Accelerate Productivity in 2025
Reignite Growth Despite the Global Slowdown
The healthcare supply chain industry is undergoing a major shift driven by cost pressures, demand for transparency, and the need for resilient, patient-centric systems. In 2025, key trends, like blockchain-based traceability, green logistics, and automated procurement, will address long-standing inefficiencies. Meanwhile, innovations in cold chain logistics, smart packaging, and last-mile delivery – from inventory robots to medical drones are streamlining operations across the board.
These advancements enable healthcare institutions to reduce waste, improve access, and strengthen supply chain agility. As a result, the global healthcare supply chain management market is projected to grow from USD 3.93 billion in 2025 to USD 9.53 billion by 2032, exhibiting a CAGR of 13.5%.
What are the Top 10 Healthcare Supply Chain Trends in 2025?
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) Integration
- Supply Chain Traceability
- Green Healthcare Supply Chains
- Advanced Medical Procurement
- Cold Chain and Specialized Logistics
- Healthcare Logistics Robots
- Healthcare Inventory Management
- Smart Packaging, Labeling, and Serialization
- Next-Generation Delivery Drones
- Direct-to-Patient (DTP) Delivery
Methodology: How We Created the Healthcare Supply Chain Trend Report
For our trend reports, we leverage our proprietary StartUs Insights Discovery Platform, covering 7M+ global startups, 20K technologies & trends, plus 150M+ patents, news articles, and market reports.
Creating a report involves approximately 40 hours of analysis. We evaluate our own startup data and complement these insights with external research, including industry reports, news articles, and market analyses. This process enables us to identify the most impactful and innovative trends in the healthcare supply chain industry.
For each trend, we select two exemplary startups that meet the following criteria:
- Relevance: Their product, technology, or solution aligns with the trend.
- Founding Year: Established between 2020 and 2025.
- Company Size: A maximum of 200 employees.
- Location: Specific geographic considerations.
This approach ensures our reports provide reliable, actionable insights into the healthcare supply chain innovation ecosystem while highlighting startups driving technological advancements in the industry.
Innovation Map outlines the 10 New Trends in the Healthcare Supply Chain & 20 Promising Startups
For this in-depth research on the Top Healthcare Supply Chain Trends & Startups, we analyzed a sample of 4956 global startups & scaleups. The Healthcare Supply Chain Innovation Map, created from this data-driven research, helps you improve strategic decision-making by giving you a comprehensive overview of the healthcare supply chain industry trends & startups that impact your company.
Tree Map reveals the Impact of the Top 10 Healthcare Supply Chain Trends in 2025
The Top 10 Innovations and Trends shaping Healthcare Supply Chain Management in 2025 are illustrated in the Healthcare Supply Chain Tree Map. Leading corporations and emerging startups are transforming how medical products are sourced, stored, and delivered through AI-driven operations, blockchain-enabled traceability, green logistics, and smart inventory systems.
The map also highlights the growing importance of cold chain optimization, drone-based delivery, and direct-to-patient distribution models, alongside innovations in packaging, procurement, and automation. Together, these trends reflect a broader shift toward more resilient, efficient, and patient-centric supply chains that prioritize transparency, sustainability, and operational agility.
Global Startup Heat Map covers 4956 Healthcare Supply Chain Startups & Scaleups
The Global Startup Heat Map showcases the distribution of 4956 exemplary startups and scaleups analyzed using the StartUs Insights Discovery Platform. It highlights high startup activity in the US and India, followed by the UK and Canada. From these, 20 promising startups are featured below, selected based on factors like founding year, location, and funding.
Want to Explore Healthcare Supply Chain Innovations & Trends?
Top 10 Emerging Healthcare Supply Chain Innovations & Trends [2025 and Beyond]
1. AI Integration
The urgency to provide life-saving drugs, equipment, and supplies on schedule while reducing waste and expenses reveals the constraints of conventional procurement methods. Thus, AI is becoming a necessity to tackle the increasing complexity brought forth by global sourcing, regulatory compliance, and demand variations.
According to McKinsey, a high-performing healthcare supply chain function can reduce supply spend by up to 10%. This is supported by the fact that healthcare is one of the most promising verticals for the worldwide AI in supply chain market, which is expected to grow from USD 9.94 billion in 2025 to USD 192.5 billion by 2034.
In the first quarter of 2024, the US experienced a record 323 active drug shortages, including chemotherapy agents and emergency drugs stored in hospital crash carts. As a result, some hospitals were compelled to delay surgeries and ration treatments, directly impacting patient care and safety.
