“One of the most enlightening, fascinating and entertaining discussions on healthtech.”

That’s how attendees described the panel at Planet Innovation’s Open House last week as part of Melbourne Design Week 2026. Healthcare luminaries Dr. Keith Joe and A/Prof Suong Le joined PI’s Sam Lanyon (Exec Director & Co-founder) and Jeremy Stimson (Head of Experience Design) for a candid conversation on why new technologies are, and are not, being adopted by the healthcare sector. It was a thoughtful and unfiltered discussion from people who’ve seen it from every angle.

The panel made clear that in MedTech, trust is designed, not assumed. It shows up in how a product performs, how it feels to use, and how it looks. Trust has to be earned from buyers, clinicians, and patients, who are rarely the same person. As healthcare moves into the home, designs need to account for patients with varying health literacy, not just ideal users. Regulatory approval is just the starting point, so designing for longevity and imperfect real-world conditions matters just as much as getting to market.

Beyond the panel, guests explored PI’s facilities, toured the product displays, and joined design-centred discussions led by Cam Phillips (Experience Design Lead), Lou Lakey (Visual Designer), Amelda Norsworthy (Industrial Designer) and Joshua Marshall (Industrial Designer). The energy in the room was electric! A big thank you to everyone who came along.

This event was part of Melbourne Design Week 2026, an initiative of the Victorian Government through Creative Victoria.