OSLO, Norway, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Public trust in health innovation may be less predictable than healthcare organizations assume, according to new research from DNV, the independent assurance and certification provider.
A global survey of 12,500 people across 17 countries found that mindset is a stronger indicator of trust than traditional demographic factors such as age, income or geography.
The findings, published in DNV's new report The Future of Health: Four mindsets shaping trust, innovation and care challenge conventional approaches to audience segmentation and identify four distinct trust mindsets that influence how people evaluate healthcare, innovation and the future of care.
With health ecosystems facing growing pressure from ageing populations, workforce shortages and rapidly advancing technologies, understanding what builds public confidence will become critical.
Contrary to popular belief, the report finds that trust cannot be explained through demographics alone. People with similar demographic profiles can hold very different attitudes towards innovation and the future of health. The report identified four distinct mindsets of people building trust in healthcare: Trusting Optimists, Human Connectors, Evidence Evaluators and Pragmatic Realists.
While Trusting Optimists are inclined to embrace new technologies that promise better outcomes and access to care, Human Connectors judge innovation through the lens of personal relationships and compassionate care. Evidence Evaluators look for transparency, accountability and proof that innovations deliver on their promises. The largest group identified in the research was Pragmatic Realists, people who judge innovation less by how advanced it is and more by whether it improves access, affordability and healthcare outcomes.
What makes these mindsets particularly significant is that they cut across traditional demographic boundaries. While age, income, health status and location all influence attitudes towards healthcare, they do not fully explain how people build trust. The research found, people with similar demographic profiles often belong to different trust mindsets, while people from very different backgrounds frequently share similar views on innovation and the future of care.
The findings also challenge common assumptions about age and technology. While older people are often viewed as more resistant to innovation and younger generations as more naturally accepting, the research suggests attitudes are shaped less by age than by people's experience of healthcare.
Across all four mindsets, one finding stood out. Nearly two-thirds of respondents, expressed concern that healthcare could become less personal as technology adoption accelerates, highlighting a shared expectation that innovation should strengthen and not replace the human experience of care.
The research suggests that people do not embrace innovation simply because it is new. Rather, confidence grows when technology is developed responsibly, assessed rigorously and implemented with patient outcomes in mind.
"Healthcare has never been innovating faster. But innovation alone won't determine the future of healthcare, trust will. Many assume trust is determined by age, gender or social status. Our research shows it's far more nuanced than that. Demographics influence trust, but do not define it." said Geir Fuglerud, CEO - Life Sciences at DNV. "The four mindsets we identify show that people build confidence in different ways, yet they share one important expectation: Technology should strengthen healthcare, not replace human care."
The report The Future of Health: Four mindsets shaping trust, innovation and care is available to download here.
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PUBLIC TRUST IN HEALTH INNOVATION IS SHAPED MORE BY MINDSET THAN DEMOGRAPHICS, DNV RESEARCH FINDS
Partnership Will Accelerate GracoRoberts' Growth as a Trusted Supplier of Mission-Critical Materials to the Global Aerospace and Defense Industry
ARLINGTON, Texas, July 23, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- GracoRoberts ("GracoRoberts" or the "Company"), a leading value-added distributor of specialty chemicals and advanced composite materials to the aerospace and defense industry, today announced a strategic investment from Tinicum, L.P. and affiliated funds managed by Tinicum Incorporated ("Tinicum"). GracoRoberts' management team is retaining a significant interest in the Company and will continue to lead the business.
Headquartered in Arlington, Texas, GracoRoberts is the largest, fastest and most technically-focused specialty chemicals distributor serving the global aerospace & defense market. The Company supports customers through an omnichannel model that combines industry-leading eCommerce capabilities with highly specialized technical sales expertise. It offers a broad range of adhesives, sealants, coatings, composites, and other specialty chemicals, paired with unmatched technical support and customer service. Additionally, the Company provides a defense logistics and compliance program offering end-to-end supply chain management for military operations, along with value-added services such as custom kitting, labeling, repackaging, cold storage, and vendor-managed inventory solutions.
"Tinicum shares our commitment to our people, our partners, and the long-term success of this business," said Jason Caldwell, Chief Executive Officer of GracoRoberts. "This partnership provides additional resources to invest in our team, strengthen our capabilities, and continue delivering exceptional value to the customer and supplier partners we serve. We are incredibly proud of what our employees have built over the past decade alongside financial partner CM Equity Partners, and we are excited to build on that foundation in this next chapter of growth."
"We greatly admire the business that the GracoRoberts team has built. It is distinguished by the team's technical depth, unwavering commitment to customer service, and longstanding partnerships with the world's leading material manufacturers," said Erik Blumenkranz, Partner at Tinicum. "We intend to invest behind that foundation with a long-term mindset — in the people, the capabilities, and the platform," added Roddy Cruz, Partner at Tinicum. "It is exactly the kind of durable, market-leading business we seek to partner with."
"It has been a privilege to partner with the GracoRoberts management team over the past 11 years," said Jeffrey Mark, Managing Partner at CM Equity Partners. "Working together, we executed a value creation strategy centered on strategic acquisitions, operational excellence, and sustained organic growth, transforming GracoRoberts into the market-leading company it is today. We are proud of what the team has accomplished and believe the Company is exceptionally well positioned for continued success with Tinicum."
Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Harris Williams served as exclusive financial advisor, and Holland & Knight LLP served as legal counsel to GracoRoberts and CM Equity Partners. Goodwin Procter LLP served as legal counsel to Tinicum.
About GracoRoberts
GracoRoberts (www.gracoroberts.com) is the largest, fastest, and most technically-focused specialty chemicals distributor serving the global aerospace & defense market. As a full-service supplier of complex engineered materials for aerospace and defense segments, composites, electronics, and other advanced manufacturing industries, GracoRoberts is fully AS, ISO, and CMMC II certified and authorized to distribute over 50 specialty chemical brands including 3M, AkzoNobel, Eastman, ExxonMobil, Henkel, Hexcel, Huntsman, Momentive, Resin Formulators, and more. The Company — made up of parent GracoRoberts, Silmid, SkyGeek, Pacific Coast Composites, and Sky Mart — serves thousands of customers worldwide and differentiates by adding value: services include world-class eCommerce, global distribution, custom formulation, specialty packaging, vendor managed inventory, intermix and kitting services, defense logistics and compliance, and an on-site, staffed chemical laboratory and testing facility.
About Tinicum
Tinicum, founded in 1974 as a family investment office, is a private partnership that manages a diversified group of manufacturing, distribution, and industrial technology companies. It seeks to be the trusted partner of business owners and executives who share its belief that long-term prosperity can be created by teams of capable, honest people working together and investing diligently to fulfill the potential of great businesses. For more information, visit www.tinicum.com.
About CM Equity Partners
CM Equity Partners ("CMEP"), based in New York, NY, provides capital to the US Federal government solutions and aerospace and defense industries. Founded in 1992, CMEP partners with management teams to build enduring value by leveraging its industry knowledge, relationships, operating experience, and its corporate finance, M&A, and private equity expertise. CMEP employs an active and collaborative management approach, developing long-term strategic plans and guiding decisions on re-investment of profits to grow and broaden a company's revenue base and capabilities. CMEP's investments are structured with flexibility across a broad spectrum of the capital structure, including equity, structured equity, and mezzanine debt. For more information, visit www.cmequity.com.
Media Contact
Allison Lombardo
Chief Marketing Officer
GracoRoberts
alombardo@gracoroberts.com
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GracoRoberts Announces Strategic Investment from Tinicum
