Heriot-Watt hosts strategic HealthTech roundtable to drive innovation and impact

Heriot-Watt University recently welcomed senior representatives from the Association of British HealthTech Industries (ABHI), Imperial College London and Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP) to the Edinburgh campus for a high-level roundtable discussion focused on shaping the future of the UK’s HealthTech sector.

The event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders including policymakers, clinicians, investors, industry leaders, and academic researchers, providing a valuable platform to explore the current strengths and challenges facing the sector and to identify actionable solutions to support long-term growth, innovation and impact.

Topics covered included the UK’s post-Brexit regulatory landscape, the need to streamline and expand clinical trial infrastructure, challenges related to talent and skills development, and opportunities to increase private and public sector investment. There was also strong emphasis on tackling persistent health inequalities and on ensuring that the UK’s HealthTech ecosystem remains inclusive, equitable, and globally relevant.

The roundtable was hosted within Heriot-Watt’s Global Research Institute (GRI) in Health and Care Technologies (HCT), underlining the university’s leadership in health innovation and its ongoing commitment to industry collaboration. The Global Research Institute is known for bringing together multidisciplinary teams to develop and deploy real-world technologies that improve care outcomes, support independent living, and strengthen health systems in the UK and globally.

This event forms part of Heriot-Watt’s wider mission to act as a convener of ideas, insights and action across sectors—connecting research excellence with policy and enterprise to tackle complex societal challenges.

Anyone interested in working with this GRI can contact the Global Research Innovation and Discovery (GRID) team at GRID@hw.ac.uk.