New international support for region’s MedTech companies

Small firms and start-ups developing medical devices in Greater Manchester have been boosted by a new and fully-funded support programme.

It aims to bring healthcare innovations to market more efficiently through facilitated international collaboration.

The transnational MATMED programme, launched at the end of 2019, is already supporting Manchester MedTech firms to innovate with advanced materials for medical applications.

GC Business Growth Hub, part of The Growth Company, is one of 10 partner organisations delivering the programme across Europe, which offers Greater Manchester firms:

• Free access to potential business partners, research bodies and investors through its easy-to-use transnational network
• Voucher funding of up to €40,000 for specific collaborative projects, such as conducting product validation studies
• Expert advice on the 2020 regulatory framework for medical devices

QV Bioelectronics, a Manchester-based start-up developing electrotherapy devices for the treatment of brain tumours, has already accessed the full scope of support provided through MATMED.

Dr Chris Bullock, its managing director and co-founder, said: “Bringing new MedTech innovations to market can be extremely challenging. We’re trying to make efficient progress with products that we know will eventually save lives, while overcoming major regulatory barriers – all without very much money available.

“As a company in the early stages of delivering a new medical technology, the MATMED programme has really helped with our initial research and development.

“The support on offer through the transnational network and advisors in Manchester has been invaluable.

“MATMED is currently funding a collaborative project between ourselves and a much more established company in Belgium, who are real experts in this arena.

“Being supported to access this unique international expertise has really accelerated our progress and growth.”

Yvonne Grady, innovation lead at GC Business Growth Hub, said: “We’ve launched the MATMED programme to help break down the barriers that prevent new medical innovations from reaching patients efficiently, like shortfalls in either early stage funding, expertise or specialist resources.

“Our growing transnational network is the only forum connecting MedTech firms with academia, investors, and healthcare experts specialising in this arena – helping them to accelerate innovations, validate new products and demonstrate technologies quicker.”

Greater Manchester-based firms using advanced materials for medical applications can access fully-funded support through the MATMED programme to nurture collaboration, commercialisation and funding opportunities, by visiting www.matmed.eu.

MATMED is an Interreg North-West programme funded by the European Commission.