To avoid these instances, supply chain providers are using AI to predict the interruptions before they happen. Predictive algorithms examine real-time data, seasonal demand trends, and purchase histories for automated reordering and supplier risk scoring.
Healthcare industry leaders are already seeing results. At Cleveland Clinic, AI automates invoice processing and tracks supply availability. This allows procurement teams to forecast shortages and pivot to backup vendors before disruptions occur.
Additionally, Mayo Clinic leverages AI-powered robotic fulfillment to automate inventory management to reduce human error and optimize costs. Pharma distribution giant McKesson is also leveraging AI-powered robots to optimize last-mile delivery and stock monitoring across thousands of healthcare facilities.
Apart from these, AI-powered solutions check for counterfeit danger, highlight irregularities in supplier behavior, and ensure documentation complies with changing FDA and EMA regulations. For example, TraceLink uses real-time analytics to track global disruptions and identify counterfeit drug risks. This protects supply integrity and improves patient safety.
Strausmed simplifies Hospital Supply Chain Optimization
Indian startup Strausmed streamlines hospital supply chain operations through AI-powered procurement, demand forecasting, and real-time inventory management. The company’s platform deploys supervised learning models and time-series forecasting algorithms to predict item-level demand based on historical usage, lead times, patient inflow data, and seasonal variability.
These predictions feed into an automated procurement engine that generates purchase orders, optimizes supplier selection based on contract terms and delivery performance, and adjusts inventory thresholds dynamically.
Strausmed also includes NLP-based contract parsing tools that extract pricing and compliance terms from unstructured documents. This automates tender management and audit workflows. The platform also features real-time alerts on supply disruptions and anomaly detection to identify irregular procurement behavior.
Clarium enables End-to-End Healthcare Supply Chain Visibility
US-based startup Clarium offers end-to-end visibility in healthcare supply chains by connecting hospitals, suppliers, and distributors. Its AI-powered software ingests and normalizes structured and unstructured data from EHRs, ERPs, and supplier networks using automated ETL pipelines.
The software then applies machine learning models, such as time-series forecasting and anomaly detection, to predict demand fluctuations, identify supply risks, and optimize reorder points. Its dashboards visualize real-time product movement, contract adherence, and supplier performance KPIs, supported by a rules engine that automates exception alerts and procurement workflows.
Additionally, Clarium’s NLP modules extract insights from clinical usage patterns and free-text documents to improve formulary alignment and utilization analytics. It also provides APIs and HL7/FHIR compatibility for enabling easy integration with existing hospital IT systems.
2. Supply Chain Traceability
The complexity of global healthcare ecosystems makes supply chain traceability an unavoidable requirement. A study by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that countries spend about USD 30.5 billion annually on substandard or falsified medical products. This is money lost due to inefficient supply chains.
The human cost of this invisibility is equally stark. Last year, regulators on three continents intercepted falsified Ozempic batches that had slipped into licensed wholesalers. This forced emergency recalls and exposed diabetic patients to ineffective or even dangerous injectables. Incidents like this make a compelling case for end-to-end digital “birth certificates” that trace every vial, catheter, or pre-filled syringe back to its origin.
Investors are piling into fixes. The global healthcare track-and-trace solutions market is valued at USD 8.34 billion in 2025 and is forecast to quintuple to USD 39.51 billion by 2034, growing at a CAGR of 18.9%.
Healthcare companies are utilizing barcode scanning, RFID, IoT-enabled sensors, blockchain, and cloud-based product authentication platforms to address this issue using digital traceability frameworks.
In the US alone, RFID healthcare spend climbs from USD 1.78 billion in 2023 to USD 5.24 billion by 2030 as hospitals tag everything from implants to infusion pumps.
Industry leaders are already cashing the ROI checks. BJC HealthCare’s pilot with Cardinal Health’s WaveMark RFID platform eliminated manual counts and is on track for USD 5 million in annual hard-and-soft savings once fully rolled out across the system.
BD’s new iDFill RFID-smart prefillable syringes push traceability down to the individual dose. It provides manufacturers and CDMOs with unit-level visibility from aseptic fill through last-mile delivery.
Moreover, Pfizer, Bayer, and Johnson & Johnson validate purchase orders and chargebacks over Chronicled’s MediLedger blockchain network. This enables a tamper-proof audit trail that reduces pricing disputes.
Mulder offers Blockchain-led Medical Device Traceability
UK-based startup Mulder develops a blockchain-based platform that enables end-to-end traceability of medical devices. The platform assigns each device a unique digital identity linked to a cryptographic hash, which records lifecycle events on an immutable blockchain ledger. This includes manufacturing, packaging, shipping, and clinical usage.
