practices as sustainability becomes the buzziest of buzz words and as we have all become familiar with diagnostics and got used to Brexit… what next in both areas?
I’ll look forward to seeing as many of you as possible when I host a live episode of The MedTalk Podcast which focuses on the currently regulatory environment but if it’s not listening to me chairing a discussion with three distinguished panellists that floats your boat then why not connect with those on the Medilink Pavilion? Or one of our international pavilions from Italy and Mauritius?
There’s also exhibitors from Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, the United States, Hong Kong and more! I’ve not even got onto the return of the Awards, yet.
So, which way to Med-Tech Innovation Expo? That way!
Med-Tech Innovation Expo takes place on 8th-9th June at the NEC, Birmingham. For more information, and to plan your visit, visit www.med-techexpo.com.
