This week we welcomed founders, entrepreneurs and senior leaders from across the healthcare sector to Inflexion's Healthcare Symposium 2026, held at Bain & Company’s London office. The afternoon focused on the outlook for European healthcare, the forces shaping the decade ahead, and the role of AI in building successful businesses.
John DiGiovanni, Partner and Head of Healthcare at Inflexion, opened the event, before a keynote from Ed Jones, CEO and Co-Founder of Newmarket Strategy, on the case for healthcare investment in current times.
The sessions that followed explored the forces shaping the years ahead, from policy and pricing to market access, with a spotlight on the US and China and what they mean for European businesses. The afternoon closed with a workshop on AI in healthcare and the operating capability that will define the winners.
Key takeaways from the day:
- European healthcare is at an inflection point, with significant capital available for investment and a strong pipeline of ambitious businesses ready to grow
- Buyers are willing to pay up for genuine differentiation and strong management teams that can lead through uncertainty, a reminder that fundamentals still drive value
- Policy, pricing and market access are best considered early, and increasingly shape where value is created across the sector
- Expanding into the US requires focus, preparation and local expertise, with the businesses that invest in understanding the market best positioned to succeed
- AI is becoming an operating capability rather than an add-on, and the businesses that build it into how they work will be best placed to lead
