Blog

Nelson Advisors partner Lloyd Price co-authored the Oxford University Venture Capital Network: Insights into Digital Health Report with Ava Chan - DPhil candidate in Biology, Ellena O’Keeffe - &nbsp;MSc in Applied Cancer Science, Sili (Bobby) Qiu - DPhil candidate in Organic Chemistry, Adriana Mordente - DPhil candidate in Biology, Aneshka Moudry - MChem Chemistry.Source: <a href="https://oxfordvcnetwork.com/">https://oxfordvcnetwork.com/</a> About Oxford University Venture Capital Network (OXVC)&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; The Oxford University Venture Capital Network (OXVC) is a network of start-up founders, investors, and entrepreneurial Oxford students, supported by Oxford Science Enterprises and Presidio Ventures. &nbsp; For many students and founders, venture capital is a mysterious, complex, and inaccessible industry. We’re here to demystify it. &nbsp;&nbsp; VCs shape the future of the world through their investments, changing how we socialise, bank, travel, access healthcare, and beyond. However, VC is one of the least diverse industries. Women constitute only 30% of VC personnel in the UK and ethnic diversity is low. We want to change that. &nbsp;&nbsp; We take raw student talent, ambition, and vision and work directly with VC funds to provide a grounding in the theoretical and practical aspects of funding innovative ideas through to profitable outcomes. We nurture future innovators. &nbsp;&nbsp; Insights into Digital Health Report &nbsp;&nbsp; Below is an executive summary of the Oxford University Venture Capital Network: Insights into Digital Health Report: &nbsp;&nbsp; Digital Health definition &nbsp;&nbsp; We define Digital Health as the development and use of digital technologies making their way into products and companies for the first time to improve health outcomes. &nbsp;&nbsp; Market, Innovation &amp; Funding Landscape &nbsp;&nbsp; The largest market for digital health is in North America, whereas the fastest growing market is in the Asia-Pacific region.&nbsp;The biggest innovation hotspots constitute London, followed by Oxford, Cambridge and Southampton.&nbsp; Technology and Segment Deep Dives &nbsp;&nbsp; We provide in-depth market analysis into the digital health industry segmented into Data Collection &amp; IT, Diagnostics, Disease management and Digital therapeutics.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Data Collection and IT &nbsp;&nbsp; As healthcare systems shift towards outcomes-based models, the demand for integrated data platforms that support personalised patient care, real-time data analytics, and efficient healthcare delivery is surging.&nbsp;New entrants in this space should focus on developing innovative, scalable health tech solutions that align with Value-Based Care principles, ensuring regulatory compliance and addressing unmet needs in patient care and data management.&nbsp;Market strategies should emphasise collaborating with existing healthcare players, demonstrate clear clinical and cost-efficiency outcomes and ensure seamless integration with existing healthcare systems.B2B segment to dominate the market due to increasing strategic collaborations and the building of verticals.Diagnostics (Point of Care Technology) The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and an ageing population underscore the importance of Point of Care Technology (POCT) implementation into primary care clinics.Molecular diagnostics technology is the fastest-growing segment within POCT.POCT is a competitive market and could potentially limit product innovation and market expansion.The primary users and beneficiaries of POCT over the next five years will be doctors in hospitals and clinics, who demand a high volume of devices and consumables.Disease Management&nbsp; The CKD management market is large and growing, driven by technological innovation and increasing demand for advanced treatments. Regulatory approval in key markets like the US and UK is crucial for the adoption of new technologies.The field faces challenges such as treatment costs, access to care, and the complexity of disease management.Startups and investors active in this space have significant opportunities for innovation and growth, with the potential for lucrative exits through acquisitions or IPOs.This landscape scan provides a foundational understanding of the venture capital dynamics in the CKD management sector, highlighting the opportunities for innovation and investment in this critical area of healthcare.Digital Therapeutics (DTx) DTx has great potential, and it has a growing market. At the same time, the market is getting crowded and has a few regulatory hurdles.&nbsp;DTx can extend care to a wider group of people compared to traditional medicine.&nbsp;The main challenges include the lack of regulatory and cybersecurity infrastructure for this emerging field, and limited clinical adoption due to lack of awareness or education.&nbsp;Reimbursement model hinders DTx clinical translation as patients become hesitant to try out advanced technologies.&nbsp;DTx startups' go-to-market strategies need to address a broad range of stakeholders in the DTx ecosystem to gain successful market entry, and clinical adoption can be improved through digital health education.It is foreseeable that DTx will be integrated into emerging technologies such as smart implants and have greater emphasis on preventive care .

