Medtech mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and venture capital (VC) showed signs of life in 2024, contributing to an overall optimistic outlook for the sector this year despite lingering headwinds.

Strategic investments are expected to continue as medtech companies innovate, particularly in areas such as AI-driven diagnostics, wearables and remote monitoring devices, and advanced surgical technologies.

Private, venture-backed M&A activity for medical devices—which picked up in the second half of last year and started 2025 strong with two ten-digit acquisitions and two spin-offs by strategics—could continue rising amid a more deregulatory backdrop under the new presidential administration.

Still, challenges persist that could slow growth. Early-stage VC deals in the sector have faced difficulties, and private M&A exit timelines have increased. Uncertainty regarding the path of interest rates and the broader economy also muddy the outlook.

Read the full insight here.

Companies are developing, deploying, and interacting with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies more than ever. At Goodwin, we are keeping a close eye on any regulations that may affect companies operating in this cutting-edge space.

For companies operating in Europe, the landscape is governed by a number of in force and pending EU legislative acts, most notably the EU AI Act, which is expected to be passed later this year; it was covered in our prior client alert here: EU Technology Regulation: Watch List for 2023 and Beyond. The United Kingdom has recently indicated that it may take a different approach, as discussed in our client alert on the proposed framework for AI regulation in the United Kingdom here: Overview of the UK Government’s AI White Paper.

For companies operating in the United States, the landscape of AI regulation remains less clear. To date, there has been no serious consideration of a US analog to the EU AI Act or any sweeping federal legislation to govern the use of AI, nor is there any substantial state legislation in force (although there are state privacy laws that may extend to AI systems that process certain types of personal data).

Read the client alert here.