The National Venture Capital Association released its 2009 Predictions Survey. At first glance, some may wish it never had. Nine-two percent of the 400 respondents are predicting an even slower investment year than 2008, when 211 funds raised $28 billion, compared to 2007 when 247 funds were bolstered by $35.5 billion.

The silver lining, however, should come as no surprise. It’s medical devices and bio tech. Sixty-eight percent of the respondents predicted that medical devices will have the highest potential for stability and growth, and 58% said the same of biotech companies. The only category to finish higher was clean technologies.

More good news for medical start-ups (with cash) comes in knowing that manufacturing capacity can be had at lower prices, and fast production runs can happen even for small-volume quantities.

More on the venture-capital landscape as it pertains to medical devices will be reported in the pages of Medical Design magazine in coming months. Stay tuned.