The platform utilizes smart contracts to enforce compliance rules, trigger automated alerts for maintenance or recalls, and verify supplier credentials during procurement. It also integrates with ERP, MES, and hospital inventory systems, supports GS1 and UDI standards to maintain interoperability and regulatory alignment.
Further, Mulder incorporates IoT sensors and QR code scanning for real-time data capture and geolocation tracking. Its audit layer enables role-based access control and zero-knowledge proofs to maintain security and privacy.
H+Trace facilitates Biological Sample Transportation Tracking
US-based startup H+Trace makes a cloud-based digital tracking platform for biological sample transportation. It combines multi-sensor IoT devices with GPS and cellular connectivity to continuously monitor temperature, humidity, vibration, light exposure, and geolocation.
Each sample shipment is assigned a unique digital ID, linked to sensor data and transport metadata, and stored using immutable blockchain-based timestamping. The platform supports dynamic alerting with rule-based thresholds, geofencing for route compliance, and integration with cold chain logistics and LIMS systems.
H+Trace also enables device-level configuration, battery diagnostics, and firmware over-the-air (FOTA) updates to maintain performance in varied field conditions. Its analytics dashboard visualizes shipment performance metrics and non-conformities to stakeholders across clinical labs, CROs, and biobanks.
3. Green Healthcare Supply Chains
To satisfy regulatory requirements and patient values, supply chain leaders are shifting to sustainable methods. Moreover, hospitals and pharmaceutical businesses come under growing scrutiny for waste production, carbon emissions, and energy-intensive operations. A recent study published in the Lancet Planetary Health claims that healthcare systems are accountable for around 5% of carbon emissions worldwide.
Supply chains account for 70% of the healthcare sector’s total emissions. As a result, hospitals and healthcare facilities worldwide can significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions by implementing sustainable procurement strategies.
With the announcement of the Health Sector Climate Pledge, the US Department of Health and Human Services committed more than 100 health systems and suppliers to cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
In reality, this change is propelling the adoption of waste-reducing packaging, eco-certified medical gadgets, local procurement approaches, and energy-efficient logistics.
For instance, surgical product manufacturer and provider Medline has established solar-powered distribution hubs, a fleet of electric delivery trucks, and recyclable surgical kits throughout North America.
Pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca has committed to lowering emissions throughout its whole value chain by 2030 by incorporating environmental standards into the selection of vendors and the planning of transportation.
Upstream reform is also being pushed by healthcare organizations. Kaiser Permanente‘s Sustainable Procurement Program emphasizes environmentally preferable purchasing (EPP), which involves selecting products and services that are less harmful to the environment and human health.
This includes considerations like cleaner energy, safer chemicals, resource conservation, and waste reduction. Digital carbon accounting solutions that evaluate Scope 3 emissions from suppliers and transportation providers in real time complement these initiatives.
Green supply chains have operational and financial advantages in addition to lowering environmental risk. Local sourcing enhances lead times and resilience, while sustainable packaging lowers bulk and shipping costs.
Ecomedic streamlines Medical Supplier Emission Tracking
UK-based startup Ecomedic builds a platform that tracks, quantifies, and analyzes carbon emissions from medical suppliers. The company aggregates emissions data across Scope 1, 2, and 3 by ingesting supplier-reported values, logistics activity records, and transactional procurement data.
It then applies standardized methodologies based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol and ISO 14064, using product-level lifecycle assessment (LCA) models and emissions factor libraries to calculate cradle-to-gate carbon footprints.
The platform also features an automated engine that matches emissions data with supplier SKUs, transport modes, and packaging configurations. This allows granular attribution of emissions per product or order.
Further, Ecomedic offers dashboards with supplier emissions ranking, hotspot detection, and variance analysis over time, alongside benchmarking tools against industry baselines and decarbonization pathways.
Artyc makes Reusable Shippers for Medical Cold Chain Logistics
US-based startup Artyc develops reusable, actively cooled shippers that enable sustainable cold chain logistics for temperature-sensitive medical products. It utilizes thermoelectric cooling powered by rechargeable batteries to eliminate dry ice or disposable insulation materials.
Each shipper is engineered for multiple-use cycles and incorporates IoT sensors that track temperature, humidity, location, and device status in real time, with data transmitted to a centralized monitoring platform via cellular networks.
Artyc’s solution supports digital audit trails, condition-based alerts, and predictive diagnostics. The shippers are designed for easy reconditioning between shipments, minimizing waste and operational downtime. The platform also integrates with hospital and lab logistics systems to streamline reverse logistics and automate performance tracking.
