The East Netherlands has everything needed to develop medical technology so that care becomes better, faster and less labour-intensive. There is a large number of innovative companies in health, food and technology. And it is precisely at the intersection of these three that opportunities and ideas lie.
What are our spearheads
in the area of healthcare?
The strength of the East is
that we are close to the users
of healthcare: professionals,
patients and residents
In addition, the East Netherlands has a finely-meshed structure of SME companies. Our knowledge institutions are literally at the heart of society. The strength of the East is that we are close to the users of healthcare: professionals, patients and residents. With the investment agenda for Prevention & MedTech, we contribute to two themes in the national mission-driven innovation policy, namely: health and agriculture, water & food.
By linking our activities to the missions, the link with the Dutch Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and the Regieorgaan SIA is also guaranteed, especially for the activities in the domain of Applied Technical Sciences (TTW). There is also a strong link with ZonMW and Prevention & MedTech is an addition to the National Prevention Agreement, which currently pays no attention to innovation.
At European level, it is to be expected that in programmes such as Horizon Europe and ERDF 2021-2027, the mission-driven approach will be continued and further strengthened. Healthcare and the healthcare market is a cluster spearhead within the objective of 'Global challenges and European Industrial Competitiveness'. The focus is on healthy living, early diagnosis and improving quality of life for patients. Our Prevention & MedTech agenda is in line with this.
All developments promoted by East Netherlands in the area of health and medical technology are also in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The developments as described in this investment agenda mainly have a positive effect on health (SDG3) and reducing differences between various population groups (SDG10).
New methods of prevention, healthy nutrition and development, and application of medical technology make the East Netherlands a growth area for research, innovation and training of a new generation of professionals. In this area, the geographical location ensures close business and scientific ties with the neighbouring German region.
Through the connection with the food cluster, there is great potential in East Netherlands to invest in prevention and lifestyle. This combination is unique for the Netherlands and Europe.
Which companies and organisations in East Netherlands
are involved in Prevention & MedTech?
Strengthening the anchors of the Prevention & MedTech business climate
For Prevention & MedTech companies, there is not enough lab space available in East Netherlands. As a result, medical start-ups and scale-up companies are now threatening to move to other regions. Therefore, we want to offer more business space for companies and knowledge developers to do business in medical technology, prevention and health.
Strengthening innovation capacity
For Prevention & MedTech companies, it is difficult to obtain early-stage capital in East Netherlands. As a result, they lose innovative power. The universities, colleges and medical centres are initiators of innovation and activity. But in practice, it is difficult to get innovations to the market or adopted in healthcare institutions. Therefore, we stimulate business activity, focus on faster validation and more attention on market introduction.
(International) cluster formation
By strengthening the alliances between the Prevention & MedTech cluster in the Eastern part of the Netherlands with Brainport and Brightland and with knowledge regions elsewhere in Europe, this cluster can also act internationally. In this way, we are building an international ecosystem.
In East Netherlands, the development of new medical technology, prevention, health and healthy food is firmly anchored. The organisations HealthValley Netherlands, Health Innovation Park and Food Valley NL have a large innovation network and are working on new connections, nationally and internationally. To build on this solid position in prevention, health and medical technology, we focus on the following spearheads:
Our focal points
1. AI For Life Center (Nijmegen)
2. Alliantie Voeding in de zorg (Ede)
3. BRISKR (Nijmegen)
4. Chip Integration Center Nijmegen (CITC)
5. Digital Health Centre (Nijmegen)
6. Fieldlab Eerstelijnsgeneeskunde (Lent)
7. Fieldlab Gehandicaptenzorg (Arnhem)
8. Fieldlab Revalidatie (Ubbergen)
9. Fieldlab Tweedelijnszorg (Doetinchem)
10. Food Valley (Wageningen)
11. HAN Biocenter (Nijmegen)
12. Health Innovation Park (Zwolle)
13. Health Valley (Nijmegen)
14. Heyendaal Campus (Nijmegen)
15. ICMS Maartenskliniek (Ubbergen)
16. NOVEL-T (Enschede)
17. Novio Tech Campus (Nijmegen)
18. Parkinson Net (Nijmegen)
19. Radboud Innovation Center
Reshape (Nijmegen)
20. Rockstart Digital Health (Nijmegen)
21. Techmed Centre Twente (Enschede)
22. TOPFIT (Enschede)
