Last Friday, I had the pleasure of participating in the annual general meeting of the LSCN GmbH – LifeScience Consulting Network in Mannheim, kindly hosted by SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz.
The meeting provided an excellent platform to exchange views on the current state of the German and international healthcare markets and to reflect on the challenges and opportunities for the consulting industry in an increasingly volatile environment.
Some key insights and discussion points included:
1 AI and LLMs are reshaping the industry
The rapid and widespread adoption of AI and large language models across all areas of Life Sciences is undeniable – and irreversible.
A particular highlight was the contribution by Simon Apel, Partner and Patent Lawyer at SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz, who shared highly valuable insights on how companies can protect their intellectual property from being absorbed, replicated, or misused by AI systems.
2 Constrained access to capital
Funding for investments, equipment, market access initiatives, and M&A remains limited, with only a few technology areas – notably AI – still attracting significant capital inflows.
3 Increasing geopolitical and regulatory pressure
Global crises, conflicts, trade barriers, tariffs, mandatory discounts, and uncertainties around pricing and reimbursement are increasingly impacting business planning and market dynamics across the Life Sciences sector.
4 Shifts in operating models
Labor-intensive activities are increasingly being outsourced to other regions (e.g. India) or supported by AI-driven solutions to improve efficiency and cost structures.
5 De-risking through resilient supply chains
Companies are focusing more strongly on risk mitigation strategies, such as securing international supply chains and establishing regional or local warehousing concepts.
6 Networks still matter – more than ever
Despite all technological progress, personal relationships, trust, and hands-on experience remain critical success factors – both for consultants and for Life Science companies aiming for successful market access and to get their jobs done. AI can support decision-making, but it cannot replace real-world connections or any manual work. Besides deep networks, an experienced and skilled workforce remain mission-critical for companies’ success.
Many thanks to Alrik Koppenhoefer and Thomas Wirth for having organized such a valuable and well-curated meeting. A special thanks also to SZA Schilling, Zutt & Anschütz for their outstanding hospitality and again to Simon Apel for a highly relevant and thought-provoking presentation and discussion.
About LSCN
The Kalms Group is a partner of LSCN GmbH, a global partner for strategic consulting and interim management with deep international expertise across Diagnostics, MedTech, Biotech, and Pharma, supported by an extensive global network of senior industry professionals.
The image utilized in this article was sourced from unsplash.com in accordance with the license terms of use.
Published on: April 21, 2026