Nelson Advisors co authors the Oxford University Venture Capital Network 'Insights into Digital Health' Report

Nelson Advisors has been referenced in the JMIR Paper 'Expected Competencies and Personal Attributes of Digital Health Navigators to Support Digital Mental Health Care'.Source: <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S2368795926000417" data-mce-href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S2368795926000417">https://www.sciencedirect.com/org/science/article/pii/S2368795926000417</a>Expected Competencies and Personal Attributes of Digital Health Navigators to Support Digital Mental Health Care: Focus Group and Interview Study With Patients and Health Care ProfessionalsDigital mental health apps (DMHAs), and in particular digital therapeutics (DTx), offer promising opportunities to support mental health care. However, their effective use in outpatient settings in Germany remains limited. To overcome this gap, the role of digital health navigators (DHNs) has been introduced. DHNs are trained individuals who support patients and health care professionals in selecting, using, and integrating DMHAs into care. Despite increasing interest in this role, there is limited evidence on the competencies, knowledge, and personal attributes required for DHNs to work effectively in mental health settings.IntroductionMental health conditions are a significant global concern, with a substantial and increasing number of individuals affected [1,2]. A recent study shows that approximately half of the global population is expected to experience at least one mental disorder by the age of 75 years [3]. This rising prevalence has profound implications not only for individuals but also for societies and economies worldwide. The burden of poor mental health extends far beyond the direct costs of treatment, encompassing substantial indirect costs associated with reduced productivity. Depression and anxiety disorders alone cost the global economy approximately US $1 trillion annually in lost productivity [4]. In contrast, the total economic impact of mental health conditions, including lower employment rates and reduced productivity, is estimated at up to 4.2% of GDP in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries [2]. Furthermore, untreated mental health conditions often follow a chronic course and are associated with substantially increased risks of physical comorbidities, excess premature mortality, and greater health care usage [5,6]. Addressing mental health issues promptly is thus essential to prevent long-term consequences. Early intervention and access to appropriate care can mitigate the progression of mental disorders [7].In Germany, the so-called “Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen (DiGA; in English: digital health application)” refers to low-risk, Conformité Européenne–marked digital health apps that are intended for the diagnosis, monitoring, or treatment of diseases. They must demonstrate positive health effects to be reimbursed by statutory health insurance. Germany implemented legislation for DiGA in December 2019, becoming the first country in the world to combine regulatory approval with reimbursement for DTx [18,19]. Since then, approved DTx have been reimbursed by statutory health insurance funds. However, widespread adoption remains limited in Germany [20,21]. Several key factors contribute to this [20,22], including the fact that many health care professionals (HCPs), particularly physicians, lack sufficient knowledge and awareness of DTx, their benefits, and effective implementation strategies.[21] The German Digital Health Act (DiGa): strategy, impact, challenges and future direction Healthcare.digital (2025)<a href="https://www.healthcare.digital/single-post/the-german-digital-health-act-diga-strategy-impact-challenges-and-future-direction">https://www.healthcare.digital/single-post/the-german-digital-health-act-diga-strategy-impact-challenges-and-future-direction</a>

Nelson Advisors referenced in the JMIR Paper 'Expected Competencies and Personal Attributes of Digital Health Navigators to Support Digital Mental Health Care'

