Partnership to help drive MedTech Economy in Scotland

A five-year agreement between the Medical Device Manufacturing Centre (MDMC) at Heriot-Watt University and Technology Scotland’s networks will accelerate access to technology design capabilities for the nation’s SMEs, enabling the progression of novel medical and healthcare solutions to market. The generated knowledge, expertise and innovation will then be shared across Heriot-Watt’s global campuses including Dubai and Malaysia, along with the facility’s partner academic institutions.

Including the University of Edinburgh, the University of Glasgow and Robert Gordon University, the MDMC offers free expert advice on, and access to, manufacturing engineering, regulatory issues, and funding, with staff providing technically supported access to its £2M specialist manufacturing facilities.

Technology Scotland is the representative body for the Enabling Technology Sector in Scotland supporting over 125 industrial and academic member organisations though its three networks – Photonics Scotland, Product Design Scotland and MaaS Scotland - who are developing technologies to deliver product advancements in markets from healthcare and communications to manufacturing and mobility.

The agreement was celebrated during a visit from Business Minister Ivan McKee who toured the MDMC facilities and met with university representatives to discuss opportunities for growth through closer collaboration between academia, NHS and industry.

Professor Duncan Hand, director of the MDMC at Heriot-Watt University, said: “Access to specialist design capability is one of the biggest challenges that SMEs working in this sector currently face. We were pleased to showcase to the Minister how the MDMC is addressing these challenges in partnership with organisations like Technology Scotland. We are a nation of innovators, but it is essential that expert support is more easily and consistently accessible to SMEs to translate their game changing innovations into devices that can be more quickly adopted for the benefit of patient care. Our new strategic partnership will further accelerate Scotland's offering in this area, ensuring our nation retains a world-leading position in the field of medical device creation.”

Alastair McInroy, CEO, Technology Scotland, said: “Technologies developed within Scotland’s enabling technologies sector have long supported our vibrant life sciences industry. Realising the potential of these technologies and successfully navigating the journey from concept to commercialisation, requires careful integration of design processes and frameworks. Through our Product Design Scotland network, Technology Scotland is delighted to be partnering with MDMC to provide life science SMEs with improved access to Scotland’s excellent design capabilities.”

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