High-tech for enhanced quality of life
Medical technology is engaged in research and production in the interest of public health and quality of life. To this end, it applies a host of basic and cross-sectional technologies, such as mechatronics, microsystem technology, ICT, photonics/optics, material science, pharmaceutical and bio-technology and also produces a wide range of products and system solutions. Technological trends such as miniaturization and automation generate great innovation potential on an ongoing basis.
Driven by technological advancement as well as the global demographic and economic development, medical technology is a major building block in the public health sector and a significant growth market. For the global market in medical technology - which currently has a volume of approx. 200 billion euro – annual growth rates of between six and seven percent are expected.
Bavaria is a healthy location for medical technology
Bavaria occupies an excellent position in the medical technology growth market: - As a strong business location with a host of technology and market leaders
- As outstanding science location with profound and extensive know-how
- As a high power health location with modern infrastructure facilities
Medical technology from Germany - and especially from Bavaria - ranks top of the international league alongside the U.S. The German medical products industry employs nearly 150,000 people and generates more than half of its sales with products that are less than three years old.
Some 20 percent of the people employed in the German medical products sector work in Bavaria – and there are almost 20,000 highly qualified employees active in the field of medical technology. Bavaria covers over 60 percent of the medical electrical equipment production and 30 percent of Germany’s entire production in medical technology. The export share of the medical technology industry in Bavaria is approximately 70 percent.
Medical technology in Bavaria:
Bavaria bundles corporate competence more than almost any other region in Europe. There are approximately 250 companies, mostly SMEs, active in the core field of medical technology.
Large companies rely on Bavaria as a location: Bavaria is home to many of the top global players in the medical technology and pharmaceuticals sector, or they have centers and subsidiaries here – these include Siemens Medical Solutions, Baxter, Fresenius Medical Care, GlaxoS-mithKline, Novartis Pharma, Roche and General Electric with its European Research Center in Garching near Munich.
In Bavaria the business community and science pursue medical technological innovations on an ongoing basis and with great success – in the fields of medical equipment, imaging and data processing, minimally-invasive techniques and tissue engineering.
Market and partners in the medical technology sector
Germany is the world’s third largest market for medical technology products with a market volume of 20 billion euro. Bavaria accounts for a large share of this volume based on the demand potential - from technology users and a host of first-class service infrastructures (hospitals, doctor’s surgeries, preventive care and rehabilitation facilities),
- in the medical technology industry to meet the demand for devices, systems and technological solutions within the scope of their manufacturing processes.
Networks for shaping successful medical-technological-economical value-added chains: - The Forum MedTech Pharma e.V. with some 600 members forming a unique platform in an interdisciplinary network
- BioMedTec Franken as Franconian cooperation network of the universities of Bayreuth, Erlangen-Nuremberg and WĂĽrzburg, which supports start-ups and site investments of innovative companies
Attractive research environment for medical technology
Bavarian science institutions boast top class know-how in medical technology and basic technologies and excel as competent partners for companies operating in these fields.
In the university sector: - Friedrich-Alexander-University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Center for medical physics and technology
- Technical University Munich-Garching (TUM) and Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Central Institute for Medical Engineering (ZIMT), Biomedical Engineering Network, medical technology course of studies at the TUM
- University of Regensburg, Telemedical Center
- University of WĂĽrzburg, specific focus on Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Biomedicine and Biomaterials
- Universities of Applied
Sciences of Munich Nuremberg, WĂĽrzburg-Schweinfurt,
Regensburg, Ansbach
Non-university research institutions: Bavaria also supports a variety of Research Cooperations. Scientists from different disciplines work together with partners from industry on R&D topics.
Examples of research cooperations: - Bavarian Research Cooperation for Bioanalogical Assistance Systems (FORBI-AS)
- Bavarian Research Cooperation for New Strategies in Immunotherapy (FORIM-MUN)
- Bavarian Research Cooperation Prions (FORPRION)
- Bavarian Research Cooperation for Situated, individualized and Personalized Human Computer Interaction (FORSIP)
Well-qualified workforce for the field of medical technology
Bavaria has a strong supply of highly qualified manpower. There are already some 400,000 engineers, technicians and trade specialists working in the mechanical engineering and electrical industry. There are over 50,000 doctors active in medical research and practice. Vocational training, based on the world famous dual system which closely combines theoretical instruction and practical training, assures excellent employee competence at all times.
Optimal environment
Entrepreneurs find the right framework conditions in Bavaria:
Bavaria is home to the German Patent and Trademark Office, the European Patent Office, the Fraunhofer Patent Center for German Research , the Max-Planck-Institute for Foreign and International Patent, Copyright and Competition Law as well as the Central Administration of the Fraunhofer and Max Planck Society.
Bavaria’s centers of excellence are ready to provide attractive space for start-ups and new company investments, and, in particular, incubators and innovation centers equipped with state-of-the-art facilities : - Innovation Center for Medical Technology and Pharmaceuticals (IZMP) in Erlangen
- Innovation Center and Incubator Nuremberg-FĂĽrth-Erlangen (IGZ)
in Erlangen
- Innovation Center and Incubator BioMed/ ZmK in WĂĽrzburg
- Technology and Incubator Gate in Garching
Bavaria also stands out with its high-caliber medical-clinical infrastructure which uniquely combines “hard“ locational advantages, like the high service spectrum in patient care, with “soft” locational factors such as attractive programs in the wellness sector: - 400 approved hospitals for acute cases, 48,000 medical practitioners and almost 10,000 dentists
- 341 preventive care or rehabilitation facilities
- 53 spas and health resorts – one in three of all German wellness holiday makers comes to Bavaria.
Access to funding
Bayern is the venture capital center of Germany and is home to many VC companies. The company Bayern Kapital GmbH is a key driver for providing risk capital. The investment of private investors can then be tripled by Bayern Kapital and the TBG Technologie-Beteiligungs-Gesellschaft investing the same amount.
Bavarian initiatives and programs in the medical technology sector
With its initiative the High-Tech-Offensive, the State of Bavaria has put a key emphasis on life sciences (medical technology, bio- und genetic engineering ), investing an extra 80 million EUR in medical technology outside of the normal budget in the years from 2000 to 2005.
Bavaria has additionally awarded extensive support to research and development projects in medical technology for years now, within the framework of its technology support program: Production and investment projects are eligible for grants or interest-reduced loans in certain areas of Bavaria.
Medical technology locations in Bavaria
The Greater Areas of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Munich have advanced to become cutting-edge competence centers. The regions of Regensburg and Würzburg are also rated as high-caliber medical technology centers. - Internationally recognized expertises in the fields of medical technology – especially imaging processes, X-ray technology, physical medical technology, virology / pharmaceutical research Erlangen/Nuremberg
- Clinics and institutes of the universities as well as non-university research of the highest renown in medicine and medical technology – especially minimum-invasive and computer-aided methods; materials and process systems - Munich
- Center of a telemedical network for interlinking hospitals with university clinics, Center for Applied Biomedicine – Regensburg
- Research focus on bio-materials, implants as well as magnetic resonance imaging, research cooperation with the universities of Erlangen-Nuremberg and Bayreuth – Würzburg
Information material:
In the company database “Key Technologies in Bavaria“ you will find information on medical technology companies operating in Bavaria.
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