Catalysts In Innovation: A Doctor's Dream Impacts Healthcare

Forbes

9 hours ago

The beautiful country of Malta, is surrounded by deep blue waters, and has a rich history of visitors and conquerors from Europe, the Middle East and Africa. A place to soak in fascinating stories, culture and architecture, it also has another unexpected dimension. Malta has been a hub of accelerated progress, in health, led by a doctor whose vision has been to build bridges while elevating healthcare to the next level.
Dr Dylan Attard, a skilled surgeon, realized that he could make a more scalable difference to many patients through helping grow connections between innovation, industry and healthcare. Dr Dylan Attard, is an entrepreneur, leader and congregator of worldwide experts from 4 different continents, and the founder of a global med tech conference which he started it in his home country of Malta.
I had the pleasure of speaking with him recently about the vision of these global meetings.
Why did you decide to start MedTech World?
As a surgeon, I often felt limited by the fact that I could only help one patient at a time within a hospital setting. While that work is deeply rewarding, I've always had the urge to make a broader, global impact. I was also fascinated by the intersection of healthcare and entrepreneurship—especially venture funding and the journey of MedTech startups going from concept to market. MedTech World was born out of that blend: a desire to scale impact and help companies bring transformative technologies to life faster, by connecting them with the right investors, partners, and clinicians.
Is collaboration between industry, investors and doctors important and how do conferences help?
When you have small group gatherings, as simple as a walking tour or beverages at a local restaurant, conversations happen. One example that comes to mind is how the founder of a company, Cognixion, had an organic conversation with an investor about his vision. The company is building AI augmented AR wearable devices that may affect millions of patients who are unable to speak, a difficult health challenge. They started chatting on an excursion around Malta. A relaxed ride seeing beautiful scenery on a small boat with just 10-12 people can create a nice chance for a great conversation between a founder, a doctor or investor with no pressure.
I'd say the strength of a global health innovation conference lies in the consistent pipeline of opportunities it creates. We've seen investors meet their next high-potential startups, clinicians join advisory boards of emerging tech companies, and strategic partnerships formed over conversations that started in Malta. The environment is designed for serendipity—and over the years, it has delivered tangible results across funding, product development, and market entry.
Why did you decide to initiate this in Malta?
Malta offers a rare combination of strategic location, government agility, and business incentives. Positioned at the crossroads of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, it's perfectly placed for international collaboration. The Maltese government, through Malta Enterprise, has been instrumental in encouraging entrepreneurship—offering a range of benefits from tax incentives and startup grants to co-financing and support for AI-driven solutions. The country's compact size also fosters a unique kind of collaboration: policymakers, clinicians, and founders are accessible and open to innovation. It's becoming a testbed for emerging technologies in AI, offering both access and scale in a controlled, collaborative environment.
What are the growth plans of this conference beyond its annual flagship in Malta?
We've seen such great connections from our annual flagship that we have started to transform it into a truly global movement. Starting this year, we're launching four flagship events across four continents, one per quarter—Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and North America. From Singapore and Asia and more recently the Middle East, with a growing presence in Dubai, we've now set foot in the U.S., having held a successful event in Houston and with our upcoming partnership event with MedTech Innovator in San Jose, California.
This expansion is rooted in our belief that innovation happens everywhere, and by meeting our community where they are, we can better support startups, investors, and healthcare leaders in driving impact locally and globally. Each event will retain our core DNA—curated networking, high-value content, and startup-driven energy—while tapping into the unique opportunities and challenges of each region.
Dr Attard's dream is to build bridges amongst people around the world; he has succeeded in connecting startups with investors, clinicians, service providers, and strategic partners, ultimately creating opportunities that have helped accelerate innovation and healthcare globally.
Through the visionary leadership of one doctor, it turns out that Malta has a lot more to share than just tourism. It has become ground zero, in many instances, for expanding innovation and is making a difference in healthcare around the world.
Grandmaster's Palace, Home To The House Of Representatives And The Office Of The President Of Malta, ... More Valletta, Malta (Photo by: Insights/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)