The global rise in eHealth segment continues with unprecedented momentum. Do not be lulled to sleep by the activities of the Czech Ministry of Health or the disinterest of our health insurance companies. Bold business plans, favored by the Covid-19 pandemic, are being rolled out under the covers. Those who attended this year's first edition of the LIFMAT 2022 conference could not help but notice two phenomena - the presence of many start-ups with advanced eHealth technologies and the disinterest of health insurers and official institutions (an honorable exception was the representation of the OZP). A pleasant surprise was the connection to academia, which is closely following global developments. As medical device consultants, we have seen a large increase in the number of eHealth projects in the Czech Republic, usually in the field of telemedicine, health monitoring and "disease management". So what is going on in the shadow of apparent sleepiness?
According to CB Insights research, eHealth globally attracted a record $57.2 billion in 2021, up 79% from 2020. Funding across all geographies reached record levels in 2021, driven by the growing need to provide digital solutions to patients during a pandemic. Meanwhile, growth was 62% in Asia and, surprisingly, 131% year-on-year in Europe! The market is of course dominated by digital health in the US with a value of $37.9 billion. The number of traded megarounds, i.e. start-ups sold for $100 million or more, almost doubled to 154, with late-stage digital health start-ups closing much larger deals at significantly higher values. The median number of late-stage deals increased by 87%. Clearly these businesses are proving their value. Start-ups in (digital) therapeutics secured a record $3.4 billion in 122 transactions. Their agents enable the treatment of chronic diseases and typically demonstrate improved patient outcomes through clinical trials. This further increases investor interest in the future of these technologies. Funding for mental health technology start-ups has also skyrocketed. This has been driven in particular by the need to build digital solutions focused on mental health during the pandemic years. And it's not all "just business" - there are specific paying customers behind the big numbers. Added value for healthcare professionals and hope for patients. And some of that will come to us.
Author: Aleš Martinovský