Extend your participation at the TechMed Event with a visit to the organisations, institutions and networks that together make up the medical technology ecosystem in Twente. Here you will find universities, research facilities, companies and clinical institutions located close to each other – a unique opportunity to explore the possibilities this region has to offer. Twente is a region where science, technology and practice reinforce each other to advance healthcare. It forms a network in which knowledge institutions, companies and healthcare organisations collaborate on developing new solutions for medical care.
Education and Research institutions
The University of Twente plays a central role in this ecosystem. Through the TechMed Centre, the region hosts a leading research and innovation hub for medical technology. Researchers, students, clinicians, and companies collaborate on new applications, supported by facilities such as simulated hospital environments, state-of-the-art laboratories, and testing and validation facilities.
In addition to the University of Twente, Saxion University of Applied Sciences and ROC van Twente play a key role in the regional medtech ecosystem. Saxion focuses on practice-oriented research and education, where students and research groups collaborate on solutions that can be directly applied in healthcare. ROC van Twente strengthens this ecosystem by training future healthcare professionals and technicians to work with innovative health technologies. Together, these institutions create a strong link between research, education, and practice, making Twente a vibrant hub for the development and implementation of health tech innovations.
Kennispark Twente & MedTech Twente
Kennispark Twente is an innovation campus where entrepreneurship and collaboration come together. Start-ups, scale-ups, established companies, and knowledge institutions collaborate on solutions across various sectors, including high-tech systems, energy, and new materials. Visitors can explore organisations that use technology to address major societal challenges.
Within this ecosystem, MedTech Twente plays a central role. Primarily based at Kennispark but connected to clinical and research institutions across the region, the cluster brings together researchers, companies, and healthcare providers to accelerate the translation of medical innovations into clinical practice. MedTech Twente focuses on research and development across four technological areas: medical devices that improve diagnostics, treatment, and monitoring; micro- and nanotechnologies such as biosensors and organ-on-a-chip; biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovations for regenerative therapies and personalised care; and motion, sensing & imaging technologies, including sensors, imaging, and AI to make healthcare faster, more accurate, and less invasive.
The region hosts established MedTech companies such as Demcon, Medspray, Micronit, Lipocoat, and IAMFluidics, alongside emerging scale-ups like ECSens, Vycap, Flux Robotics, and Flowbeams. Together with knowledge institutions such as the University of Twente and Saxion University of Applied Sciences, and local hospitals, MedTech Twente forms a collaborative ecosystem driving innovation to improve patient care and healthcare delivery in the region.
Hospitals & Clinical Institutions
The strength of MedTech in Twente also lies in its close collaboration with healthcare practice. The region hosts a range of hospitals and clinical institutions that link research, innovation, and implementation with everyday patient care:
- Medisch Spectrum Twente (MST, Enschede): a top-clinical hospital in the Netherlands, with a strong focus on research and innovation partnerships.
- Ziekenhuisgroep Twente (ZGT, Almelo and Hengelo): a top-clinical hospital, active in patient care and a partner in regional innovation projects.
- Roessingh Research & Development (Enschede): a centre for rehabilitation and applied research, focusing on technology-supported solutions to improve patient outcomes.
- Deventer Ziekenhuis (Deventer): a top-clinical hospital involved in clinical innovation projects and collaborations that support the implementation of new medical technologies.
Cross-Border Networks
The MedTech region of Twente extends beyond the Netherlands. Thanks to its proximity to Germany, there are strong connections with international networks:
- Tech.Land: an important cross-border partner focused on collaboration in medical technology and life sciences.
- Euregional collaborations: projects and networks where Dutch and German knowledge institutions, companies, and healthcare organisations work together on clinical studies, innovation programmes, and infrastructure.
- International research and innovation programmes: Twente and its partners participate in European collaborative projects that support the development and scaling of medical technology.