4. Advanced Medical Procurement
In today’s unstable healthcare climate, the old procurement model based on administrative approvals, paper contracts, and lowest-price purchasing has proven insufficient.
The 2024 Premier Supply Chain Resiliency Report states that over 67% of healthcare providers dedicate at least 10 hours each week to manage supply chain disruptions and shortages. Additionally, close to 40% reported postponing or canceling procedures at least once every quarter in 2023 because of product unavailability.
These issues are frequently caused by siloed vendor data or ineffective workflows. Hence, healthcare organizations are using spend management solutions, supplier performance dashboards, predictive analytics, and e-procurement platforms. These tools enable real-time visibility into price, lead times, and inventory.
For instance, one of the biggest healthcare performance improvement companies in the US, Vizient, provides a digital sourcing platform. It integrates supplier analytics, contract lifecycle management, and benchmarking.
The UK’s NHS Supply Chain has modernized procurement through the eDirect route. It now supports over 600 NHS trusts and healthcare providers. This platform enables clinicians and administrators to order medical supplies via a centralized digital catalog, designed with an intuitive, e-commerce-style user experience. Since 2020, eDirect catalog sales have grown by 168%. This indicates strong adoption and increases trust in the platform’s functionality and ease of use.
The global procurement software sector is on track to climb from USD 9.85 billion in 2025 to USD 16.28 billion by 2029, expanding at a 13.9% CAGR as hospitals, group purchasing organizations (GPOs), and distributors modernize their source-to-pay stacks.
Additionally, next-generation GPOs provide collaborative sourcing, AI-powered contract optimization, and real-time demand aggregation along with bulk reductions. The implementation of digital procurement would propel the worldwide healthcare GPO market to reach USD 21.45 billion by 2033.
MedReddie builds an AI Agent for Healthcare Procurement
Canadian startup MedReddie provides an AI-powered agent that streamlines procurement for healthcare providers by automating sourcing, price comparison, and supplier communication.
The startup combines NLP and machine learning to interpret procurement needs, match them with product specifications, and query a pre-vetted database of suppliers in real time. The agent continuously updates pricing, availability, and regulatory certifications while generating side-by-side comparisons of clinical products based on quality, cost, and supplier reliability.
It also integrates with hospital procurement systems to auto-generate RFQs, track orders, and manage vendor performance. The AI agent learns from historical purchasing data to optimize future buying decisions and recommend cost-saving alternatives without compromising clinical standards.
Restocq develops a Dental Stock Ordering Platform
Australian startup Restocq offers a platform that streamlines dental stock ordering by automating inventory monitoring, supplier coordination, and procurement workflows for dental clinics.
The platform connects practice management systems and inventory databases through API integrations by enabling real-time synchronization of stock levels and consumption data. It uses AI-based forecasting models and rule-based automation to generate reorder prompts based on usage trends, lead times, and more.
Restocq aggregates product catalogs from verified dental suppliers, standardizes SKU data, and offers side-by-side comparisons of pricing, availability, and delivery terms. The system supports multi-vendor ordering, batch procurement, and digital invoice reconciliation.
Its dashboards provide spend analytics, order tracking, and compliance reporting. It also features customizable alerts, automated invoice matching, and audit-ready procurement logs for regulatory alignment.
5. Cold Chain and Specialized Logistics
The healthcare sector relies heavily on precise environmental control to ensure the integrity of temperature-sensitive products, like vaccines, biologics, cell therapies, and specialty medications.
Nearly 20% of temperature-sensitive healthcare products suffer damage during transit due to disruptions in the cold chain. Additionally, around 0.5% of these products are compromised because of failures to adhere to temperature regulations during transportation. The result is not only financial loss, but patient harm, supply disruption, and regulatory penalties.
Regulatory scrutiny is also getting more intense. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the World Health Organization (WHO) have issued guidelines that place a strong emphasis on adhering to Good Distribution Practices (GDP), which include temperature logs, route risk assessments, and backup plans.
To meet these high-stakes demands, healthcare logistics providers are deploying a suite of advanced technologies. IoT-enabled sensors allow for real-time condition monitoring, including temperature, humidity, shock, and light exposure. Moreover, data loggers paired with cloud-based dashboards offer instant alerts and historical audit trails for regulatory compliance.
As the healthcare sector is adopting these solutions more and more, investments in the global healthcare cold chain logistics market are also growing. It is expected to expand from USD 4.7 billion in 2024 to USD 7.66 billion by 2032, reflecting a CAGR of 4.60%.
Industry leaders are stepping up. UPS Healthcare has expanded its cold chain logistics facilities across Europe and Asia, including freezer farms capable of storing vaccines at -80°C. Its cold chain monitoring suite, UPS Premier, provides real-time tracking for pharmaceuticals throughout the delivery cycle.
