MedtecLIVE 2026 opens with high profile keynote and sets a clear future agenda for the medtech industry
Strong signal at the start: Major keynote opens MedtecLIVE 2026 | Future topics in focus: Digitalization, sustainability and the future of Medtech shape this year’s program | Associations as drivers of innovation: Broad industry alliance brings expertise to the stage
MedtecLIVE 2026 places the future of the Medtech industry front and center: With the first major opening keynote by Prof. Dr. Tobias D. Gantner and a supporting program consistently aligned with digitalization, sustainability and the future of Medtech, the event sets clear impulses for the continued development of the sector. Supported by a strong alliance of leading industry associations, MedtecLIVE presents the themes, strategies and innovations that will shape the Medtech value chain in the coming years.
How will the Medtech industry evolve in the years ahead? This question defines MedtecLIVE 2026, which will take place from 5 to 7 May 2026 in Stuttgart and become the key meeting point for manufacturers, suppliers, researchers and innovators. This year, the trade fair places an even stronger focus on its supporting program - with a clear ambition: MedtecLIVE showcases the technologies and strategies that will guide the industry into the future.
First Opening Keynote Sets the Tone for Industry Dialogue
For the first time in its history, MedtecLIVE will open with a high‑profile keynote. Prof. Dr. med. Tobias D. Gantner (Healthcare Futurists) will launch the event with his presentation “The X-Ray Glimpse into the Future: What Medtech Suppliers and Manufacturers Must Be Capable of Tomorrow.” Using visionary visualizations, he will outline the opportunities technological innovations create for Medtech companies and explain which capabilities and processes will be essential for tomorrow’s medical technology landscape. His perspective combines scientific expertise with tangible impulses for industrial transformation and sets the thematic tone for the three days of the event.
Following the keynote, Prof. Dr. med. Gantner will join leading industry experts – including Dr. Meinrad Lugan (Honorary Board Member of BVMed) – to discuss the challenges and opportunities influencing the Medtech sector in the coming years.
Future Topics Define the Program
MedtecLIVE 2026 is deliberately dedicating its program to the areas that will shape technological and economic development in Medtech for the long term. Digitalization & AI, sustainability & circular economy, and other forward-looking topics form the backbone of all sessions, panels and tours. The fair brings together stakeholders who are not only discussing the transformation but actively shaping it: from the validation of digital development processes to automation in production and clinical environments, through to new material strategies and regulatory developments.
Strong Association Network Brings Expertise and Strategic Insights On Stage
A key strength of MedtecLIVE is the extensive involvement of leading industry associations. Partners including Medical Mountains, ZVEI, VDE DGBM, the Alliance for Sustainable Medtech, VDMA, BVMed, BME and IVAM are shaping essential parts of the program. They deliver impulses on topics such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity in regulated environments, automation in manufacturing and healthcare, Manufacturing X, mono-material strategies, and intelligent micro-technology solutions. This diversity creates a program landscape that offers both technological depth and market‑relevant orientation.
Guided Tours Provide Orientation in a Complex Technology Landscape
To help visitors navigate the wide range of future technologies, MedtecLIVE 2026 once again offers Guided Tours. These curated tours lead participants to organizations and companies already putting key future topics into practice – including in the fields of digitalization and sustainability.
Start-ups, Young Innovators and New Impulses for the Industry
With the “Young Innovators” joint stand, an international Startup Area and a Startup Contest, MedtecLIVE provides a platform for emerging companies to present their ideas. For established industry players, this opens new opportunities to identify technological partnerships early and unlock innovation potential.
MedtecLIVE Becomes the Gateway to the Future of the Medtech Supply Industry
The strength of MedtecLIVE 2026 lies in its unique combination of knowledge, market insights and personal exchange. The event not only showcases the status quo of the industry – it reveals where it is headed. With a program consistently focused on future topics, a strong network of associations and the inaugural opening keynote, the trade fair sends a clear message: Anyone who wants to shape the Medtech industry of tomorrow needs to be at MedtecLIVE 2026.
