LSI USA

At LSI USA ’26, Hannes Holste, Director, Life Science Investments & Data Science at Thiel Capital, joined Michael Blue, Chairman and CEO of HistoSonics, for a keynote to discuss the origins of histotripsy, the skepticism surrounding the technology, and what its trajectory could teach the medtech industry about building new categories. From Discovery to a New Category Histotripsy originated at the University of Michigan, where ultrasound researchers were looking for a way to non-invasively create a small opening in the cardiac septum. Because thermal energy was unsuitable, they began experimenting with extremely high-amplitude, short-duration ultrasound pulses that could mechanically destroy targeted tissue. “They ultimately created the way to liquefy targeted tissue and then coined the phrase in 2002, histotripsy,” Blue said. “We’re mechanically destroying and ultimately creating a liquefaction that then gets naturally absorbed by the body.” The technology was explored across appl...

Join industry leaders as they discuss innovative strategies for company growth and investment in the tech space, drawing on their extensive experience in venture capital and entrepreneurship. For more information visit here: https://www.lifesciencemarketresearch.com/videos/keynote-peter-hebert-co-founder-of  

For strategic acquirers, growth remains the central theme. Blau emphasized that the number of scaled, high-growth public medtech assets has narrowed considerably in recent years, creating scarcity for large strategic buyers seeking assets that can move the needle. “We sit here today where when you look at all of the public assets that exist in medtech out there, they’re not enough really to collectively move the top line profile of some of the acquirers,” Blau said. That scarcity matters because growth is increasingly tied to valuation. According to Blau, every one percentage point of revenue growth in the pre-COVID period corresponded to roughly one to one and a half turns of EBITDA valuation. Today, he said, that same point of growth may be worth closer to two and a half to three turns of EBITDA. For more information visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/why-growth-is-driving-medtech-m-a-2026/289572660  

The panel opened with a look at a market that appears healthy in some ways and challenged in others. Heinbigner noted that the overall medtech market grew about 6% in 2025. Underlying fundamentals, including utilization volumes and capital spending, remain strong. But public market sentiment has not fully reflected that strength. Heinbigner pointed to a disconnect between industry fundamentals and equity market performance, noting that medtech has been trading at a discount despite historically trading at a premium. Blau described the current environment as “a very schizophrenic market environment,” pointing to a broader market where the S&P 500 has held up better than many would have expected given macro and geopolitical turmoil, while medtech has remained challenged. To read more detials visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/a-market-defined-by-strong-fundamentals-and-selective-capital/288786716

At LSI USA ’26, the panel “ Medtech M&A: An Optimist’s Perspective on the Future of Medtech ” brought together leaders from EY-Parthenon, Medtronic, Evercore, Vensana Capital, and Edwards Lifesciences to discuss the state of dealmaking, capital deployment, and strategic growth across the industry. The conversation made one point clear: medtech M&A 2026 is not simply about whether deal activity returns. It is about how capital gets deployed, which assets attract strategic attention, and what companies need to prove before they can become must-have acquisition targets. Moderated by John Heinbigner, Partner at EY-Parthenon, the panel featured Chris Eso, VP, Global Head of Corporate and Business Development, M&A and Ventures at Medtronic; Bennett Blau, Senior Managing Director at Evercore; Greg Banker, Partner at Vensana Capital; and Chad Rice, Senior Vice President of Corporate Development at Edwards Lifesciences. A Market Defined by Strong Fundamentals and Selective Capital T...

Knutton described Alluvia Studio’s brand process as “define, refine, shine,” with the most important work happening at the beginning. The define phase is where a company does the harder, less visible work of understanding who it is, who it serves, what it stands for, and why the market should care. Burke said that for startups, this early definition is especially important because it directly affects how investors understand the company. “For any startup, I think the define phase is the most important thing that you can do and spend time on because it’s who you are and what value you’re bringing and why an investor should care,” Burke said. For more information visit here: https://www.slideshare.net/slideshow/medtech-branding-begins-with-the-define-phase/288275863