INSIGHTS / News

First sector-focused event connects investors with investment-ready medtech ventures from across SETsquared’s university ecosystem

SETsquared has launched its new Investment Futures Spotlight series with an evening focused on the opportunities emerging across the UK’s medtech ecosystem.

Held on 29 September 2026 at Barclays Eagle Labs in Shoreditch, London, the inaugural Investment Futures Spotlight: Medtech brought together investors, founders and sector experts with a selection of high-potential medtech ventures from across the SETsquared portfolio.

The event provided investors with an opportunity to discover businesses working across medical devices, diagnostics, clinical products and digital health, while giving founders direct access to investors, sector specialists and potential strategic partners.

Hosted by Barclays Eagle Labs and supported by investor partner QantX and event partner Zinc, the evening featured insight into the medtech investment landscape, a fireside discussion bringing together investor and founder perspectives, company introductions and networking. The investors also brought their sector expertise to the event, helping shape the evening and creating a focused discussion around the opportunities and challenges facing medtech investors and founders.

Rosie Bennett, Director, SETsquared, said: “The Medtech Spotlight event showcased the breadth of innovation emerging from our six university partners, and the role we play together in helping research-led ventures progress from discovery to commercialisation and scale. Launching a sector-focused series allows us to build communities of interest around specific areas of innovation and support companies at different stages of the pipeline. The response has been fantastic, with so many investors turning out to meet an exceptional group of medtech founders. We’re excited to build on this momentum with future Spotlight events.”

The event brought together angel investors, venture capitalists, high net worth individuals, corporate investors, corporate technology scouts and government funders, creating opportunities to explore investment, commercial partnerships and the technologies shaping the future of healthcare.

Emilie Syed, Investment Principal at Zinc, commented: “Many of the most exciting companies coming out of frontier science sit between markets, working across disciplines in ways that don’t fit neatly into traditional investment categories. By definition, that isn’t something most investors already know, so it takes a certain mindset to dig deeper and step outside your comfort zone. That’s why bringing investors and founders together around a specific sector, as Investment Futures Spotlight: Medtech did, is so valuable. At the earliest stage, we look for strong teams with real impact, whether for patients, the environment or both, as well as a clear path to returns; it was great to see so many of those qualities in the room.”

The event reflects SETsquared’s wider focus on helping medtech ventures move from world-class research towards commercialisation and scale, connecting founders with the investors, expertise and networks needed to bring new technologies to patients and clinicians.

SETsquared’s university ecosystem has helped develop a strong track record in medtech and life sciences, including EnsiliTech, a Bath-based spin-out developing technology that removes the need for refrigeration when transporting and storing vaccines; Attomarker, an Exeter spin-out enabling early detection of long COVID; and Ziylo, the Bristol-born spin-out acquired by Novo Nordisk in 2018 in a deal valued at more than £600 million.

Dr Malin Inga Karstens, Chief Executive Officer, Cognite Neurotechnology said: “It’s great to be at an event that is focused specifically on medtech rather than a generic fundraising event. Medtech is such a specific space, and investors need to be in the right mindset to back it, with a real understanding of the longer timelines and regulatory processes involved. Here, the investors in the room are prepared for that, and there’s a lot of positivity towards the sector. We’ve already had some really good conversations with investors who came to our stand, and I’m looking forward to follow-on discussions.”

The event marks the beginning of a new series of Investment Futures Spotlight events, bringing investors together with ambitious ventures and sector experts around specific areas of high-growth innovation. The series will provide focused opportunities to engage with different sectors and technologies, understand sector trends, meet founders and explore potential investment and commercial partnerships.

Companies featured at Investment Futures Spotlight: Medtech:

Brainalyze: https://www.brainalyze.co.uk/

Developing an AI-powered blood test that can rapidly detect and distinguish multiple forms of dementia.

Cognite Neurotechnology: https://www.cogniteneuro.com/

Creating AI-powered, personalised neurostimulation technology designed to support attention, focus and symptom relief for adults with ADHD.

Droplet Scientific: https://dropletscientific.co.uk/

Designing wearable and portable microfluidic analysers for continuous, real-time monitoring of biomarkers such as glucose, lactate and therapeutic drugs.

Dynamic Therapeutics: https://www.dynamic-tx.co.uk/

Capturing high-frequency biological data to reveal changes in hormones and other biomarkers.

EarSwitch: https://www.earswitch.co.uk/

Pioneering in-ear biometric sensors and control technology for applications ranging from inclusive medical monitoring to hands-free device control and communication.

Fixit Medical Ltd: https://www.fixitmedical.com/

Delivering solutions to securely fix drainage catheters and reduce dislodgement, making everyday life easier for patients.

Vitova: https://vitovaltd.com/

Providing adaptive, medically informed prescription plans designed to deliver personalised healthcare and wellness support.

Z-Pulse: https://z-pulse.com/

Engineering self-powered triboelectric pressure sensors for battery-free wearable healthcare monitoring.