Ireland’s vibrant medtech ecosystem has developed steadily over the last 40 years and has played a significant role in Ireland’s economic development over the same period.
According to IDA Ireland, the medical technology industry in Ireland accounts for €12.6bn in annual exports, making Ireland one of the largest exporters of medical products in Europe.
The world’s top 10 biopharmaceutical companies and 14 of the world’s top 15 medical technology companies have operations here, and are surrounded by a cluster of innovative indigenous start-ups.
Enterprise Ireland has stated that the sector has grown from 50 to 350 medtech companies within 20 years, and now employs 38,000 workers throughout the country – the highest number of people working in the industry in any country in Europe, per head of population.
Jacqui O’Connor, Technical Director with Galway based startup MedScan3D, sees the medtech sector in Ireland going from strength to strength.
“The Irish medtech sector continues to grow at a robust rate. It’s a tribute to the enterprise and endeavour of a number of committed parties, including IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, the Irish Medtech Association, as well as the multinationals and indigenous companies at the industry’s core.”
The collaborative approach to developing such a successful medical device sector in Ireland has been particularly successful in Galway, where a global medtech cluster has developed. This has seen the support of a whole range of local organisations including Galway Chamber of Commerce, LEO Galway, NUIG, GMIT, BioExel, BioInnovate, Galway Technology Center and The Portershed to name but a few.
With such a thriving ecosystem in which to operate, O’Connor is experiencing significant demand for the company’s range of anatomical models, designed to assist medical professionals in the areas of pre-surgery planning and education.
“Our focus is on the creation of highly accurate patient specific 3D anatomical models. We develop clinically relevant models and place real anatomy in the hands of healthcare professionals and engineers. There is no doubt that we are fortunate to be based in Galway, with some of the biggest medical device companies in the world having a presence here.”
With Galway’s continued position as the centre of Irish medtech, MedScan3D looks well positioned to continue to benefit from such a thriving local medical device ecosystem.
For more information on MedScan3D please visit www.medscan3d.ie.
