Innovation Field “Health”

North Rhine-Westphalia has a strong research and innovation landscape in the healthcare industry and the field of medical technology. The “Health” innovation field in North Rhine-Westphalia is characterised by a dense network of (university) hospitals, clinics, medical faculties, non-university research and development institutions as well as a large number of small and medium-sized enterprises operating worldwide in different areas of the health system. The overall framework as well as trends, which are becoming increasingly important for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in North Rhine-Westphalia too, are governed by the high level of specialisation of scientists and researchers and their extensive know-how in specific fields of innovation.

Research and innovation measures in the framework of the “Health” innovation field will be the key to mastering health-related challenges, such as the demographic transition towards an “Ageing Society”. They deliver new insights and capabilities, improve our understanding of health and diseases and help stakeholders to make use of the opportunities presented by new methods and technological solutions for healthcare, such as digitalisation, personalisation and biologisation.  

Synergien.NRW

This is the starting point for the Synergien.NRW project, which shows how European research funding through Horizon Europe (until 2021 Horizon 2020) can be dovetailed in practice with regional funding in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds. The events planned over the course of the project, especially the Synergy Workshop on the topic of health, bring together all stakeholders from politics, research and innovation from North Rhine-Westphalia’s health sector in order to join forces and develop entry points for further measures. In this context, the Synergien.NRW project is in close exchange with the Cluster Medizin.NRW, so that political objectives, measures and results can make a joint and coordinated impact.