As AI reshapes prototyping and smart factories redefine assembly lines, one question is dominating MedTech boardrooms:
How do you align breakthrough R&D with real-world manufacturing?
The Medical Device Manufacturing and R&D Summit 2026 by Marcus Evans, held 23-24 March at the Encore Boston Harbour, brought together senior MedTech executives to answer exactly that.
At the invitation-only gathering, senior leaders focused on how to make innovation work on the ground, at scale, and under pressure.
AI is no longer a buzzword; it’s now the baseline
We saw one recurring theme: the practical integration of AI across the entire product lifecycle.
Dr Andrew Omidvar of Philips Healthcare set that tone as he led a panel titled Sharpening the AI Tool Box: Transforming R&D and Manufacturing in MedTech.
The session focused on building a practical AI toolkit across R&D and manufacturing. Leaders discussed:
- Using AI to accelerate design, prototyping, and testing.
- Aligning R&D and manufacturing teams around shared AI platforms for greater impact.
- Identifying emerging roles, skill sets, and workflows driven by AI integration.
AI and Trade Mitigation session continued this discussion. It further highlighted how AI is becoming the core operational lever, impacting cost, resilience, and speed to market.
The human factor: Leaders develop first
While AI dominated headlines, the most grounded conversations were about people.
Jasmin Nuhic of Smith + Nephew brought this into focus with a simple but powerful idea:
“Leaders develop first, self and others.”
His session was about making leadership development actually work. He broke it down into:
- Structuring real coaching conversations with EIDP (his framework)
- Sustaining momentum in long-term development plans
- Navigating the real challenges of coaching in high-pressure environments
You can’t scale innovation if you can’t scale people.
That theme carried into Kaylen Haley’s session from Olympus Corporation, which tackled the talent crunch.
She focused on building future-ready teams in a world where MedTech is competing with Big Tech for the same skill sets. Her insights:
- Identify next-gen technical capabilities
- Rethink how you attract and retain high-demand talent
- Build cultures where development isn’t a perk—it’s infrastructure
On the manufacturing floor: Precision is the product
If AI is the brain and talent is the backbone, then manufacturing is where everything gets tested.
On the operational side, Irene Barquero of Hologic delivered a presentation titled Streamlining Success: Optimising Assembly Line Performance in Medical Manufacturing.
Barquero examined the critical role of precision and defect prevention, offering three actionable pillars:
- Implementing lean, standardised processes and error-proofing mechanisms.
- Using automation and analytics to identify, predict, and eliminate defects.
- Creating a culture of continuous improvement to elevate quality and compliance.
Less panels, more real conversations
The summit was structured to maximise interactions.
Day 1 featured two interactive roundtable discussions, Future-Ready Talent and Scaling Smart, creating space for candid, peer-to-peer conversations that you don’t get on stage.
Day 2 continued that momentum with:
- A practical panel on the R&D-to-manufacturing handoff
- A grounded take on supply chain execution from a project management perspective by Jeremy Burke (Fortune 10 Healthcare Company)
- And a closing note from Burke and moderator Stephen Mariano, thanking all participants for enabling another successful event.
Other notable presentations
A few sessions that added depth to the overall narrative:
- Kimberly Trautman unpacked regulatory shifts shaping the next wave of MedTech
- A leadership panel explored how to navigate the innovation pipeline without bottlenecks
- Nikhil Thusu (Philips) broke down tariffs and global manufacturing pressures
- Bill Peine (Medtronic) highlighted the growing role of digital ecosystems
- Julio Cuello (Stryker) focused on building resilient supply chains
- Luciano Miranda (Medtronic) pushed on transforming data culture from within
Wrapping up
The 2026 summit demonstrated that the future of MedTech lies at the intersection of smart factory evolution, AI-enabled R&D, and people-centred leadership.
Breaking down silos between R&D and manufacturing is the baseline requirement for delivering patient impact.
-By Alkama Sohail and the AHT Team
