Look for a partner with proven expertise in ultra-low-power electronics and medical software. They should have experience designing implantable and compact wearable devices, with a strong background in biosensor signal processing and power optimization. The best partners also understand how to produce AI-ready data and have a track record of bringing regulated medical devices to market successfully.

The biggest challenge is balancing performance with extremely low energy use. A device must capture and process biosensor data accurately without quickly draining its tiny battery. Designers have to choose specialized low-power components and optimize every software task to save power. Often there are trade-offs to conserve energy while still providing reliable, real-time health insights—such as reducing data acquisition and transmission frequencies, simplifying algorithms, and knowing when it’s worth accepting higher amplifier current drain in favor of lower noise.

Medical device startups should focus on ultra-low-power design early because battery life is often the first metric on which devices are judged beyond their efficacy. If a wearable or implant requires daily charging or an implant’s primary battery dies too quickly, users and clinicians won’t adopt it. Planning for minimal power use from the start avoids costly redesigns later and ensures the product can deliver continuous monitoring and better patient experience on a tight power budget