Cardiovascular innovation has entered a transformative era. The convergence of devices, digital tools, and data is no longer on the horizon—it’s here, reshaping how stakeholders invest, acquire, and scale. During a panel at LSI USA ’25, leaders from GE HealthCare, Mayo Clinic Ventures, Medtronic, and the American Heart Association broke down the three major forces influencing medical technology investment strategies across cardiovascular care: convergence, collaboration, and commercialization.

Their insights paint a picture of an evolving ecosystem—one where patient impact, scalability, and alignment with long-term strategic priorities now sit at the center of every deal conversation.

1. Convergence Is Redefining Innovation

Cardiovascular innovation used to mean device-first thinking. Today, the most compelling solutions are defined by how well they combine hardware, software, and services across the full continuum of care. Startups that integrate diagnostics, digital monitoring, and clinical workflow tools into a unified solution are capturing the attention of investors and acquirers alike.

This shift toward convergence is being driven by two factors: the demand for more personalized, accessible care and the rise of platform thinking among strategics. Instead of siloed solutions that solve a single clinical problem, buyers are looking for technologies that enable care across settings—from hospital to home—and across time, from early detection to chronic management.

And yet, convergence brings complexity. Regulatory pathways are still catching up to AI-integrated devices. Reimbursement structures aren’t always built to support hybrid solutions. That’s where early engagement with acquirers and clinical partners becomes essential—not just to validate the science but to design business models that can scale within health systems.

2. Collaboration Is the New Capital

One of the clearest takeaways from the panel was that early-stage cardiovascular startups should think beyond traditional medtech venture capital. Strategic collaboration is quickly becoming the cornerstone of successful development and exit pathways.

Mayo Clinic Ventures emphasized that their innovation model doesn’t start with trends—it starts with care gaps. From there, they align internal clinicians, startup founders, and corporate partners to co-develop solutions that address real-world challenges. Through incubators, joint ventures, and equity investments, they help translate early research into deployable technologies.

Similarly, strategics like GE HealthCare and Medtronic are shifting toward long-term engagement models. In many cases, large acquirers are placing early minority stakes in startups to de-risk future acquisitions. This “venture garden” approach—popularized by Boston Scientific—allows strategics to monitor progress, shape product development, and eventually acquire companies they’ve already helped cultivate.

For founders, this means that medical technology investment isn’t just about landing a big Series A. It’s about building relationships with potential acquirers from day one, aligning your milestones with their pipeline needs, and co-developing technologies with long-term fit in mind.

3. Commercialization Must Be Built In From the Start

Every startup knows it needs a product-market fit. However, in cardiovascular medtech, success also hinges on reimbursement-market fit, regulatory feasibility, and scalable commercialization.

The panelists underscored that many great technologies fail to attract investment, not because the science is flawed but because the business model isn’t viable. Today, acquirers are prioritizing de-risked assets that can integrate quickly into their commercial infrastructure. That means manufacturing, supply chain, quality systems, and data rights all need to be buttoned up early.

It also means proving not just that a product works but that it works in the wild. The most attractive opportunities are those with early clinical validation, strong usability, and a clear path to reimbursement. That’s especially true for AI-based technologies, where evidence, explainability, and data governance are now table stakes.

This mindset shift—from clinical proof-of-concept to commercial readiness—is influencing how corporate development teams evaluate potential deals. It’s no longer enough to say you can scale. You have to show that your technology can integrate into existing health systems, meet regulatory expectations, and offer sustainable economics for payers and providers.

The Future of Medical Technology Investment: A Systems-Level View

While each panelist brought a different perspective—from venture studio to corporate strategy—they all agreed on one point: the cardiovascular investment landscape is becoming more interconnected and intentional.

This new reality calls for startups to be just as strategic. Building a viable company now means thinking like an acquirer from day one. What unmet need are you solving? How does your product fit into a broader care model? Can your technology support multiple use cases, geographies, or patient populations? Do you have a pathway to reimbursement, and can you prove your solution reduces cost or increases access?

Critically, these questions need to be answered early, not just when you’re raising capital but when you’re defining your product and business model. Successful companies will engage with investors, acquirers, and clinicians iteratively, using their feedback to shape everything from feature sets to go-to-market strategies.

And while the complexity can be daunting, especially in a space as nuanced as cardiovascular, it also represents a massive opportunity. Strategics are increasingly open to creative deal structures, novel business models, and co-development opportunities. Institutions like Mayo Clinic Ventures and the American Heart Association offer infrastructure, validation, and networks that can shorten time-to-market and increase the odds of long-term success.

Conclusion: Building for the Long Game

As we look toward the future of cardiovascular care, one thing is clear: the bar for innovation is rising—but so is the support available to those who aim to meet it.

Medical technology investment is no longer a simple transaction—it’s a partnership model that rewards vision, execution, and alignment. Founders who understand the full commercial journey—from clinical need to bedside adoption—will be the ones who stand out.

Whether you’re building a breakthrough device, integrating AI into diagnostics, or reshaping care delivery at home, success will come from collaboration across the ecosystem. The future of cardiovascular health won’t be built in silos. It will be built together.

Looking for more insights like this? Join us for our next medtech conference from June 10th-13th at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore.