healthcare.digital January 19, 2026
In the rapidly consolidating European HealthTech and MedTech landscape of 2026, competitive moats have evolved from technological novelty to institutional grade defensibility. The €180-400 billion patent cliff facing medical device incumbents and the regulatory Darwinism imposed by the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) and In Vitro Diagnostic Regulation (IVDR) have fundamentally restructured what constitutes a sustainable competitive advantage.
This report examines the ten most defensible moats in the sector, ranked by durability and replicability barriers, with particular emphasis on their role in M&A valuation and strategic positioning.
Executive Summary: The Industrialisation of Healthcare Innovation
The HealthTech ecosystem has bifurcated into “industrial winners” and capital-constrained aspirants. The former category, exemplified by Flo Health, Sword Health, Oura and Owkin, demonstrates that sustainable...
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