Medtronic has expanded its London office to 25,000 square feet and increased its local workforce to over 200 employees, establishing the site as its largest global center focused on AI and robotics in surgery.

The move is part of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar investment in the United Kingdom by the Galway, Ireland-based company, aimed at strengthening its research and development presence. Located in London’s Old Street tech district, the expanded office—dubbed the Centre of Digital Excellence—will concentrate on developing digital and software technologies to support robotic-assisted surgery globally.

According to the company, the facility has already produced software used in operating rooms across more than 30 countries and developed hundreds of AI algorithms designed to help surgical teams with planning and analysis. A mock operating room onsite enables testing of emerging technologies and allows clinical partners to engage with new tools in a simulated environment.
“The future of surgery is increasingly digital,” said George Murgatroyd, vice president and general manager of digital technologies within Medtronic’s surgical business. “Our investment reflects the significant talent and innovation here in the U.K., including in AI, and is a statement of intent to transform healthcare outcomes for surgeons and patients worldwide.”

Medtronic’s work in the U.K. includes ongoing collaborations with several NHS hospitals, including Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King’s College, and Guy’s and St. Thomas’. Projects include the use of its GI Genius module, which has shown increased detection and reduced miss rates during colonoscopies, and the government-funded NAIAD trial, billed as the country’s largest AI study in gastroenterology.

“This is a transformative moment for surgical innovation within the NHS,” said professor Sanjay Purkayastha, consultant surgeon at Imperial College Healthcare. “AI-powered technologies are no longer future concepts in surgery; they are here and will redefine how we care for patients.”

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