5 Key Takeaways from HLTH Europe 2026

5 Key Takeaways from HLTH Europe 2026

By Grace Merrill and Emma Eatwell
Capstone Healthcare Analysts
July 15, 2026

The Bottom Line:

    Capstone attended HLTH Europe’s annual conference in Amsterdam in June to learn more about how incumbent digital health players, startup ventures, and investors are thinking about healthcare markets across Europe. Our key takeaway: European healthcare is undergoing a meaningful shift in AI, medtech, and consumer health, but will face critical bottlenecks related to data infrastructure, procurement, and governance frameworks. 

1. The Future of AI Is Enablement, Not Replacement

AI continues to be a major topic and, while players noted both real disintermediation risk and potential for new opportunities, two key themes emerged around the future of AI. First, the name of the game is enablement, not replacement. We heard that winners are more likely to be those who treat AI as a force multiplier for people, not a substitute for them. Second, now that the technology exists, the bottleneck for adoption is developing the governance frameworks and infrastructure to implement it.

2. Medtech Is Back in the Spotlight

Medtech players attended in force, and investors repeatedly highlighted medtech as a major area of interest. Products with integrated hardware components were highlighted as being particularly attractive, as the physical component makes differentiation much easier compared to software-only plays where competitive advantages can erode quickly. Digital therapeutics are also staging a comeback. Early failures in the space subdued enthusiasm for Dtx, but new payment models in the US and AI-driven opportunities have driven renewed interest.

3. Data Infrastructure Companies Are in Demand

We heard repeatedly that Europe has an interoperability problem: hospitals and pharma companies are sitting on rich datasets, but the integrations and pipelines needed to turn data into usable workflows are still missing in many places. Particularly for emerging areas like value-based care, the lack of data-sharing infrastructure has created significant roadblocks to further development. National data sovereignty mandates, fragmented health systems, and significant variations across national healthcare ecosystems have made developing data plumbing difficult, leading to significant interest in companies that can help build this infrastructure.

4. Building Trust Remains Essential

Adoption of new products and technologies ultimately comes down to trust. In contrast to the US market, where the value proposition centers on revenue and cost considerations, clinical evidence and government endorsement are critical for entry into European markets. As companies look to embed themselves deeply in healthcare systems, long-term commitments to building credibility with clinicians, regulators, and patients are essential.

5. Investors Favor Platforms that Embed in Healthcare Ecosystems

Investors were focused primarily on medtech and healthcare or pharma services. However, more broadly, investors signaled a shift toward infrastructure and critical services, which tend to be more insulated from economic fluctuations. Investors also highlighted an interest in platforms that could embed deeply in healthcare ecosystems, with one panelist noting that the goal is shifting from selling into healthcare to “becoming healthcare.”

Read more from Capstone’s European team:
The Key Forces Shaping UK Adult Social Care
What’s Driving Opportunity in the German Specialty Device Market
European Digitization Gaps Create Opportunities for Healthcare IT Investment

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