Medica 2021 and Compamed 2021 Have Far Exceeded Expectations

Visitors and exhibitors were in good spirits throughout – personal encounters once again take centre stage

After their four-day run as an in-person event, medica and compamed have achieved extremely successful results in düsseldorf. From 15 to 18 november 2021, the world’s leading information and communication platforms for the medical technology industry and its supplier sector presented a wealth of convincing innovations as well as an accompanying programme that covered a wide range of topics (supplemented by digital offers) and did justice to their internationally prestigious position. “the atmosphere in the trade fair halls was relaxed and characterised by a sense of optimism throughout; conversations with our customers have shown that in many cases, we have exceeded expectations. People were finally able to establish new and intensify existing contacts in person,” says erhard wienkamp, managing director of messe düsseldorf, visibly pleased as he takes stock of the past days.

46,000 visitors (with an international share of 73 percent) from 150 countries seized the opportunity to engage in person with the 3,033 medica and 490 compamed exhibitors in düsseldorf, obtaining information on the comprehensive range of innovations for outpatient and inpatient care, including every step of their development and manufacture, and trying out many innovative products live in the trade fair halls.

“The numbers are encouraging, and were hardly expected to be at this level in spring. With the combination of trade fair events and digital supplements, medica and compamed have given the industry strong stimuli. The exhibitors are happy to have come to düsseldorf and are already actively inquiring about options to take part next year,” says christian grosser, director health & medical technologies at messe düsseldorf, thus reflecting the positive signals fed back by participants and trade associations alike.

The industry portals medica.De and compamed.De added a range of offers in line with the live events at the trade fairs. This allowed users to access livestreams to watch the stage programmes of all expert forums that had been integrated into the trade fairs as well as the 44th german hospital conference and the medica medicine + sports conference; network via the special matchmaking tool; and obtain information on innovative products in the exhibitors’ online showrooms.

Growth despite challenges provides plenty to talk about

Despite continuing restrictions in international transport, germany’s association for electromedical technology (zvei) has predicted a growth of eight percent for the global electromedical technology market in the current year. “as a hybrid in-person event, medica has given exhibitors and visitors a vital platform to discuss innovative medical products and current trends in the field of medical technology, both face-to-face and online. In doing so, the fair supports exhibitors in their work on european and international markets,” explains hans-peter bursig, managing director of the electromedical technology trade association at zvei.

Marcus kuhlmann, head of medical technology at german industry association spectaris, also highlights the importance of medica and compamed when it comes to exports and close business ties to other countries. “in order to shape the health market of tomorrow together, with innovative ideas and concepts, we need a strong industry network within the medical technology sector. Personal dialogue remains irreplaceable, even in this era of digital transformation, and our members had really looked forward to it after a pandemic that has now lasted more than one and a half years. We were therefore even more delighted than usual to attend medica and compamed in person in düsseldorf this year, and obtain new stimuli for the medical technology industry.”

Together with zvei, spectaris organised the medica tech forum (in hall 9 and as a livestream), which dealt with questions around international market access and regulatory requirements for medical technology. Here, the forum focused in particular on the national markets in africa, the usa and the united kingdom as well as the russian healthcare system’s specific digitisation needs, for example in the context of the coronavirus pandemic.

The industry furthermore currently faces one issue that is extremely challenging and was accordingly much discussed and showed a need for additional information, not just among forum participants but throughout the halls of medica and compamed: the application of the new eu medical device regulation (mdr). “in principle, it is appropriate and essential to regulate medical technology, as this guarantees an extremely high level of patient and user safety across the board. But we need to critically question any regulations that do not sufficiently contribute to an increase in safety and retract them if necessary. If we don’t, we weaken europe’s position as a research and innovation location,” says marcus kuhlman of spectaris.

Digital care of tomorrow – start-ups heavily involved

As expected, covid-19 and the findings gained to date while managing the pandemic with regard to the implementation of new therapeutic approaches and care concepts were recurring themes in many talks at the forums and accompanying conferences. The medica medicine + sports conference, for example, took a closer look at how to get back into sports after suffering from long covid, while the medica econ forum (organised by german health insurance company techniker krankenkasse) and the medica health it forum focused on digitising processes in the healthcare system.

In line with these themes, exhibitors offered many innovations for the clinical and outpatient field. And the young start-up scene was heavily involved as well, something that was impressively proven during the thrilling pitch competitions held as part of the 10th medica startup competition and the 13th healthcare innovation world cup, which took place on the medica connected healthcare forum programme stage.

The 13th healthcare innovation world cup focused on innovative devices and smart applications for digital networking and process integration, with an eye to the internet of medical things. From among 300 entries, the jury selected 12 start-ups for the finals on 15 november. Germany-based implandata ophthalmic products took first place with an implanted and biocompatible microsensor for use in glaucoma telecare.

Ideas ranged from artificial intelligence (ai) and health apps to robotics at the 10th medica startup competition (on 16 november). Here, finland-based phonolyser made it through the finals and took first place with its eponymous product solution, a smart heart sound analyser. The analyser combines artificial intelligence (processing and analysing signals), doppler technology (ultrasound) and sound analysis to comprehensively assess and examine congenital heart defects.

Suppliers: a host of topics on the agenda, a host of innovations on board

Trends along the entire process chain of medical technological manufacture and product developments dominated both the trade fair business of exhibitors and visitors at compamed (which took place in halls 13 and 14 this time around) and the stage programmes of the two integrated expert forums. Innovative substances played just as great a role as printed electronics, smart sensor solutions and microfluidic options to resolve challenges in point of care diagnostics.

