In 2026, we are prioritising conferences where we can spend meaningful time with senior decision-makers—and convert “conference noise” into evidence-led signals for clients using HealthTech Alpha.
Our selection logic is straightforward: ecosystem density, senior buyer attendance, and measurable partnership activity.
2026 conference calendar at a glance
- January: J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (San Francisco) (JPMorgan)
- February: World Health Expo Dubai (Dubai); ViVE (Los Angeles) (worldhealthexpo.com)
- March: health.tech | global summit (Basel); SXSW (Austin) (health.tech)
- May: Health Revolution Congress (Barcelona) (healthrevolutioncongress.com)
- June: HLTH Europe (Amsterdam) (HLTH Europe)
- October: Frontiers Health (Berlin) (Frontiers Health)
- November: HLTH USA (Las Vegas) (HLTH)
- December: Health Tech Forward (to be announced) (Health Tech Forward)
Where you can meet Galen Growth in 2026
1) J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference (JPM)
San Francisco, USA | 12–15 January 2026 (JPMorgan)
Best for: C-suite, BD&L, strategy, investors
What we’ll be tracking: M&A intent, platform consolidation, enterprise AI narratives
Typical client question after JPM: “Which themes are real—and which are narrative inflation?”
2) World Health Expo Dubai (formerly Arab Health)
Dubai, UAE | 9–12 February 2026 (worldhealthexpo.com)
Best for: Commercial leaders, procurement, regional expansion teams
What we’ll be tracking: Buyer priorities, deployment signals, vendor scaling patterns
Typical client question: “Which solutions are actually being bought—and at what level?”
3) ViVE 2026
Los Angeles, USA | 22–25 February 2026 (HLTH)
Best for: Provider/payer innovation, operator-led transformation teams
What we’ll be tracking: Operational ROI, workflow AI adoption, implementation constraints
Typical client question: “What is moving from pilots to scaled rollouts?”
4) health.tech | global summit (Basel) — New 2026 highlight
Messe Basel, Switzerland | 3–5 March 2026 (health.tech)
Formerly known as the Bits & Pretzels HealthTech Conference, the event has evolved into health.tech | global summit and is now hosted in Basel—home town of Galen Growth Europe. (health.tech)
VIP keynote (confirmed): Dr. Anthony Fauci. (health.tech)
Galen Growth keynote: We will deliver a keynote focused on AI in Clinical Trials—covering where AI is already creating measurable impact (protocol design, feasibility, recruitment, operations) and where the market remains over-claimed.
Best for: Clinical innovation, clinical ops, R&D strategy, trial enablement partners
What we’ll be tracking: Trial-tech partnership velocity, evidence signals, and workflow adoption patterns.
Discount code: If you are registering for health.tech | global summit 2026, use code ht26_Sara_Schmachtenberg_20 for a 20% discount on your ticket.
5) SXSW 2026
Austin, USA | 12–18 March 2026 (SXSW)
Best for: Cross-sector innovation and emerging platform shifts
What we’ll be tracking: Consumerisation, AI product design patterns, trust and governance narratives
6) Barcelona Health Hub — Health Revolution Congress 2026
Barcelona, Spain (Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau) | 27–28 May 2026 (Biocat)
Galen Growth contribution: Opening keynote (details to follow).
Best for: European ecosystem partnerships and scale-up pathways
What we’ll be tracking: Corporate-startup partnership design, validation pathways, buyer readiness
7) HLTH Europe 2026
Amsterdam, Netherlands (RAI) | 15–18 June 2026 (HLTH Europe)
Best for: Pan-European dealmaking across payers, providers, pharma, and vendors
What we’ll be tracking: Cross-border procurement signals, platform plays, consolidation themes
8) Frontiers Health 2026
Berlin, Germany | 20–21 October 2026 (Frontiers Health)
Best for: High-signal thought leadership and curated innovation dialogues
What we’ll be tracking: Evidence-to-adoption narratives, health system transformation priorities
9) HLTH USA 2026
Las Vegas, USA (The Venetian Expo) | 15–18 November 2026 (HLTH)
Best for: Global marketplace scale and late-year enterprise buying direction
What we’ll be tracking: Budget release signals, vendor consolidation, workflow AI maturity
10) Health Tech Forward 2026
Location and dates to be announced soon (Health Tech Forward)
Best for: Investment and strategic direction-setting into 2027
What we’ll be tracking: Where capital is concentrating and which models are proving resilient
What we have already published in 2026
We have already provided meaningful analysis of the headline narratives from:
- J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference 2026 (San Francisco, 12–15 January) (JPMorgan)
- WEF Annual Meeting 2026 (Davos-Klosters, 19–23 January) (World Economic Forum)
These are designed to translate headlines into implications—grounded in observable market activity.
What we can deliver around these conferences
Pre-event (1–2 weeks prior):
- “Who to meet” target lists by theme (e.g., AI in Clinical Trials, RWE, provider workflow AI)
- Partnership landscapes and whitespace mapping
On-site support:
- Rapid diligence briefs on vendors and partners
- Shortlisting and prioritisation frameworks for meetings
Post-event (within 7–14 days):
- Executive debrief: “what changed / what did not”
- Updated shortlists, benchmarks, and market maps (exportable from HealthTech Alpha)
A concrete example: the “signals” we track
| Signal we track | What it indicates | Why it matters |
| Repeat partnerships in a narrow workflow | Category shifting from experimentation to standardisation | Predicts budget allocation and vendor consolidation |
| Evidence signals (deployments, outcomes, regulatory posture) | Maturity beyond marketing claims | Reduces adoption risk |
| Buyer-type clustering (pharma vs provider vs payer) | Where demand is real | Guides GTM and partnership strategy |
| Multi-region expansion patterns | Scalability and procurement readiness | Identifies likely winners |
| Partner “stickiness” over time | Retention and operational embed | Stronger long-term value creation |
Noteworthy Conferences We Are Not Currently Planning to Attend in 2026
We will monitor these closely, but are not currently planning to attend:
- CES 2026 (Las Vegas | 6–9 January 2026) (SGSCorp)
- HIMSS26 (Las Vegas | 9–12 March 2026) (HIMSS Conference)
- Digital Health Week 2026 (Australia | 3–5 February 2026) (Digital Health Week 2026)
- Digital Health World Congress 2026 (London | 26–27 May 2026) (Digital Healthcare World Congress)
Reason: in 2026 we are prioritising ecosystem density + senior buyer attendance + measurable partnership activity over broader awareness events.
Briefing slots and organiser enquiries
If you are attending health.tech Basel or HLTH Europe: we are scheduling 20-minute executive briefings focused on (i) AI in Clinical Trials, (ii) partner shortlisting, and (iii) category momentum signals.
If you are an organiser: we contribute keynotes, panels, and closed-door executive roundtables on digital health intelligence and partnership benchmarking—grounded in HealthTech Alpha data.
