Sustainability is no longer a future consideration for medical technology innovators. It is rapidly becoming a key factor in product development, procurement, investment decisions, and long-term commercial success.
For many start-ups and early-stage innovators, sustainability can feel like another compliance challenge to add to an already lengthy list of regulatory and technical requirements. However, the most successful innovators are beginning to view sustainability differently, not as a hurdle, but as an opportunity.
At Health Tech Enterprise, we work with innovators across the health technology sector and are seeing sustainability move from a “nice to have” to a business-critical consideration. If you’re developing a new medical technology, here are five reasons why now is the time to start thinking about sustainability.
1. Sustainability requirements are only going in one direction
The NHS has made clear commitments to achieving net zero, and the expectations placed on suppliers are increasing as we move towards 2030. For innovators, this means looking beyond today’s requirements and considering what the landscape will look like when your product reaches the market.
A device that is compliant today may face very different expectations in three, five, or ten years’ time. Building sustainability considerations into your development roadmap early can help ensure your product remains attractive to healthcare providers throughout its lifecycle and supports future procurement requirements rather than struggling to catch up with them. If you and your team are not keeping track of the increasing requirements from the NHS, such as the recent increased requirement for all new suppliers to have at least Level one Evergreen Supplier Status, then you may find yourself less ready than you think by the point you reach market.
2. Designing for sustainability early saves time and money later
One of the most common mistakes we see is sustainability being treated as a final-stage consideration. By the time a product is approaching market readiness, significant design decisions have already been made. If sustainability requirements then necessitate changes to materials, manufacturing processes, or packaging, the consequences can be costly.
These changes often trigger additional testing, validation activities, and regulatory work. In some cases, innovators may need to revisit substantial portions of their design and development programme. Considering sustainability from the outset allows teams to make informed decisions early, avoiding expensive redesigns and helping products reach the market more efficiently.
3. Sustainability can be a competitive advantage
Start-ups and scale-ups often assume that sustainability requirements favour larger organisations with greater resources. In reality, the opposite can often be true.
Established manufacturers may have legacy products, entrenched supply chains, and complex manufacturing systems that are difficult to change. Innovators, on the other hand, have the freedom to build sustainability into their products from day one.
This agility creates an opportunity to differentiate. A product that delivers strong clinical outcomes while demonstrating environmental responsibility can stand out in increasingly competitive markets.
Rather than viewing sustainability as another compliance box to tick, innovators should consider how it can become part of their value proposition and a reason for customers to choose their solution over an incumbent alternative.
4. Procurement decisions are looking at the bigger picture
The NHS is increasingly embracing value-based procurement approaches that consider more than the initial purchase price of a product. Healthcare organisations are looking at the total value a technology delivers across the patient pathway. This includes factors such as cleaning, sterilisation, maintenance, repairability, waste management, disposal costs, and overall clinical outcomes.
For innovators, this presents an important design opportunity. Can components be repaired rather than replaced? Can parts be disassembled and recycled? Can materials be recovered and reused? Are there opportunities to reduce waste generated during use? Designing with these questions in mind can improve sustainability credentials while also strengthening the overall business case for procurement teams evaluating your technology.
5. Investors and funders are paying attention
Bringing a medical technology to market requires significant investment, and sustainability is increasingly influencing funding decisions.
Grant providers, innovation programmes, and investors are showing growing interest in technologies that support low-carbon healthcare, reduce waste, improve resource efficiency, and demonstrate a scalable approach to sustainable growth.
Funders are looking beyond the product itself and examining how organisations operate, manufacture, and scale their innovations.
For early-stage companies, embedding sustainability into business planning and product development can strengthen funding applications and improve access to investment opportunities that may not have been available otherwise.
Sustainability is becoming a business imperative
The conversation around sustainability in healthcare is evolving quickly and what was once viewed as corporate responsibility is now becoming a commercial, regulatory, and procurement requirement.
The good news for innovators is that sustainability does not need to be a burden. In fact, early-stage companies are often in the strongest position to embrace sustainable design principles, create more resilient products, and build compelling value propositions from the outset.
The innovators who start thinking about sustainability today are likely to be the ones best positioned to secure funding, win procurement opportunities, and succeed in tomorrow’s healthcare market.
At Health Tech Enterprise, we believe sustainability should be considered alongside clinical impact, regulatory strategy, and commercialisation planning from the very beginning. The earlier it becomes part of the conversation, the greater the opportunity to create technologies that deliver value for patients, healthcare systems, and the planet.
Below are some sustainability-focused organisations that placing sustainability advantage at the core of their services and products.
• Pd-m is a leading product design and manufacturing consultancy which leads clients through the complexities of research, product development, engineering and manufacturing, helping to turn innovative ideas into commercially successful products. Sustainability sits at the heart of its approach, with a focus on creating solutions that deliver value for people, planet and profit.
• Nocomed transforms complex business and emissions data into clear, actionable insights for life sciences and healthcare organisations. Its solutions help businesses demonstrate compliance effortlessly, achieve tangible cost savings, improve operational efficiencies and accelerate their journey towards net zero across the healthcare supply chain.
• Abingdon Health, global contract developer and manufacturer specialising in lateral flow technology. They are reducing their single use plastics used in tests with a bio-degradable plant based alternative for similar performance and costs.
• Kora Healthcare is an international pharmaceutical and medical device company; developing, manufacturing, and commercialising healthcare products focused on supportive care, genito-urinary/sexual health, and consumer care. They won the “Best in Sustainability” category at the HealthTech Ireland Awards in 2024 for their work on reducing their carbon footprint. Kora Healthcare are realising competitive advantages and achieving significant operational cost reductions through their sustainability efforts.
