There's something profoundly surreal about standing amidst humanity's technological frontier. As I walked through the doors of CES 2025 for the second time as CEO of electronRx, that familiar surge of excitement rushed through me—the kind that comes from knowing you're about to witness tomorrow's world today. This time was different, though. We weren't just observers; we were part of the narrative, showcasing technology that could fundamentally transform respiratory health and empower 540 million people.
The Symphony of Innovation
Picture this: 4,500+ exhibitors, over 140,000 visitors, and enough cutting-edge technology to make science fiction writers question their imagination. CES isn't just big—it's gigantic. It's a sensory overload that hits you the moment you step onto any one of the 8 massive multiple football pitch sized show floors over several square miles. The cacophony of voices in dozens of languages, the kaleidoscope of screens and displays, and the palpable energy of human ingenuity at its peak—it's utterly intoxicating.
Our humble stand became a beacon for over 2,000 visitors, each interaction reinforcing why we do what we do. In the digital health sector, where we've planted our flag as market leaders in respiratory health solutions, the enthusiasm was electric. But as I looked around, I couldn't help but notice a pattern emerging—one that both excited and concerned me.
The Data Deluge: A Modern Paradox
Let me paint you a picture of what I witnessed. Hundreds of new health products, each more sophisticated than the last, all capturing unprecedented amounts of data not only from the human body but the operating environment too. Steps? That's elementary. These devices track sleep patterns, mental states, nutritional balance, glucose levels, circadian rhythm modulation and yes, even sexual appetite. It's the quantified self taken to extremes I never imagined possible.
Just a mile away from our booth—and this is where it gets fascinating—an AI hardware giant, Nvidia unveiled what essentially amounts to a supercomputer that fits in the palm of your hand. The contrast was stark and telling. On one end, we're generating terabytes of personal health data weekly, possibly daily for some; on the other, we're creating increasingly powerful tools to process it. But here's the million-pound question that kept nagging at me: To what end?
The Evolution of Health Tech
What's particularly striking is how the definition of 'health technology' has expanded. We're no longer talking about simple monitoring devices. Today's health tech encompasses everything from molecular-level diagnostics to predictive AI systems that can forecast health events before they occur. The implications are staggering, both in terms of potential benefits and responsibilities for example insurance Companies to the FDA to Google to Meta to Open AI to the bad actors, to mention just a few.
At our stand, we demonstrated how focused innovation in respiratory health can create tangible impacts without drowning in data. It's about finding that sweet spot between technological capability and practical application—something that seemed increasingly rare on the show floors to a point I couldn't hear myself think!
The Ring Phenomenon
Perhaps nothing epitomises this data obsession better than what I call 'The Ring Phenomenon'. Not wedding bands, mind you, but wearable rings loaded with enough sensors to make a NASA engineer blush. They track every movement, every heartbeat, using opto-kinetics to monitor blood cells and generate enough graphs to wallpaper your house.
But here's what troubles me: The quality and intentions behind some of these innovations seem dubious at best, i.e. let's take your money and let's kick the support service into the long grass. Are we really helping people, or are we just creating a generation of the 'super worried well'—individuals so bombarded with data about their bodies that anxiety becomes their default state?
The Healthcare Bottleneck
The irony wasn't lost on me: All this cutting-edge technology, all this data, all these insights... and where does it lead? To the same 7.45 AM queue at your local GP's surgery, at least in England or at the A&E. It's like building a supersonic jet that still has to land on a dirt runway.
The cybersecurity implications alone are staggering. Mountains of personal health data traversing the internet, passing through servers, being stored in clouds, protected by layers of security, privacy measures, and consent frameworks that even the companies collecting them seem to barely comprehend. Everyone's trying to figure out how to monetise this data gold mine, but few are asking whether we should.
The Integration Imperative
What became increasingly clear throughout CES was the urgent need for better integration between these cutting-edge technologies and existing healthcare infrastructure. It's not enough to create brilliant devices—we need to build bridges between innovation and implementation to alleviate pain points. The gap between what's possible and what's practical needs to be closed.
Walking through the vast halls, another observation weighed heavily on my mind. As one of just a handful of genuine deep tech companies representing British innovation on the global stage, electronRx stood as a testament to what UK technology can achieve. Yet, I couldn't help but notice the conspicuous absence of official UK presence. The contrast was striking—nations of all sizes, even those facing significant war torn challenges, proudly showcased their technological achievements and future visions. Meanwhile, Britain, despite its claimed position as a world leader in AI and cutting-edge technology, seemed content to let its innovators stand alone.
The implications of this absence rippled through my thoughts as I watched delegations from across the globe forging connections, sharing insights, and positioning their nations at the forefront of technological advancement. For a country with such rich innovative heritage and ambitious claims about leading the future of technology, this felt like more than a missed opportunity and lip service —it was a glimpse into a concerning disconnect between rhetoric and reality. The question that lingered wasn't about capability—British innovation has always punched above its weight—but about commitment to showing up on the global stage.
Global Innovation Landscape
The international presence at CES 2025 told its own story. From South Korean giants showcasing next-generation displays to Israeli startups revolutionising cybersecurity, from German precision engineering to Japanese robotics—every major innovation hub had its flag planted firmly in the sand. This wasn't just about showing off technology; it was about declaring intent and capability on the world stage.
Learning Through the Chaos
Yet, amidst this technological carnival, there's something profoundly important happening. CES is more than a trade show—it's a crucible where the future is forged. For developers, entrepreneurs, and innovators, these 72 hours of sensory overload are transformative. You enter one person and emerge another, your mind expanded by the possibilities you've witnessed.
At electronRx, our experience reinforced our mission. While others chase the next big data point to track, we're focused on creating meaningful solutions that actually improve lives on a planet scale. Our technology isn't just about collecting data—it's about using it intelligently to transform respiratory health outcomes at scale.
The Innovation Imperative
To my fellow CEOs, entrepreneurs, and especially to those just starting their journey: CES is a masterclass in both opportunity and caution. The technology sector moves at lightning speed, but innovation without purpose is just noise. The real challenge isn't creating more sophisticated ways to collect data—it's developing solutions that make a tangible difference in people's lives.
Looking Forward: The Real Revolution
The future of healthcare technology isn't about creating more rings, watches, or sensors. It's about developing solutions that democratise health, that make quality care accessible to everyone, that actually solve real problems. At electronRx, we're proud to be part of this revolution, focusing on solutions that don't just generate data but genuinely improve lives.
A Call for Meaningful Innovation
As I left CES 2025, exhausted but inspired, I couldn't help but feel optimistic. Yes, there's chaos in the current technological gold rush. Yes, there's an overwhelming amount of data being generated. But amidst all this, there are companies and innovators focused on real solutions to real problems. That's where the true revolution lies.
The future isn't just about what technology can do—it's about what we choose to do with it. Let's choose wisely.
