How is MedTech transforming the healthcare sector once again in 2025? This year, the MedTech industry finds itself at a critical juncture, facing new technologies as well as financial and regulatory challenges. Although global annual sales are projected to grow by 5% per year — reaching just under US $800 billion by 2030 — MedTech leaders must be more agile than ever to remain at the forefront of this vital sector.
MedTech companies are not only competing with one another to develop the most effective and innovative health solutions, but are also actively seeking the right life sciences experts and other specialists to achieve their ambitious goals.
What trends will shape the MedTech sector in 2025, and how can companies attract and retain the best talent in life sciences?
Precision Medicine
This year, precision medicine is at the forefront of MedTech innovation. Thanks to breakthroughs in genomics, biomarkers, spatial biology, and proteomics, healthcare providers are achieving improved outcomes for conditions such as cancer, autoimmune disorders, and rare diseases.
Take Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) as an example. SCLC is an aggressive form of lung cancer that accounts for 10-15% of all lung cancer diagnoses and is known for its resistance to platinum-based chemotherapy. Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have discovered a novel prognostic biomarker, PCDHB4, which may help predict chemotherapy resistance through multi-omics integrative analysis. In this analysis, researchers found a strong correlation between PCDHB4 and poor survival in chemotherapy-treated SCLC patients.
Moreover, the European Commission is backing innovation through the European project PRECISEU (PeRsonalised medicine Empowerment Connecting Innovation ecoSystems across EUrope). This five-year initiative aims to unite innovation ecosystems to deliver personalised care across Europe by transferring practices and solutions between countries and scaling up deep-tech healthcare innovations. Participating countries are Belgium, Spain, Germany, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden, the Netherlands, Greece, and Ukraine.
Virtual Healthcare and Telehealth
Virtual healthcare and telehealth are solving some of the industry’s most pressing issues, particularly in workforce shortages and accessibility. Staff shortages one of the biggest challenges in healthcare institutions like hospitals, which results in care delays and decreased patient care quality. Above that, burn-out and demotivation are increasing among healthcare staff. According to the the Philips Future Health Index 2024 virtual healthcare and telehealth have a positive impact:
38% of healthcare leaders report increased patient capacity
37% see better collaboration among remote healthcare teams
34% reduce the need for on-site staff, enabling greater flexibility in recruitment
Virtual care enables basic care to be delivered at home, reserving hospitals for complex or emergency cases. Notably, 32% of healthcare leaders say telehealth is expanding access to specialist care in underserved areas—especially in:
China (42%)
India (41%)
United States (40%)
Use cases like remote patient monitoring are already common in chronic disease management, post-operative monitoring, and medication adherence. The next wave will focus on telestroke, maternal health, and fetal monitoring.
AI
AI continues to revolutionise clinical decision support systems like speeding up diagnosing, reducing delays in patient treatment and improving patient outcomes. In 2025, AI is already widely used across radiology, pathology, remote patient monitoring, and preventive care. A few examples are AI- driven cancer diagnoses, automated medical scribes, and AI integration in remote patient monitoring.
An example of AI is revolutionising MedTech is the FaceAge AI tool. Researchers developed a deep learning system that uses advanced image processing and ML to analyse facial photos to estimate a person’s biological age. The most innovative advantage of FaceAge is that the tool can predict cancer survival, which outperforms any other traditional metrics.
According to the Future Health Index 2024, the use of AI will only increase with the top countries in AI investment within MedTech being:
Indonesia (74%)
India (70%)
China (69%)
Singapore (64%)
UK (60%)
Saudi Arabia (60%)
Poland (58%)
USA (56%)
However, with AI comes the need for ethical decision-making, data bias prevention, and robust cybersecurity. MedTech companies also need to stay compliant with stricter AI laws like the EU AI act.
Without the right infrastructure and talent, implementation risks inefficiencies or non-compliance with local regulations. Therefore, MedTech companies need to invest in cybersecurity professionals, AI experts and automation engineers.
