In this session, Afeefah Shabbir and Kathy Potter from Penningtons Manches Cooper discuss the vital role of global talent in driving innovation and sustaining growth in the life sciences sector, particularly as demand for AI and medtech expertise continues to accelerate.

Key takeaways include:

• why the UK’s skills gap is widening and why attracting international talent is essential alongside developing domestic expertise;
• government initiatives aimed at bringing top global talent to the UK, including the Global Talent Taskforce and key visa routes such as the Global Talent, Graduate, and High Potential Individual visas;
• practical considerations for organisations and candidates, including tax implications, residency rules, and incentive schemes for relocating specialists.

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In this session, Sarah Kenshall of Penningtons Manches Cooper and Mikesh Udani of Albus Health share practical guidance on creating AI partnerships in life sciences that deliver real, measurable value, drawing on both legal and industry perspectives.

Key takeaways include:

• real‑world strategies for navigating complex regulations, allocating risk through contracts, and understanding the differing priorities of vendors and customers;
• why effective collaboration requires viewing AI systems as partners, supported by clear agreements on licensing, data ownership, and intellectual property;
• practical advice for innovators and industry leaders on achieving alignment, managing complexity, and using AI responsibly to unlock progress.

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In this session, Lisa Page and Tom Perkins from Penningtons Manches Cooper provide a practical overview of the regulatory challenges surrounding AI‑enabled medical devices, focusing on how overlapping EU and UK frameworks shape the path to market.

Key takeaways include:

• how the EU AI Act and the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) interact, including implications for risk categorisation, compliance duties, and approval pathways;
• practical considerations for manufacturers, with real‑world examples illustrating device classification and the expectations placed on high‑risk AI developers;
• cross‑border strategies for navigating contrasting regulatory approaches, particularly the EU’s prescriptive rules versus the UK’s pro‑innovation model, alongside issues around transparency and trade secrets.

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In this keynote session, Qiang Zhang, PhD FSCMR, associate professor at the University of Oxford, explores how artificial intelligence is transforming cardiovascular medicine, from advanced cardiac imaging techniques to the future of clinical deployment.

Key takeaways include:

• how AI‑powered methods such as image segmentation, reconstruction, diagnosis, and quality control are enhancing accuracy and efficiency in cardiovascular MRI;
• the University of Oxford team’s work combining big data, machine learning, and cardiac imaging to advance population‑level research and real‑world clinical applications;
• the roadmap for bringing these innovations into clinical practice, including collaboration, industry partnerships, regulatory considerations, and the importance of sustainable AI.

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In this keynote session, Henry Whorwood, managing director of research at Beauhurst, offers an insight‑led overview of the funding landscape for AI‑driven medtech businesses, examining how investment trends are shaping opportunities and signalling the sector’s future direction.

Key takeaways include:

• how Beauhurst tracks UK innovation and uses investment data to identify sector growth and emerging opportunities;
• the impact of AI on wider tech investment trends and what this means for medtech;
• funding patterns for AI‑enabled medtech companies, including who is securing capital and what drives investor confidence.

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In this session, Joanne Vengadesan and Thomas Kirby from Penningtons Manches Cooper examine how clinical and real‑world health data, from implantable devices and wearables to imaging systems and smart surgical tools, is powering AI‑driven healthcare, and why strong governance frameworks are essential as data use expands.

Key takeaways include:

• the shift from traditional personal data regulation to new EU rules governing non‑personal data, designed to encourage innovation while maintaining security;
• how the EU Data Act and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 shape obligations, data sharing rights, IP considerations, and the handling of special category and research data;
• practical compliance considerations, including cybersecurity requirements and steps organisations can take to manage health data responsibly.

Watch the full session below.