The mid-November date (November 15 – 18, 2021) remains set this year for the world's leading live platforms for the medical technology industry. The preparations for MEDICA 2021, the world's No. 1 medical trade fair, and the concurrently held COMPAMED 2021, leading international event for medical technology suppliers, are in full swing. Exhibitor registrations to date confirm the high interest of suppliers to showcase innovations along the industry's entire value chain and for the complete workflow of modern healthcare at the fairgrounds in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Due to the increased need for consultation as a result of the pandemic, the exhibitor registration phase has been extended until the beginning of May, immediately followed by the hall planning phase. Based on customer feedback, Erhard Wienkamp, Managing Director of Messe Düsseldorf, is looking forward to the upcoming events: “Our exhibitors are delighted to see all of the important decision makers in the industry and exchange ideas with them in real life again at Messe Düsseldorf, after so many months of exclusively digital contact with business partners and potential customers. The majority of the designated exhibition space has already been booked.”

Numerous start-up companies will again present themselves at MEDICA 2021 since the trade fair has been the catalyst for many success stories over the past few years. International stakeholders and the movers and shakers of the healthcare industry are always represented here but also healthcare accelerator program investors, family offices and well-known venture capital funds. The MEDICA START-UP PARK has established itself as a central meeting point for the creative start-up scene, where start-ups can participate at attractive conditions.

Hybrid restart with a long tradition
As a result of the pandemic, Messe Düsseldorf is significantly expanding its digital offers, which also applies to MEDICA and COMPAMED. The digital offers will be expanded and combined with the live on-site program. This is not “new territory” for the team but the logical further development of a concept that has been successfully implemented for years. Christian Grosser, Director of Health & Medical Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, explained: “For many years, our wide-reaching medical technology industry portals have been the first port of call for the health industry. Here and via social media, we provide current industry information and document trends using a variety of media channels all year round, 24/7. Exhibitors can present themselves and their products in online showrooms and live web sessions or get in touch with customers during the trade fair using the Matchmaking app. Now, we’re taking the next step.”


Free choice: Online or a special experience on-site
Based on the experience with the events held completely virtually in November 2020 due to the pandemic (but still drew a total of 45,000 unique users and 405,000 page views), program components that are in high demand will be offered both online and on-site and will be accessible and viewable via a simply structured ticketing system. This also applies to the forums which are integrated into the themed segments of the trade fairs, such as the MEDICA CONNECTED HEALTHCARE FORUM (including the MEDICA Start-up COMPETITION and the Healthcare Innovation World Cup), MEDICA HEALTH IT FORUM, MEDICA TECH FORUM, MEDICA LABMED FORUM and the MEDICA ECON FORUM, organized by Messe Düsseldorf and the Techniker Krankenkasse (TK, a German health insurance fund). At COMPAMED 2021, the following forums are on the schedule: the COMPAMED HIGH-TECH FORUM by IVAM with its special focus on microtechnology and nanotechnology and the COMPAMED SUPPLIERS FORUM by DeviceMed, which reflects the entire field of development and manufacturing.

These highlights will be accompanied by a stage program in the center of the trade fair. Ticket holders can follow the lectures and discussions live via the MEDICA and COMPAMED portals.

With regard to the accompanying conferences and congresses, there is also a choice between on-site or virtual participation. This applies to the 44th German Hospital Conference, the leading event for the directors and managing executives of German hospitals, as well as two English-language conferences that address an international professional audience: The Disaster and Defense Medicine Conference DiMiMED and the MEDICA MEDICINE + SPORTS CONFERENCE.

Always cutting edge and the hub for networking
Together, MEDICA and COMPAMED provide a unique platform, presenting a complete portfolio of medical products, devices and instruments, including all stages of their development, production and distribution processes. Both events are able to meet the increased need for information, exchange and networking, which has increased in no small part due to the pandemic. Together, they constitute the leading industry platforms with virtual program formats that pick up on the relevant market trends and give a taster of the trade fair’s run and new products from manufacturers via their content.

In their globally unique combination, MEDICA and COMPAMED present the complete range of medical products, devices and instruments, including all stages of their development, production and marketing. Both events are responding to the increased demand for information, exchange and networking, not least as a result of the pandemic. As the leading industry platforms they offer virtual program formats which address relevant market trends and provide a preview of the trade fair and exhibitors' new products.

The COMPAMED Innovation Forum (organized by the IVAM Association for Microtechnology) on June 16 will be a digital event dedicated to exploring how microfluidic components can accelerate the fight against the pandemic. This applies, for example, to lab-on-chip components and chemical microreactors that enable mobile rapid testing and also accelerate vaccine development. For program information and registration visit https://www.ivam.de/events/compamed_innovationsforum_2021?lang=en

For further information on visiting or exhibiting at MEDICA and COMPAMED 2021, contact Messe Düsseldorf North America; Telephone: (312) 781-5180; E-mail: info@mdna.com; visit www.medica-tradefair.com, www.compamed-tradefair.com and www.mdna.com; Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/mdnachicago

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