Data Science
Collecting, saving and analysing data is a crucial part of MedTech innovation in 2025, especially with the increased focus on remote and personalised health solutions. There are already many tools and software available for using data in MedTech. Therefore, the biggest focus this year will be on proper implementation and analysis of data.
According to a survey by the Future Health Index 2024, healthcare leaders believe that data-driven insights can improve high-quality care by optimising treatment plans and care pathways (43%), identifying evidence-based practices (37%), predicting and reducing adverse events (36%), reducing waiting lists for diagnosis and elective procedures (36%), and forecasting and managing patient demand (34%).
Although data integration is vital for the life sciences industry, it remains a challenge. In the same survey, the top data integration challenges reported by life sciences leaders were: spending time accessing or integrating data, which leads to less time caring for patients (38%); increased operational costs due to inefficiencies (38%); limited coordination between care providers and departments (37%); unnecessary repeat tests or scans due to data inefficiencies (35%); and increased risk of errors, reducing patient safety and/or quality of care (34%).
Financial hurdles
Adapting financial strategies will be a critical task for many MedTech organisations. This will include implementing cost reduction measures, improving operational efficiencies, focusing on subscription-based technology models, and investing in alternative purchasing models to avoid upfront capital costs.
Financial instability has an immense impact on healthcare. Ninety-six per cent of healthcare leaders reported experiencing financial challenges, and 81% say these challenges have a direct impact on patient care. For 59%, this has even led to delays in investment or an inability to invest in new medical technology.
The financial struggles of MedTech companies differ between pre-commercial and on-market companies. Pre-commercial organisations face difficulties securing funding, staying compliant with regulations, and scaling their activities. These companies must primarily predict a product’s development timeline. Greenlight Guru notes that pre-commercial companies often overestimate development timelines while underestimating the complexity involved.
On the other hand, more mature MedTech companies face different financial problems. Their main concerns are rising costs, fierce competition, and high investor expectations. Additionally, economic uncertainty has held back growth. More than one in three surveyed companies indicate a hiring freeze in 2025, and 33% are delaying new product development. Hiring freelancers could be a strategy to reduce costs while maintaining agility in product development.
Environmental sustainability
What makes a company stand out from the crowd in 2025? Well, environmental sustainability. Supporting climate action is a top priority for many MedTech leaders. The most popular sustainability strategies are recycling waste, reducing or eliminating hazardous substances, water conservation, and energy reduction initiatives.
Future plans will focus more on eco-friendly infrastructure, environmentally friendly supply chains and suppliers, circular equipment, and sustainable procurement policies. To achieve these sustainable goals, MedTech employers will need to invest in purposeful design, which uses recyclable materials and modular designs to reduce environmental impact and the need for virgin resources. Another example is refurbishing small- and large-scale instruments, such as high-value imaging equipment, to extend the lifetime of these instruments.
Unfortunately, financial pressures will hold back some of the sustainability goals of MedTech leaders due to other priorities. On the other hand, investing in sustainability can also give companies a strategic advantage. In the short term, companies will see a reduction in waste and save money on energy consumption. In the long term, companies will have added value in the MedTech sector and can maximise equipment lifecycle value.
Additive Manufacturing
Due to the rise of personalised healthcare and increasing pricing pressures, MedTech leaders are exploring additive manufacturing for end-user parts. This technology enables more configurable, on-demand production of medical devices and implants. It is currently used predominantly for custom prosthetics, surgical instruments, and implants. However, emerging applications such as bioprinting—which combines bioinks and biomaterials with living cells to create tissues and organs—offer promising advancements. This could mark a major breakthrough in organ and tissue transplantation.