Nelson Advisors has been referenced by Cyberside Chats in their 'Better Than Google, Still Risky: The OpenEvidence Story'.Source: <a href="https://www.chatcyberside.com/e/better-than-google-still-risky-the-openevidence-story/" data-mce-href="https://www.chatcyberside.com/e/better-than-google-still-risky-the-openevidence-story/">https://www.chatcyberside.com/e/better-than-google-still-risky-the-openevidence-story/</a>Better Than Google, Still Risky: The OpenEvidence Story'65% of US doctors are using an AI tool their hospital never approved — on personal phones, under click-through contracts. Sherri and Matt unpack what every CISO and IT leader should learn from it about shadow AI, "free" professional tools, and the contracts nobody's reading.The tool is OpenEvidence — 27 million clinical queries in April 2026 alone, 60% of them shaping actual treatment decisions. Doctors love it because the alternative was Googling patient symptoms on a personal browser. Their hospitals mostly don't know it's happening, and the vendor's click-through Business Associate Agreement authorizes them to use that data to train their models forever.Healthcare is the example. The same pattern is showing up in legal, financial services, engineering, and HR right now — different tool, same structural risk. Tune in for five concrete takeaways security and IT leaders can use this week.Key Takeaways:Inventory shadow AI. Ask your staff what AI tools they use to do their jobs, not whether they're using unauthorized tools. The real number is likely 2–5x what you'll find. Read the actual contract before letting any AI tool touch sensitive data. Find the training-data clause, the termination clause, the audit rights, and who the "Customer" really is. Click-through BAAs don't protect the employer. Treat every AI prompt as a disclosure. Removing names doesn't make data safe. Combinations of attributes, dates, locations, roles, rare events, can re-identify people even without a name attached. Take a position on shadow AI and communicate it. Decide which tools your organization sanctions, which it blocks, and which fall in between. Silence is implicit endorsement. Push back on every "free" professional AI tool. Ask who's paying and what they're buying. If it's not you, the product is your professionals' decisions.Resources:https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/openevidence-ai-doctor-medical-physician-login-app-what-npi-uptodate-rcna341064 <a href="https://www.healthcare.digital/single-post/clinical-intelligence-a-strategic-analysis-of-openevidence-and-the-multi-agent-medical-ai-ecosystem" data-mce-href="https://www.healthcare.digital/single-post/clinical-intelligence-a-strategic-analysis-of-openevidence-and-the-multi-agent-medical-ai-ecosystem">https://www.healthcare.digital/single-post/clinical-intelligence-a-strategic-analysis-of-openevidence-and-the-multi-agent-medical-ai-ecosystem</a> https://www.ama-assn.org/system/files/physician-ai-sentiment-report.pdf

Nelson Advisors referenced in the 'Better Than Google, Still Risky: The OpenEvidence Story'

Nelson Advisors has been invited back to the Global Health Exhibition 2026 to take part in the ICapital Xchange Programme.Global Health Exhibition 2026Global Health Exhibition is the meeting point for the world’s healthcare innovators.Here, global leaders, decision-makers, and solution providers come together to accelerate digital transformation, advance new models of care, and build a more integrated, tech-driven healthcare ecosystem.From AI in clinical practice and digital health to workforce evolution and breakthrough medical technologies, Global Health Exhibition showcases the trends and partnerships shaping the next era of global health.Capital Xchange Programme 2026The Capital Xchange Programme is the evolution of the Global Health Exhibition Investor Programme, designed as a curated platform for global investors, innovators and government stakeholders driving healthcare transformation.By bringing together capital providers, high-growth healthcare companies and Saudi policy leaders, the programme creates pathways for strategic investment, partnerships and market entry within one of the world’s fastest growing healthcare markets.&nbsp;Participants gain direct insight into regulatory frameworks, emerging opportunities and the priorities shaping Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 healthcare transformation.Source: <a href="https://www.globalhealthsaudi.com/">https://www.globalhealthsaudi.com/</a>Source: &nbsp;<a href="https://www.globalhealthsaudi.com/investors-and-startups/invest-in-health/">https://www.globalhealthsaudi.com/investors-and-startups/invest-in-health/</a>

