Medical device Start-ups and SMEs continue to be increasingly exposed to a competitive environment, where competitive advantage and product differentiation are achieved through integrated solutions and multi-technology platforms. One reason for that is personalized or individualized medicine; another reason is market stretching, e.g. through offering solutions for the entire clinical pathway of a disease instead of providing one single medical device for a particular treatment episode. Both aspects require a MedTech company to build significantly more R&D resources; which usually presents a limiting factor for Start-ups and SMEs. Consequently, R&D needs to be reorganized and flexibilized using external R&D organisations.

Such external R&D organisations can be University Departments, other MedTech companies, private and public institutes for applied research or external contract R&D companies. These organisations can help close a Start-up’s and SME’s own R&D resource gaps going forward. However, identifying, committing and moderating such an R&D partner happens to be difficult for Start-ups and SMEs.

Expert:

Dr.-Ing. Jan Stallkamp
Head, Fraunhofer Project Group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology (PAMB)

Head of the Fraunhofer Project Group for Automation in Medicine and Biotechnology (PAMB), Dr. Stallkamp is managing those R&D cooperations between the Fraunhofer Group, Medical Device Companies and external contract R&D organisations, and provides in-depth knowledge in this field. Thus, he can help MedTech Start-ups and SMEs identifying, committing and moderating suitable R&D partners for your targeted disease and technology.