INVESTMENTS & PENSIONS
The second main cohort of companies we met fell into the healthcare camp . We had a fascinating visit to Dexcom , a world leader in continuous glucose monitoring , which allows people with Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes to manage their condition with accuracy and confidence . Intuitive Surgical was one company we hold that we didn ’ t get to meet in person but as an existing investor it was exciting to peek at their impressive six building 1.21 million square feet campus in Sunnyvale – a city that lies along California ’ s historic Highway 101 . Tracing its roots back to the 1990s and IPO ’ ing in 2000 , Intuitive Surgical ’ s da Vinci robotic surgical system was used in 2 million procedures during 2023 . And with the firm disciplined and rigorous in its approach to securing regulatory approval for a growing number of specific procedures , its position as a global leader across many geographies looks secure . And they are visibly backing that up with new manufacturing capacity to support the launch of the fifth generation da Vinci system . A meeting with Edwards Lifesciences – a specialist in innovative medical devices – brought our trip to a close . We toured the firm ’ s campus and visited the manufacturing line for their transcatheter heart valves – impressive pieces of kit that retail at around $ 34,000 . It was great to finish on a high note and we were keen to further explore the potential of this firm with our health care team when back in the office .
Of course , the trip wasn ’ t all dialogue with company management teams , and we managed to take in some memorable west coast attractions . In Seattle , the Space Needle is best avoided if heights aren ’ t your thing , but the MoPop museum of popular culture is well worth a visit – especially if you ’ re a fan of grunge , indie computer games or sci-fi . And at the Chase Centre in San Francisco , we also saw a hard-fought west conference basketball game between the Golden State Warriors and Portland Trail Blazers , with Steph Curry wrapping up the game with a last-second three-pointer .
All in all , you ’ d have to be very cynical indeed to come away and not be inspired by the creativity and drive that abounds in the successful businesses that call the US west coast home . The fact that so many of them have only sprung up in the past 20-30 years , yet have already become so globally influential , is genuinely impressive . There are also many more to come back and visit , such as AirBnB , Alphabet , Apple , and Crowdstrike . These influential companies are shaping our future and we will keep heading back to visit them to deepen our understanding of their global ambitions . The mention of any specific shares should not be taken as a recommendation to deal .
READ MORE
is valid at the date of publication and may be subject to change without notice . Information from external sources is considered reliable but there is nagement Limited , No . 517895 , both registered in England and Wales and authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Conduct Authority .
MAY 2024 | 35