Nelson Advisors invited back to the Global Health Exhibition 2026

European HealthTech has seen a massive surge in specialised AI deployments and notable funding rounds this week, particularly focusing on optimising operational workflows, surgical intelligence and deep-tech. medical solutions. &nbsp;&nbsp; Here are the key developments shaping the ecosystem right now. Funding &amp; Expansion Boosts Health Secures $15M Series A: The UK-based HealthTech platform closed a major round to aggressively scale its specialist healthcare infrastructure.Thena Capital Launches £45M Debut Fund: Led entirely by female general partners, the firm closed its initial fund aimed at backing up to 25 early-stage healthcare and MedTech startups, with a heavy emphasis on how AI will transform clinical pathways.OurMind Lands €2.1M: The Dutch startup raised new capital specifically to scale its AI-driven platform designed to alleviate heavy administrative workloads from burnt-out clinical staff.Surgical and Operational AI Take Center Stage The narrative this week is strongly focused on highly niche, practical artificial intelligence applications rather than broad LLMs. Uncovr Raises $7M for Surgical AI: This startup secured fresh capital to build out dedicated AI infrastructure for operating theatres. Rather than diagnosing, its models focus on clinical documentation and workflow intelligence to automate post-op paperwork for surgeons.TurnUp Tackles Practice Efficiencies: Based in Ghent, TurnUp raised €2 million for an intelligent system designed to drastically reduce "no-shows" and last-minute cancellations for dental and medical practices across Europe.Nanordica Medical Raises €1.6M: The Estonian MedTech firm took home new funding to fast-track its advanced, antibiotic-free chronic wound care treatment, targeting the massive European medical logistics market.Regulatory Alignment &amp; Scale The tail-end effects of the dual consolidation of the EU AI Act and Medical Device Regulations (MDR/IVDR) continue to dominate operational roadmaps. Medical software developers across the continent are seeing stricter enforcement regarding data quality and human oversight. Because of this, standard security frameworks like SOC 2 are rapidly transitioning from "nice to have" to a strictly non-negotiable entry requirement for any startup trying to integrate data directly into European hospital Electronic Health Records (EHRs). &gt;&gt;&gt;&gt; &nbsp;&nbsp; The European MedTech sector has experienced a highly active week, marked by major growth funding, critical legislative pushback over AI medical regulations, and a substantial shift in the UK's regulatory framework to attract global hardware innovation. Here are the biggest headlines driving the industry this week. Funding &amp; Market Growth &nbsp;&nbsp; A newly released sector report by Tech.eu highlights that capital is concentrating into larger, highly commercialised rounds, specifically in the UK (€2.5B), Switzerland (~€1.0B), and Finland (€881M). Semble Secures £30M Series C: The London-based medical tech platform closed a massive growth round led by European growth investor Revaia (with Partech and Octopus Ventures). Semble operates an open, interoperable clinical platform that connects disjointed healthcare tech systems. The capital will fund its expansion into France and larger European healthcare groups.EU Directing €11.5M to DeepTech Therapeutics: The EU Grants Funding portal highlighted a major €11.57 million allocation explicitly targeting companies scaling high-readiness (TRL 6–8) solutions in advanced therapeutics and the secondary clinical use of interoperable health data.The AI Act &amp; MDR "Parallel Regulatory" Clash &nbsp;&nbsp; A major point of friction reached a boiling point following a political agreement on the Digital Omnibus, which amends the landmark EU AI Act. The Conflict: MedTech Europe (the region's primary trade association) had heavily lobbied for AI-enabled medical technologies to be governed strictly under existing sector-specific medical rules. Instead, the final deal confirms that AI medical devices will remain subject to overlapping, parallel compliance requirements from both the AI Act and the Medical Devices Regulation (MDR).The Backlash: Industry leaders expressed deep disappointment, stating it adds "an unnecessary layer of complexity" to an already heavily strained framework. The industry is currently mobilizing to pressure the EU to simplify these overlapping rules, which the EU Parliament projects could save the industry up to €3.3 Billion annually in wiped-out administrative bloat.EMA Innovation Pilot: In a positive regulatory turn, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) launched an innovative device pilot program for Class III and implantable devices, which industry experts are praising as a precursor to a formal, US-style "breakthrough device" pathway.The UK Proposes the "International Reliance" Pathway In response to the ongoing regulatory hurdles in mainland Europe, the UK Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) published its draft Medical Devices (Amendment) Regulations 2026. &nbsp;&nbsp; The Big Shift: The draft officially introduces an International Reliance Pathway. This allows medical device manufacturers who have already secured regulatory clearance in trusted global markets (like the US FDA) to bypass redundant testing and access the Great Britain market via a drastically fast-tracked, simplified review process. The "AI Literacy" Medical Liability Threat As data from the newly released Philips Future Health Index 2026 reveals that nearly two-thirds (65%) of European clinicians have ramped up their use of medical AI to save time, a hidden legal risk has emerged. &nbsp; Medical device manufacturers are facing a growing threat of liability exposure due to diluted and vague EU guidelines on clinician "AI literacy."&nbsp; Regulatory experts warned this week that because formal training requirements have been diluted in recent legislative drafts, manufacturers are increasingly at risk if a clinician incorrectly interprets an AI device's output and causes patient harm.Nelson Advisors &gt; European MedTech and HealthTech Investment Banking &nbsp; Nelson Advisors specialise in Mergers and Acquisitions, Partnerships and Investments for Digital Health, HealthTech, Health IT, Consumer HealthTech, Healthcare Cybersecurity, Healthcare AI companies. <a href="http://www.nelsonadvisors.co.uk">www.nelsonadvisors.co.uk</a>Nelson Advisors regularly publish Thought Leadership articles covering market insights, trends, analysis &amp; predictions @ <a href="https://www.healthcare.digital">https://www.healthcare.digital&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;Nelson Advisors publish Europe’s leading HealthTech and MedTech M&amp;A Newsletter every week, subscribe today! <a href="https://lnkd.in/e5hTp_xb">https://lnkd.in/e5hTp_xb&nbsp;</a>&nbsp; Nelson Advisors pride ourselves on our DNA as ‘Founders advising Founders.’ We partner with entrepreneurs, boards and investors to maximise shareholder value and investment returns. <a href="http://www.nelsonadvisors.co.uk">www.nelsonadvisors.co.uk</a>&nbsp;#NelsonAdvisors #HealthTech #DigitalHealth #HealthIT #Cybersecurity #HealthcareAI #ConsumerHealthTech #Mergers #Acquisitions #Partnerships #Growth #Strategy #NHS #UK #Europe #USA #VentureCapital #PrivateEquity #Founders #SeriesA #SeriesB #Founders #SellSide #TechAssets #Fundraising #BuildBuyPartner #GoToMarket #PharmaTech #BioTech #Genomics #MedTech Nelson Advisors LLP &nbsp; Hale House, 76-78 Portland Place, Marylebone, London, W1B 1NT lloyd@nelsonadvisors.co.uk paul@nelsonadvisors.co.uk Meet Nelson Advisors @ 2026 Events &nbsp; Digital Health Rewired &gt; March 2026 &gt; Birmingham, UK&nbsp; &nbsp; NHS ConfedExpo &nbsp;&gt; June 2026 &gt; Manchester, UK&nbsp; &nbsp; HLTH Europe &gt; June 2026, Amsterdam, Netherlands &nbsp;&nbsp; HIMSS AI in Healthcare &gt; July 2026, New York, USA &nbsp; Bits &amp; Pretzels &gt; September 2026, Munich, Germany &nbsp; &nbsp; World Health Summit 2026 &gt; October 2026, Berlin, Germany HealthInvestor Healthcare Summit &gt; October 2026, London, UK HLTH USA 2026 &gt; October 2026, USA &nbsp; Barclays Health Elevate &gt; October 2026, London, UK&nbsp; Web Summit 2026 &gt; November 2026, Lisbon, Portugal &nbsp; &nbsp; MEDICA 2026 &gt; November 2026, Düsseldorf, Germany &nbsp;&nbsp; Venture Capital World Summit &gt; December 2026 Toronto, Canada

