Background
This report gives an overview of players in health technology ecosystem in Trøndelag. In this context, health tech is defined as “the application of organized knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems developed to solve a health problem and improve quality of lives1”.
The mapping includes four stakeholder groups; companies providing health tech (startups, scaleups and established companies), R&D actors and test infrastructure, clusters, networks and forums, as well as investors. The report will be updated on a regular basis.
Companies developing and selling health tech
We have identified 64 health technology companies in Trøndelag. 20 companies deliver medical equipment with main focus on diagnosis and treatment of illness, 11 welfare technology, 11 medicine,10 sports technology, 10 ICT support systems and 2 distribution technology.
The 64 companies had a total revenue of 2 150 m NOK in 2021, and employed 1 717 employees as of June 2022. 56 of the identified health technology companies are located in Trondheim, the remaining 8 in municipalities close to Trondheim (Indre Fosen, Levanger, Stjørdal, Skaun, Midtre Gauldal and Oppdal).
In addition to the 64 identified health tech companies, there are many examples of technology subcontractors located in Trøndelag. These operate along the full value chain from manufacturing and assembly to service and competence provision, ASIC/IP2 development and sales, and direct application of integrated circuits.
R&D actors and test infrastructure
We have identified five main public and private performers of R&D related to health tech in Trøndelag; three hospitals (St. Olavs hospital HF, Levanger and Namsos), two universities (NTNU and Nord Universitet) and one R&D institute (SINTEF).
Furthermore, we have identified 34 health tech related R&D infrastructure entitities in Mid Norway, consisting of 3 R&D support departments, 6 R&D centres, 8 core facilities, 9 special lab environments, 3 innovation infrastructure/laboratories and 5 health related simulation and learning infrastructure.
This R&D infrastructure is strategically anchored in a hospital, college, university or R&D institute in the region, is available for all types of users throughout the region and offers services and equipment beyond basic needs. Ordinary laboratories and teaching areas are not included. Special lab environments at NTNU and SINTEF are included as these can be used by external stakeholders.
In addition to the R&D performed by the hospitals, universities and R&D institues, the identified health tech companies also conduct own R&D projects. Of the 64 identified health tech companies, 18 companies have as of autumn 2022 175 million NOK of RCN funded R&D projects ongoing.
Clusters, networks and forums
We have identified 17 different clusters, networks and forums working with issues related to health tech in Trøndelag, including 2 programs, 1 project, 3 forums, 1 cluster, 2 incubators (planned), 1 lab, 5 networks, 1 association and 1 funder. There probably exist even more informal (and formal) networks and forums, but these are hard to identify.
Investors
We have identified 18 existing investors in Mid-Norway, and 3 planned investment activities/funds. Of these 18 investors, 8 investors have invested in some of the 64 identified health tech companies. The remaining 10 investors have not yet invested in health tech companies. 5 of them are industry agnostic and 5 of them have other stated sector focus than health tech.
1 Definition by World Health Organization
2 Application-specific integrated circuit