“Compamed 2021 was a great success for the exhibitors. The feedback on our joint stand was excellent; because of the pandemic, some of the exhibiting companies had subdued expectations, and were pleasantly surprised by the excellent visitor numbers. Many of them also praised the outstanding quality of the visitors,” says dr thomas r. Dietrich, executive director of the ivam international microtechnology business network, visibly pleased as he sums up events at the trade fair.

With its joint stand, ivam once again was one of the largest exhibitors at compamed. 42 companies and institutes from nine countries were represented at this fair alone, presenting a range of innovations that included various microcomponents, solutions for smart textiles and coatings as well as manufacturing and processing methods.

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Registrations for Medica 2022 and Compamed 2022 Exceed Previous Year’s Level

Medical technology industry needs strong platforms while current challenges continue

The planning for the world’s leading medical trade fair medica 2022 (14 – 17 november) in düsseldorf and the parallel no. 1 trade fair for the supplier sector of the medical technology industry, compamed 2022, is gathering momentum. The current course of exhibitor registrations indicates that participation will be above the previous year’s level, both in terms of booked space and the number of participations (medica 2021: 3033 participations, compamed 2021: 490).

The medical technology industry right now needs the medica and compamed as strong platforms for international exchange, joint ventures and business. Because the market is in flux. In certain areas, the pandemic is causing increases in demand, for example in point-of-care diagnostics. Apart from that, companies are seeing an increasing necessity to work jointly with their partners in supply and manufacturing to ensure delivery capacity during a time where prices increase dramatically and construction parts are becoming sparse.”, says christian grosser, director health & medical technologies at messe düsseldorf, important reasons to participate in both leading business events. “International networking also helps to open new markets. You can broaden the base for your own business, while alleviating the effects of obstacles, insecurities or even sanctions that may apply to certain national markets.”, christian grosser adds.

New business entrepreneurs gain easy access

When it comes to reacting to challenges and seizing new opportunities that arise, start-ups from all countries have always been exceptionally quick to action. For years, they have been present in large numbers at the medica and compamed, both with their own booths and with joint booths. “Especially for first-time exhibitors, our medica start-up park offers an attractive opportunity for participation – optionally available with a speaking slot at the always well-attended medica connected healthcare forum”, dr claudio bucchi points out, who as a senior project manager and trend scout at messe düsseldorf has already assisted many start-ups with their first time at medica.

One of them is the young company dermanostic, which offers remote medical consultations with doctors for diseases of the skin through an app and by using patient-provided photographs of the affected areas. (click here for a medica video report on the start-up dermanostic.) dr patrick lang, the founder of dermanostic, already participated in the medica start-up park in 2021, and is excited to look forward: “We were very pleased with the medica start-up park. We not only had the opportunity to exchange ideas with other start-ups, we also gained many international contacts, and received direct feedback from a professional audience that tried out our app. We are excited to find out what will develop from this until the medica 2022.”

Other than sharing a booth, this year start-ups and scale-ups (companies entering their next level of development) will again offer interesting insights into their current projects through a variety of pitch and presentation formats. Examples are the medica disrupt sessions, the 11th medica start-up competition, or the 14th healthcare innovation world cup, all highlights of the programme at the medica connected healthcare forum. All in all, at least 120 speakers and more than 100 start-ups will be part of the action when it comes to digital innovations for the future’s mobile, connective health care.

Formats that fit together: trade fair, forums and conferences

Other forums are integrated into the individual sections of trade fair topics, and frame discussion content within the larger context of new products and best practices within day-to-day medical care. Aside from the medica connected healthcare forum, special mention goes to the medical health it forum, the medica tech forum, the medica labmed forum and the medica econ forum, initiated by messe düsseldorf in cooperation with german health insurance company techniker krankenkasse (tk).

Focal points of the medica trade fair include: lab technology and diagnostics, medical technology and medical electronics (imaging and diagnostic/ medical equipment and devices), supplies and consumables, physiotherapy and orthopaedic technology, as well as it systems and it solutions.

Medica’s conference programme also ensures a content-related connection to the trending topics on the market and at the trade fair. An example is the 45th german hospital day, a leading event for the top management of german hospitals, which this year will be held face-to-face again. Two other (english language) conferences address a mainly international, professional audience: the conference on disaster and military medicine dimimed, and the medica medicine + sports conference for the international professional sports medicine and sports science scene.

Don’t miss out on trend updates for suppliers

If you want to stay on top of the trends that affect the preliminary development phases or manufacturing steps in medical technology, do not forget to note down the compamed in your calendar. This is where supplier companies present a cornucopia of high-tech and service solutions. Components, microsystem technology, material processing and coating, additive manufacturing/ 3d printing, manufacturing engineering and machines as well as packaging and services are focal points that are reflected in the programmes of both integrated forums: topics for the compamed high-tech forum are chosen by the ivam microtechnology network, those for the compamed suppliers forum by the professional publication devicemed.

There continues to be an unrelenting demand for micro components and procedures within the context of digitalisation and patient-centred diagnostics as they are the key to ultra-precise manufacturing and the foundation for light-weight, portable and interconnected devices. “The trend is clearly toward miniaturisation and comprehensive solutions,” confirms ralf friedrich, sales engineer at camozzi automation gmbh. Camozzi has been participating in the compamed since 2013, and uses the event as a platform for international contacts. The company is active world-wide, and specialises in the development and production of components, systems and technologies within drive and fluid technologies, which among other things are used in medical laboratory devices.

This globally unique combination means that both medica 2022 and compamed 2022 will again reflect the entire medical technology value and process chains and present a comprehensive range of medical products, devices and instruments. In 2021, both events had a total of 46,000 professional visitors (73 percent international).

The industry portals medica.De and compamed.De offer an additional wealth of digital services for preparing and planning an effective on-site presence (e.G. Interactive floor plans), for networking with companies, as well as for staying on top of current industry trends and novelties in the world of medical technology and its dynamic development.

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