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Where growth and science have a long tradition

In the region between the North Sea, Baltic Sea and Elbe River, one of the most important locations for medical technology, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology has developed in recent decades. With globally active companies such as Dräger, Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe and Eppendorf and internationally renowned scientific institutions such as the German Electron Synchrotron (DESY), the Bernhard Nocht Institute and the university hospitals Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) and Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), a large number of global players with a long, unique success story belong to the Life Science Nord region. Their innovative, ground-breaking work over decades – sometimes over centuries – still forms the basis today for the excellent reputation and strong appeal of the region as a business hub.

Working together for success

Life Science Nord has established itself as one of the leading life science networks in Europe. Some 500 companies, research institutes and institutions with 52,800 employees, a gross value added of €5.0 billion and an export volume of €6.6 billion are based in the region*.

Key Indicators for 2018

With its many companies and diverse competencies in various domains and applications, North Germany is an ideal location for the life science industry; it is also a national and international centre for innovative medicine. The cluster players cover a broad spectrum from basic research to marketable end products. Close co-operation across national borders, industries, companies and institutions has always been at the heart of the cluster.

* According to the study ‘The Economic Footprint of the Life Science Nord Cluster 2018’

THE ECONOMIC FOOTPRINT (PDF)

Complete value chain in the life science industry

As an innovative core area of the health industry, life sciences are an important future field for the states of Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg. Factors such as demographic change, climate change and globalisation, which brings with it new infections and routes of infection, are constantly presenting the industry with new challenges. Business and science are therefore working hand in hand. Together, they cover the entire value chain required for the development of new therapies and medical devices: from research and development and clinical studies to manufacturing, marketing and sales. This close co-operation of researchers and clinicians with industrial partners and highly specialised service providers is reflected in the diverse innovative products, projects and technologies from the region. In the medical technology and biotech/pharmaceutical sub-sectors, the cluster boasts outstanding expertise in the following areas:

  • Imaging
  • Surgical technology/precision surgery
  • Implantology
  • Orthopaedics
  • Laboratory equipment
  • Molecular diagnostics
  • Pharmaceutical research – particularly in the indication areas of neurodegenerative diseases, oncology, inflammation and infections
  • Platform technologies
More about medical technology
More about biotech & pharma

Efficient infrastructure

Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein are not only known for their economic efficiency and outstanding quality of life – in infrastructure, too, no one can outdo the North Germans, e.g. when it comes to access to thematic networks, the availability of highly qualified personnel and the proximity to the scientific community. In addition, the North boasts an industry structure with excellent networks and well thought-out development tools, underpinned by huge political support. Since the founding of the Life Science Nord cluster, the Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg state governments have worked together and with great commitment to promote North Germany as a life science hub and to create excellent conditions for entrepreneurs and scientists – also in comparison to competing regions.

Renowned science & research institutions

They are a flagship, and at the same time an important basis for the added value of the Life Science Nord cluster: The universities, together with the university hospitals and non-university research institutes cover a broad spectrum of research and science, both in basic and applied research.

Non-university research institutes in the north:

Universities

University hospitals