Meanwhile, DHL Supply Chain operates a global network of over 250 GDP-compliant pharmaceutical warehouses and offers temperature-controlled air freight through its Life Sciences and Healthcare Logistics division.
Akuratemp enables Temperature-controlled Medical Sample Shipping
US-based startup Akuratemp develops temperature-controlled shipping solutions for safe medical and biological sample transport. Its reusable containers feature phase change materials (PCMs), vacuum insulation panels, and integrated temperature sensors to maintain precise thermal ranges during transit, including 2–8°C, frozen, and ultra-cold conditions.
The containers log real-time temperature data throughout the shipment and transmit it to a cloud-based dashboard via Bluetooth or cellular connectivity. This enables continuous monitoring and audit-ready documentation.
Akuratemp’s modular packaging systems are validated under ISTA and WHO protocols and support multiple shipment durations and use cases without dry ice or external power. The platform also includes route optimization tools, predictive risk modeling, and inventory management features for container fleets.
TrueCold provides a Pharma & Clinical Trial Cold Chain Data Platform
Spanish startup TrueCold builds a platform that manages and monitors cold chain operations for pharmaceutical and clinical trial logistics. The startup integrates data from IoT sensors, GPS trackers, and temperature loggers into a centralized platform. It records and analyzes environmental conditions across each shipment’s lifecycle.
The platform processes real-time data streams to detect temperature excursions, humidity fluctuations, and route deviations. It applies rule-based logic and predictive algorithms to generate alerts, automate compliance checks, and prevent product spoilage.
TrueCold also offers dashboards for shipment status, lane validation analytics, and risk scoring. This enables users to trace performance across transport lanes, packaging types, and carrier partners.
6. Healthcare Logistics Robots
The increasing need for rapid diagnostic kits, biologics, and personalized patient treatments makes it difficult for traditional logistics strategies to keep up. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports persistent vacancy rates in logistics and distribution roles. This indicates that labor shortages continue to cause warehouse operation disruptions.
Robotics offers a scalable and sustainable solution to this. It is becoming more and more important in simplifying logistics processes at scale as healthcare supply chains become more complex and time-sensitive. Healthcare logistics robots are advancing last-mile delivery, order fulfillment, and warehousing by adding accuracy, speed, and labor resilience.
Robotic picking arms and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) find use in big pharmaceutical distribution facilities for performing time-sensitive and repetitive activities like order picking, palletizing, and sorting. The global healthcare mobile robots market size is projected to reach USD 10.88 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 16.1%.
Major healthcare distributors are now collaborating with companies like 6 River Systems (Acquired by Ocado Group) and Locus Robotics to streamline fulfillment processes. These robots increase pick rates by navigating changing warehouse settings using real-time data, AI, and fleet orchestration.
Bastian Solutions, a subsidiary of Toyota Industries, has implemented robotics-integrated cold chain storage automation to maintain pharmaceutical-grade temperature control throughout storage and handling. Its automated systems combine conveyor robots, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), and robotic palletizers.
Healthcare logistics robots are also entering last-mile distribution. Starship Technologies and Nuro are piloting small-scale autonomous delivery vehicles for secure, time-bound deliveries of medications to outpatient facilities and pharmacies. Although they are still in the early stages of deployment, these robots have the potential to lower delivery costs and carbon emissions, particularly in densely populated urban regions.
Clevon manufactures Autonomous Healthcare Delivery Robots
US-based startup Clevon offers autonomous delivery robots that support healthcare logistics by transporting medical supplies, prescriptions, and laboratory samples within and between healthcare facilities.
The company leverages self-driving electric vehicles (EVs) to navigate urban and campus environments. Each vehicle features multiple sensor arrays, including LiDAR, radar, and computer vision systems, and temperature-controlled compartments that preserve the integrity of transported materials.
They also support multi-stop routing for optimized delivery schedules. Clevon’s fleet management platform enables real-time tracking, remote vehicle control, and dynamic route optimization while integrating with hospital logistics systems for easy coordination.
Moreover, the vehicles operate on public roads under supervised autonomy and adhere to local traffic regulations, using vehicle-to-everything (V2X) communication protocols to ensure safety and interoperability.
Emancro provides Hospital Pharmacy Logistics Robots
US-based startup Emancro builds autonomous robotics systems that streamline pharmacy logistics in hospitals. The systems automate medication, prescription, and medical consumable transport across clinical departments.