This Week in European MedTech and HealthTech: 12th June 2026

Nelson Advisors is proud to support the Oxford MedTech Society x Google Gemini Clinical Hackathon on 13th June 2026 as a Silver Sponsor.Source: <a href="https://oxfordmedtechsociety.com/events_luma/" data-mce-href="https://oxfordmedtechsociety.com/events_luma/">https://oxfordmedtechsociety.com/events_luma/</a><a href="https://luma.com/qtm3we72?lm_source=embed&amp;utm_source=website" data-mce-href="https://luma.com/qtm3we72?lm_source=embed&amp;utm_source=website">https://luma.com/qtm3we72?lm_source=embed&amp;utm_source=website</a>Oxford MedTech Society x Google Gemini Clinical HackathonHealthcare is full of problems waiting to be solved.​Join us for a one-day hackathon bringing together students, clinicians, researchers, designers, engineers and innovators to prototype solutions for real healthcare challenges using Google Gemini.​Across the day, participants will form teams, identify a clinical problem, develop an AI-powered concept, and pitch their solution to a panel at the end of the event. The focus is not just on building something impressive, but on creating ideas that are clinically useful, safe, scalable and grounded in real-world healthcare needs.​No advanced coding experience is required. We are looking for people who can think critically about problems, design user-centred solutions, communicate clearly, and work well in a team. Whether you come from medicine, computer science, engineering, design, business, policy or another background, you will have something valuable to contribute.​The day will include:​An introduction to the hackathon challenge ​Guidance on using Google Gemini for clinical innovation ​Team formation and ideation ​Dedicated building and mentoring time ​Final pitches and judging ​Networking with students, clinicians and innovators interested in healthcare technology ​This is a chance to explore how generative AI can be applied responsibly to clinical problems, meet others interested in medtech, and turn an idea into a prototype in a single day.​Date: 13 June 2026 Time: 09:00–17:00 Hosted by: Oxford MedTech Society and Google Gemini

Nelson Advisors

Blog

Nelson Advisors co authors the Oxford University Venture ...

Nelson Advisors referenced in the JMIR Paper 'Expected Co...

Nelson Advisors referenced in the 'Better Than Google, St...

Nelson Advisors invited back to the Global Health Exhibit...

This Week in European MedTech and HealthTech: 12th June 2026

Nelson Advisors proud to support the Oxford MedTech Socie...