Aprecia and Battelle are strong examples of innovators in additive manufacturing for healthcare. Together, they have developed revolutionary 3D printing platforms designed to help MedTech companies overcome complex manufacturing processes, lengthy production cycles, and scalability limitations. Aprecia’s Z-FORM 3D printing platform allows for customisable drug production directly within primary packaging. This technology enables healthcare providers to personalise medication dosages to individual patients, improving compliance and enhancing therapeutic outcomes.
Despite its significant potential, additive manufacturing in MedTech still faces several major challenges. Firstly, 3D printing requires substantial investment, which may deter some companies. Secondly, scaling up 3D printing to a level that delivers cost-efficiency and commercial viability remains a key hurdle. Moreover, even with adequate funding, companies require highly specialised professionals with in-depth expertise to successfully integrate 3D printing technologies into production processes.
Regulatory Changes
Many countries have been updating their regulatory frameworks, significantly impacting manufacturing and distribution strategies in the MedTech sector. For example, in January 2025, the FDA issued final guidance on Section 506J of the FD&C Act, stating that manufacturers must notify the FDA of any potential medical device shortages during public health emergencies.
Another notable regulatory change has occurred in Europe. On 9 July 2024, the European Commission published Regulation (EU) 2024/1860, amending existing Medical Device Regulations (MDR) and In Vitro Diagnostic Regulations (IVDR). The objective is to ensure the continued availability of critical medical devices and IVDs. This new regulation extends transitional periods for higher-risk IVDs, helping to prevent supply shortages and allowing manufacturers more time to comply with stricter safety requirements. Furthermore, it supports a phased implementation of the EUDAMED database modules, aimed at improving transparency and regulatory efficiency. An additional requirement mandates that manufacturers notify relevant authorities and healthcare institutions at least six months in advance if they plan to cease the supply of critical devices—providing time to mitigate any potential public health risks.
How can both mature companies and start-ups adapt to remain compliant and avoid regulatory delays? The answer lies in the expertise of Quality Assurance (QA) and Quality Control (QC) professionals. These specialists play a crucial role in navigating evolving compliance landscapes. For pre-commercial companies, QA/QM professionals assist with pre-market submissions, achieving ISO 13485 certification, and hitting key developmental benchmarks. For established MedTech firms, they ensure ongoing compliance with stringent regulatory, safety, and quality standards throughout the product lifecycle.
MedTech Employment
More than 800,000 people are employed in the European medical technology industry, with Germany leading in terms of employment. The European MedTech sector accounts for approximately 0.36% of total employment in Europe. The estimated value added per employee is around €177,000, highlighting the sector’s significant social and technological contribution.
This number continues to grow, fuelled by international collaborations, increasing R&D budgets, and intensifying competition. As a result, attracting the right talent in MedTech is a considerable challenge for many employers. They require professionals with not only cross-functional expertise but also niche knowledge and experience. Below are some of the most in-demand MedTech roles for 2025:
• QA/QM Professionals: Ensure compliance with evolving safety and performance standards throughout the product lifecycle, particularly important in light of regulatory updates.
• Supply Chain Experts: Prevent disruptions in the delivery of life-saving medical technologies, especially critical during periods of economic uncertainty.
• Biomedical Engineers: Drive innovation in a rapidly evolving industry characterised by high competition.
• Data/AI Scientists: Integrate, maintain, and safeguard critical digital technologies, including Software as a Medical Device (SaMD).
• Process Engineers: Optimise manufacturing processes for greater sustainability and supply chain resilience.
Find the Best MedTech Talent with Amoria Bond
A specialised MedTech recruitment partner such as Amoria Bond can play a key role in bridging the staffing gap, connecting top-tier life sciences talent with pioneering MedTech companies. With an extensive international talent pool, our dedicated Life Sciences recruitment team delivers 360° staffing solutions, even within tight budgets and timelines. Thanks to our deep understanding of the MedTech landscape, we know how vital it is to find the right fit quickly, helping you meet critical product lifecycle milestones.
Want to learn more about how we can help you become an innovative leader in the MedTech industry? Get in touch with us today