The company integrates AI-powered fleet coordination with indoor AMRs to navigate hospital corridors using SLAM-based mapping, real-time obstacle detection, and dynamic route planning. The robots include access-controlled compartments for payload protection and integrate with hospital pharmacy and inventory systems to synchronize delivery schedules and stock levels.
Emancro’s platform features a centralized command interface that allows staff to dispatch, monitor, and audit robot tasks while collecting performance metrics like delivery times, idle rates, and route efficiency. The system also supports multi-robot coordination, elevator integration, and automatic charging.
7. Healthcare Inventory Management
Roughly 20% of key medical supplies in US hospitals experience scarcity rates above 5%. This creates significant operational strain in securing vital items. Manual inventory processes aggravate the issue, causing frequent errors, supply delays, and inaccurate forecasting. As a result, hospitals waste resources on expired stock.
These inefficiencies put a burden on finances, interfere with patient treatment, and make it more difficult to comply with legal requirements.
Healthcare systems are responding to this by implementing cloud-based supply chain solutions that offer visibility across several sites, automated dispensing systems, and RFID-based inventory tracking. This minimizes stockouts, reduces overstocking, and ensures the right products are available at the point of care.
An analysis by Research and Markets projects that the demand for operational cost control and digitization will propel the global healthcare inventory management market to expand to USD 600.81 million by 2028, at a CAGR of 8.87%.
Cardinal Health has developed an RFID-enabled platform, WaveMark, that tracks the real-time movement of high-value medical devices and consumables. It enables hospitals to prevent losses and automate reordering based on usage trends.
Similarly, Owens & Minor integrates advanced demand planning and inventory optimization tools within its supply chain services. This enables hospitals to match supply levels with procedural volumes and seasonal demand surges.
Inventory management systems are also improving last-mile delivery coordination. For example, McKesson’s OneTrack solution combines inventory tracking with order fulfillment data for clinics and pharmacies to manage supply levels dynamically. It also enables compliance with product traceability requirements for controlled substances and temperature-sensitive goods.
Another emerging innovation area is automated point-of-use inventory systems. They automatically record when items are used and trigger real-time updates to central inventory systems in surgical suites or diagnostic labs. This reduces reliance on manual counts and improves accuracy for high-turnover, high-cost items.
SmartPAR enables AI-Powered Hospital Inventory Management
US-based startup SmartPAR offers an AI-powered platform for hospital inventory management that automates tracking, replenishment, and utilization of medical supplies through real-time data capture and machine learning-driven optimization.
The startup combines passive and active RFID tagging, high-resolution computer vision sensors, and autonomous mobile scanning robots to capture item-level inventory changes across storage locations and procedure rooms.
Its platform then processes this data using predictive models, like time-series demand forecasting, anomaly detection, and Bayesian optimization, to anticipate stock needs, detect variances, and dynamically adjust reorder thresholds.
The platform also supports UDI tracking, lot-level traceability, and automated expiration date monitoring. Its dashboard provides real-time alerts, compliance reporting, and usage-to-procedure correlation for cost accountability. It also maintains full audit trails for regulatory readiness and supports multi-location inventory balancing.
Autonomi facilitates Autonomous Medical Inventory Management
Israeli startup Autonomi provides an autonomous inventory management system for hospitals. It automates the tracking, replenishment, and auditing of medical supplies using robotics and AI.
The startup deploys mobile autonomous units equipped with computer vision, RFID scanners, and onboard processing to navigate clinical environments, scan inventory shelves, and capture real-time data on stock levels, expirations, and SKU accuracy.
Its platform uses AI-based algorithms to analyze consumption patterns, predict replenishment needs, and generate automated procurement requests tailored to usage trends and critical stock thresholds.
Autonomi also features a centralized dashboard that visualizes stock locations, usage velocity, and inventory risk scores while offering alerts for anomalies, waste, and supply bottlenecks.
8. Smart Packaging, Labeling, and Serialization
According to WHO estimates, 1 in 10 medical items in low- and middle-income nations are either faulty or fraudulent, which puts patient safety at serious risk. Moreover, countries collectively spend around USD 30.5 billion annually on substandard and counterfeit medical products.
Governments have responded to this by enacting stronger serialization laws, such as the EU Falsified Medicines Directive (FMD) and the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA). These laws mandate that items have unique IDs that can be tracked down at every level of the supply chain.
To meet these demands, pharmaceutical manufacturers are implementing serialization-ready labeling systems that embed 2D barcodes, RFID tags, and digital watermarks directly onto unit-level packaging.
For example, industry leader Siemens offers Movilitas.Cloud. It enables end-to-end serialization and aggregation, which allows tracking from manufacturer to dispenser. Similarly, Optel’s real-time serialization and traceability software, VerifyBrand, allows cloud-based serialization compliance integrated with packaging lines and ERP systems. This supports secure product authentication and recall management.