23. Vitaal Twente (Enschede)
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1. FoodConnect (Almelo)
2. Friesland Campina (Borculo)
3. GATT (Nijmegen)
4. GreenFood50 (Wageningen)
5. Lipocoat (Enschede)
6. NutriLeads (Wageningen)
7. Organext (Arnhem)
8. PinkRF (Nijmegen)
9. SigmaScreening (Enschede)
10. Smart Material Printing
(Enschede)
11. Surfix (Wageningen)
12. TropIQ (Nijmegen)
13. Unilever Foods Innovation
Centre (Wageningen)
14. CHE (Ede)
15. Donders Instituut (Nijmegen)
16. HAN (Nijmegen)
17. Hogeschool Windesheim
(Zwolle)
18. Max Planck Instituut
(Nijmegen)
19. MESA+ (Enschede)
20. NIZO Food & Research (Ede)
21. OnePlanet Research
Centre (Wageningen)
22. Papendal (Arnhem)
23. Radboud Universiteit
(Nijmegen)
24. Radboud Universiteit
Medisch Centrum
(Nijmegen)
25. Roessingh Research
& Development (Enschede)
26. Royal GD (Deventer)
27. RU Molecules for Life
Institute (Nijmegen)
28. Saxion Enschede
29. Saxion Deventer
30. Sint Maartenskliniek
(Ubbergen)
31. Siza Academy het Dorp
(Arnhem)
32. TOP Insitute Food and
Nutrition (Wageningen)
33. Universiteit Twente
(Enschede)
34. Van Hall Larenstein (Velp)
35. VKON (Den Ham)
36. Wageningen Universiteit
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1. 20Med Therapeutics (Enschede)
2. Ambroise (Enschede)
3. Ampleon (Nijmegen)
4. Arjo Nederland (Tiel)
5. Artines Medical Systems (Elst)
6. Assistive Innovations (Didam)
7. Astra Zeneca (Nijmegen)
8. Athom BV (Enschede)
9. Avantes (Apeldoorn)
10. Avivia (Nijmegen)
11. Baat Medical (Hengelo)
12. Beagle (Epe)
13. Benchmark (Almelo)
14. Biomed Elements (Nijmegen)
15. Byondis B.V. (Nijmegen)
16. De Koningh Medical Systems (Arnhem)
17. Demcon (Enschede)
18. Encapson (Enschede)
19. Essilor (Zevenaar)
20. Hankamp Rehab (Enschede)
21. Hy2care (Enschede)
22. Hybriscan (Arnhem)
23. IamFluidics (Enschede)
24. Indes Medical (Enschede)
25. Khondrion (Nijmegen)
26. Lipocoat (Enschede)
27. Machnet Medical Robotics (Enschede)
28. Malvern Panalytical (Almelo)
29. Medimate (Enschede)
30. Medspray (Enschede)
31. Mellon Medical (Nijmegen)
32. Micronit (Enschde)
33. Nedap (Groenlo)
34. Nexperia (Nijmegen)
35. Orikami (Nijmegen)
36. Pera Labs (Nijmegen)
37. Plasmacure (Nijmegen)
38. Quirem Medical (Deventer)
39. Relitech (Nijkerk)
40. Soteria Medical (Nijmegen)
41. SPL Medical (Nijmegen)
42. Synthon (Nijmegen)
43. Thales (Hengelo)
44. Thirona (Nijmegen)
45. Tinybots (Nijmegen)
46. TMSi (Oldenzaal)
47. U-Needle (Enschede)
48. Van Breda (Brummen)
49. VDL ETG (Almelo)
50. Virtask (Harfsen)
51. Von Gahlen (Zevenaar)
52. VyCap (Enschede)
53. Wassenburg Medical BV (Dodewaard)
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1. Inreda Diabetes (Goor)
2. Micreos (Wageningen)
3. Mimetas (Enschede)
4. Noldus IT (Wageningen)
5. Nutricia (Wageningen)
6. Nutrileads (Wageningen)
7. Orthros (Raalte)
8. SensURHealth (Zeist)
9. Sleep AI (Nijmegen)
10. Vitalnext (Leiden)
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1. Canisius Wilhelmina Ziekenhuis (Nijmegen)
2. Deventer Ziekenhuis
3. Gelre Apeldoorn
4. Isala Zwolle
5. Medisch Spectrum Twente (Enschede)
6. Rijnstate Arnhem
7. Sint Maartenskliniek (Ubbergen)
8. Ziekenhuis Gelderse Vallei (Ede)
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How does our region contribute to a healthier Netherlands and Europe?
Below we show some companies, knowledge institutions and networks in East Netherlands that are strongly committed to prevention and medical technology. This map is certainly not exhaustive. Also, we have left out the care organisations: there are 21,500 of them in Gelderland and 10,500 in Overijssel, together accounting for almost 297,000 jobs.
Prevention & MedTech in focus
OnePlanet Research Centre
The programme line 'Precision Health, Nutrition & Behavior' of the OnePlanet Research Centre in Wageningen has a holistic view on health. Researchers collect and combine data on physiology, genotype, microbiome, behaviour, nutrition and context of people. They strive to develop sensor technology and models that translate results into preventive and curative actions. In doing so, they take into account social, physical and emotional aspects. Solutions should help individuals to incorporate necessary changes for healthy living into daily life.
An example of new sensor technology is a platform for measuring the effects of food on bowel health. Data models, such as mental health and nutrition models, are then combined in a 'Digital Twin' platform.
DIH-HERO is an independent platform that connects the hotspots around medical robotics throughout Europe. In this way, the platform creates a sustainable network for everyone active in the field of healthcare robotics. The project consortium consists of seventeen core partners from eleven pan-European countries. The UT is the lead partner. The primary objective is to accelerate innovation in healthcare robotics. To bring innovators, providers, companies, users and politicians into contact with each other, DIH-HERO offers an open online matchmaking portal. DIH-HERO supports small and medium-sized enterprises (including through vouchers and grants) in maximising their impact and reducing time-to-market.
