Lunch & Learn ahead of MEDICA: Collaborative R&D funding for healthcare innovation in UK and Germany

Here you can register

Medical technology is one of the most innovative sectors: In Germany, medical technology companies engaged in research invest on average around 9 per cent of their turnover* in research and development (R&D), and a significant proportion of their turnover is generated by very new products. At the same time, a large proportion of the innovation momentum originates in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which often bring new technologies into practical use in close collaboration with end users.

To ensure that good ideas are turned into marketable solutions more quickly, funding schemes and international collaborations are becoming increasingly important. To this end, Innovate UK and the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE)** have outlined bilateral funding approaches for German–British R&D collaboration projects involving SMEs – open to numerous technology and application fields and with a clear focus on market-oriented commercialisation.

At the same time, the sector is under considerable pressure to innovate: New technologies, increasing regulatory requirements and a dynamic healthcare market demand rapid, robust development pathways. However, research and development are complex and cost-intensive – particularly for SMEs. This makes it all the more important to make targeted use of funding opportunities and to build sustainable partnerships in order to efficiently bring innovations from concept to application.

This is exactly where our online event comes in:
Firstly, you’ll gain insights into the healthcare markets in Baden-Württemberg and the United Kingdom, as well as specific opportunities for collaboration. Experts will then provide a concise overview of R&D funding processes in Germany and the United Kingdom. In addition, representatives from medical technology companies will use case studies to demonstrate how they have successfully navigated these processes.

Via a matchmaking platform, which is linked to the Lunch & Learn event, you can identify suitable discussion partners and arrange meetings in advance – the ideal preparation for the BW–UK networking evening at the medical technology trade fair `MEDICA` (18th of November, 2026 at the Baden-Württemberg joint booth G24 in hall 15, Messe Düsseldorf), where you can deepen your exchanges in person and further develop collaborations.

The event is organised in collaboration with the UK-partners of the BW-UK partnership initiative – Scottish Development International and the BW-UK-Office of Baden-Württemberg International (BW-i), Invest Northern Ireland and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) – as well as the British partner of MEDICA 2026 – Medilink UK and funded by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Crafts and Tourism Baden-Württemberg.

As part of the BW-UK economic partnership initiative, which was launched in 2020 by the Baden-Württemberg Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour and Tourism, the British Consulate-General and the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), the aim is to strengthen networking and the development of cooperation between economic regions. BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg supports this initiative in the field of the health economy.

R&D = Research and Development

*https://www.bvmed.de/themen/standort-de/forschung-und-entwicklung-ueberdurchschnittliche-innovationskraft (2023)
**https://www.nks-dit.de/aktuelles/news/bilaterale_foerderung_kmu (2024)