Avery Dennison has created intelligent RFID-enabled labels that offer a multi-layered defense against fraud and environmental harm by combining product ID, temperature sensor, and tamper evidence. For temperature-sensitive goods like vaccines and biologics, these labels facilitate cold chain verification while enhancing quality assurance and streamlining audits.
Global packaging supplier Amcor provides a connected packaging, MaxQ, that integrates QR codes and near-field communication (NFC) into blister packs and cartons. These features enable pharmacists, logistics providers, and patients to verify product authenticity, access storage guidelines, and report adverse events.
In addition to traceability, smart packaging aids with stock optimization and waste reduction. By predicting product demand and expiration, data obtained through serialized packaging allows companies to avoid shortages and overstock.
Apiject develops a Blow-Fill-Seal (BFS) Container for Safe Injection Delivery
US-based startup Apiject provides a blow-fill-seal prefilled injector for injectable drug delivery. The company uses BFS technology to form, fill, and seal a plastic container in a single sterile process, integrating it with a fixed-needle hub to create a single-dose, prefilled injection device.
It supports aseptic drug packaging for various liquid formulations and incorporates RFID-enabled tracking for dose-level traceability throughout the supply chain. The device design includes tamper-evident features and ensures consistent dosing without manual assembly or vial-syringe handling.
ApiJect also provides a modular, high-throughput BFS production system that manufacturers deploy to scale output rapidly while meeting industry standards.
Covectra enables Advanced Pharmaceutical Serialization
US-based scaleup Covectra develops a pharmaceutical serialization and traceability solution. The company applies serialized barcodes and RFID tags to individual units, cases, and pallets of medication, linking each to its AuthentiTrack. It is a cloud-based platform that captures chain-of-custody events, shipping data, and transactional records throughout the supply network.
The platform verifies product authenticity at every stage, detects diversion, and flags irregularities using rule-based analytics and real-time scanning across warehouses, pharmacies, and healthcare providers.
Covectra also integrates with manufacturing execution systems (MES), ERP platforms, and supply chain management tools to synchronize product data and automate compliance with DSCSA, EU FMD, and other global serialization regulations. The platform supports recall workflows, generates audit-ready documentation, and offers performance dashboards for logistics oversight.
9. Next-Generation Delivery Drones
Infrastructure constraints, traffic jams, and geographic restrictions are plaguing the conventional medical supply chain. These challenges delay life-saving deliveries.
Consequently, healthcare organizations are deploying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for last-mile deliveries of medical supplies, vaccines, blood products, and diagnostic samples, particularly in remote, congested, or disaster-affected regions.
Through the World Economic Forum’s “Medicine from the Sky” initiative in India, drone deliveries have significantly improved access to medical services in remote areas.
Zipline, a leading medical drone logistics company, has made over 850,000 commercial deliveries in nations like Rwanda, Ghana, and the US.
Additionally, Memorial Hermann Health System, a major not-for-profit healthcare provider in Texas, has partnered with Zipline to enable drone delivery of specialty prescriptions and medical devices. The collaboration also supports the transport of medications, medical supplies, and lab samples between the organization’s various facilities.
In the US, UPS Flight Forward, a division of UPS, received FAA Part 135 certification for operating a drone airline. It collaborates with CVS Health and hospital systems to deliver prescriptions and essential medical items across campuses and metro regions.
In November 2019, UPS and CVS completed their first residential drone deliveries of prescription medications in Cary, North Carolina.
Further expanding their services, in April 2020, UPS Flight Forward and CVS launched a drone delivery initiative in The Villages, Florida – the largest US retirement community. This program was designed to deliver prescription medicines directly to residents and support social distancing efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AI-powered flight navigation, cold chain drone containers, and blockchain-verified delivery records for security and traceability are some of the prominent emerging technologies in the field. Owing to these advances, the global medical drones market is projected to reach USD 2.6 trillion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of 13.9%.
Yali Aerospace advances Safe Medical Supplies Delivery
Indian startup Yali Aerospace makes autonomous drone systems for the safe delivery of medical supplies to healthcare facilities, remote clinics, and emergency sites. The startup offers lightweight, fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft with advanced flight control systems, real-time telemetry, and climate-controlled cargo bays.
The drones operate autonomously along pre-mapped air corridors and use GPS and onboard obstacle detection sensors to maintain safe navigation. Whereas, the ground control system monitors flight status, battery performance, and delivery conditions.