Companies are brought into contact with healthcare stakeholders, making their innovative products and services more attuned to the needs of healthcare across Europe. Moreover, DIH-HERO addresses the necessary standardisation for robotics in healthcare, including ethical, legal and social issues.
The European DIH-HERO
TOPFIT and ICMS
Best practices
With our spearheads on Prevention & MedTech, the East Netherlands has a proven offering to tackle the societal challenges in healthcare and also stimulate activity in the fields of health, nutrition and medical technology. How do we do this?
- In East Netherlands, there are many field labs for validation and testing.
- SMEs involve their users at an early stage in the development of their innovation. This results in a strong validation and implementation capacity. Healthcare institutions are increasingly developing first applications in co-creation with users and patients through innovative procurement processes or challenged-based calls for tenders.
- The region has a unique knowledge combination of food, health and technology. In addition, all the knowledge is present in the key technologies that are needed to advance healthcare and create business.
- The favourable geographical location ensures the ability to work internationally. This makes the East Netherlands an interesting collaboration partner for the demanding German market in health concepts and medical technology.
Below are some inspiring sample projects in which knowledge institutions, companies and health insurers, hospitals and health care providers, patients and residents work together on innovations in preventive care and medical technologies.
How does our region contribute to a healthier Netherlands and Europe?
Eat2Move is the innovation hub for nutrition and physical activity. The centre in Wageningen works on optimal nutrition to promote performance and recovery in (top) sport and care. New knowledge leads directly to innovative processes with companies for the development of services and products. The initiative is from Alliantie Voeding in de zorg, the partners being WUR, Gelderse Vallei, NOC*NSF, HAN, Sportcentrum Papendal, NIZO and Radboudumc. The province of Gelderland provided financial support.
Eat2Move
In the MedTech Cluster Twente, companies, knowledge and care institutions work together in an ecosystem for innovations that make a solid contribution to the care of tomorrow. The heart of the MedTech hub is in Enschede, at the Kennispark Twente innovation campus. In addition to numerous spin-off companies such as DEMCON, Micronit, ECSens, Vycap, Lipocoat and Iamfluidics, the Techmed Centre and Nanolab of the University of Twente are also just a stone's throw away. The hub also cooperates intensively with the Saxion professorships and courses, as well as the ROC van Twente.
The two top clinical hospitals in Twente, Roessingh Research & Development and a number of other healthcare institutions work together on a project basis on healthcare innovation under the name of Vitaal Twente. Within the Technology Care Academy (TZA), the focus of cooperating healthcare institutions is on awareness, adoption and acceptance of healthcare innovations.
The MedTech Twente hub is strongly linked to Health Innovation Park in Zwolle and the healthcare network of Health Valley Netherlands, which is managed from Nijmegen. We are currently working on a roadmap to take MedTech in East Netherlands to the next level as an international hub.
Knowledge, entrepreneurship and innovation come together at the Novio Tech Campus in Nijmegen. Researchers and entrepreneurs in Health & High Tech are turning the campus into an innovative hotspot with products and services for a better, healthier world. From preventive malaria medicine to a new generation of chips. Novio Tech Campus cooperates with many parties so that support and services can be offered to start-ups, scale-ups and experienced companies, including access to the knowledge and research facilities of the RU, Radboudumc and surrounding companies.
Solutions in the fight against the coronavirus
In East Netherlands, a powerful Life Sciences & Health top cluster of companies, knowledge institutes and care institutions has emerged. In times of coronavirus, short lines of communication and a great willingness to collaborate have given them enormous development and strength. One example is the Viralert initiative, in which the companies Micronit, DEMCON, LioniX International and VyCAP worked together with knowledge institutions from all over the Netherlands to develop rapid tests. Another example is the development of the Ventilatorpal Pro. University of Twente, Radboudumc and the company FreeBreathing developed a machine which can take over manual ventilation.
MedTech Cluster Twente
Novio Tech Campus Nijmegen
TOPFIT is a strategic open innovation programme initiated by Radboud University (RU), Radboudumc, Wageningen University & Research (WUR) and the University of Twente (UT). It includes a wide range of partners, such as health care institutions, companies, insurers, municipalities, municipal health services (GGDs), universities of applied sciences and vocational education. The programme has a horizon of ten years and an annual turnover of €100 million, and aims to be the largest embedded research lab and Health Innovation Hub (including public-private innovation platform) in Northern Europe.
An autonomous part of TOPFIT is the International Consortium of Clinical Movement Science & Technology (ICMS): a unique partnership between the Sint Maartenskliniek (SMK), the Radboudumc, the RU, the UT, Roessingh Research & Development and Rehabilitation Centre Roessingh in cooperation with scientifically driven companies (national and international). ICMS aims to improve the independence and social participation of people suffering from movement disorders. The consortium also focuses on breakthroughs in early diagnosis and treatment of movement disorders.