Yali Aerospace integrates its drone fleet with healthcare logistics platforms, enabling easy dispatching, payload verification, and delivery confirmation. Moreover, the aircraft are optimized for medium-range, high-frequency medical transport in urban and hard-to-reach areas.
Delivrone enables Express Medical Drone Delivery
French startup Delivrone develops autonomous drone systems for express medical delivery. They enable rapid and secure transport of time-sensitive healthcare materials like blood units, vaccines, and lab samples.
The company designs electric VTOL (eVTOL) drones with insulated cargo compartments, real-time GPS tracking, and navigation systems. It enables temperature-stable deliveries across short and mid-range distances.
Delivrone’s flight management software automates mission planning, route optimization, and regulatory compliance. It integrates with hospital logistics platforms and public airspace management systems. The startup’s ground infrastructure includes smart charging stations and automated loading bays.
10. Direct-to-Patient Delivery
Patient expectations, the increasing use of telemedicine, and the expanding significance of home-based care are driving the adoption of direct-to-patient delivery. It allows pharma companies, specialty pharmacies, and care providers to ship medications, devices, and diagnostic kits directly to patients’ homes with speed, security, and personalization.
According to the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Pharmacy Study, overall satisfaction with mail-order pharmacies has been steadily increasing. Notably, 52% of customers are now aware of digital pharmacies. This growing awareness and satisfaction suggest a shift in patient preferences toward home delivery options for medications.
Pharmaceutical logistics giants are investing heavily in this space. AmerisourceBergen (now Cencora) operates Xcenda and Lash Group solutions that provide end-to-end support for home delivery of specialty medications. Their cold chain capabilities ensure product integrity during transit, even across multi-day routes.
Walgreens Boots Alliance has significantly expanded its direct-to-patient delivery capabilities for specialty and chronic care medications through its specialty pharmacy division. Effective last year, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy was rebranded as Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy, integrating nearly 300 community-based specialty pharmacies across the US. This expansion enhances the company’s ability to provide home delivery services for patients managing complex and chronic conditions.
Key enablers of DTP success include last-mile optimization platforms, IoT-enabled delivery tracking, and real-time patient feedback loops. Additionally, smart packaging monitors temperature and tamper events to protect sensitive drugs in transit.
Further, HIPAA-compliant mobile apps allow patients to schedule deliveries, track shipments, and receive medication reminders, improving adherence and engagement.
DtP Solutions offers Advanced Direct-to-Patient Kitting
US-based startup DtP Solutions enables direct-to-patient kitting services that streamline the distribution of clinical trial materials and therapies to individual participants. The company integrates centralized logistics coordination with GMP-compliant packaging, automated order processing, and temperature-controlled fulfillment.
The startup’s platform uses a modular kit design system and barcode-based inventory tracking to assemble personalized shipments that include investigational drugs, medical devices, and patient instructions, tailored to protocol requirements.
DtP Solutions connects with sponsor systems, clinical trial management software, and courier networks. This enables real-time status updates, chain-of-custody documentation, and automated replenishment based on dosing schedules. The service also includes multilingual labeling, returns management, and condition-based packaging solutions for cold chain and ambient needs.
carGO Health provides On-Demand Medical Courier Services
US-based startup carGO Health offers on-demand medical courier services that connect healthcare providers, laboratories, pharmacies, and patients. The startup’s platform matches time-sensitive transport requests with a distributed network of trained medical couriers. This ensures secure and timely delivery of lab specimens, medications, and medical equipment.
Its platform integrates GPS tracking, dynamic routing, and real-time status updates, while enabling digital chain-of-custody records and automated proof-of-delivery workflows. carGO Health supports custom pickup windows, temperature-sensitive handling, and service-level agreements tailored to clinical urgency.
It also integrates with EHRs, pharmacy systems, and diagnostic labs. Lastly, it provides centralized dispatch tools, delivery performance analytics, and audit-ready documentation for healthcare compliance.
Discover all Healthcare Supply Chain Trends, Technologies & Startups
To improve reliability and reduce waste, healthcare providers will adopt expiry management systems and strengthen demand forecasting capabilities. Supply chain consolidation will enable greater operational efficiency. Anti-counterfeiting technologies will also secure the integrity of medical products across distribution networks.
Together, these developments will support a more agile, transparent, and secure healthcare supply chain. As the industry adapts to rising patient needs and global supply challenges, these innovations will play a critical role in shaping the future of care delivery and system resilience.
The Healthcare Supply Chain Management Trends & Startups outlined in this report only scratch the surface of the trends that we identified during our data-driven innovation & startup scouting process. Identifying new opportunities & emerging technologies to implement into your business goes a long way in gaining a competitive advantage.
