Minnesota, USA

Background and aim 

Vibrant Norwegian health tech innovators are developing and producing digital solutions looking outside of Norway for exploring foreign markets.  

Norway has numerous companies delivering innovative digital health, e-health and medtech solutions, by using cutting edge technologies. These solutions can contribute to more efficient and economic sustainable healthcare systems, in Norway as in the USA.  

The well-developed health care system in Norway and in the Nordics, serve well as test arena for both Norwegian and international companies. Norwegians are early adopters of new digital technologies, and we see a range of new technologies being developed, tested and implemented in our healthcare services. We also experience that many of our members have software as part of their solutions, and e-health/digital health are increasingly connecting with medtech solutions. We believe the Norwegian digital health sector, medtech sector and the public health care system offer attractive opportunities to forge partnerships between Norwegian and international companies, academic institutions and purely health institutions, partnerships which are vital to create the competitiveness needed in international health markets. 

Our public healthcare system is, like the rest of the world, experiencing an increasing pressure due to an older and more demanding population. The Covid-19 pandemic boosted the need for digital solutions and monitoring of patients, also outside the hospital. Our health care services are now looking towards a more digitalized service for the future, with at home monitoring and follow-up of patients and integrated care across the primary and specialist healthcare services.  

We are looking to gain experiences from other systems and markets that have come far with medical technologies and delivery of virtual care, and the US healthcare system is of large interest.  

The US is one of the most interesting markets for Norwegian health tech companies. To help companies to understand, build knowledge about and meet right partners in the US health market(s), we are looking towards a delegation trip in June 2023 with Norwegian companies, health institutions and universities. The delegation would like to meet equal partners from the US side, hence hospitals, care homes, private companies, universities and so forth.  

Why Minnesota: Every second, two people have their lives improved because of medical technology from Minnesota. Minnesota medical companies receive PMA 6 months faster than companies based elsewhere in the US. Minnesota technology is never more than a meter from nearly everyone on earth(!). With the Mayo Clinic being named the best smart hospital in the world for 2023, Minnesota and the US sets an example that is highly relevant to learn from.  

Participation fee for companies is 5000 nok, max 2 persons per company. Food, other than breakfast and drinks, is covered in the fee, but companies have to pay for hotel and flight tickets themselves. Public institutions may participate free of charge.

Hotel information (recommendation) coming soon!

AGENDA – tentative, all tbc

Day 1 – May 31st Start 09:00

• Where: Medical Alley – The Silicon Valley of Healthcare
• What: Visiting the most innovative health technology cluster in the world.

Day 2 – June 1st Start 09:00

• Parallel session for companies
  • Where: Norway House
• Parallel session for universities, municipalities and health institutions.
  • Where: Medtronic HQ (or at a virtual hospital, ambulatory virtual center, other institutions i.e. virtual wards) and/or at
  • Where: University of Minnesota/Twin cities

18:30 – 21:00 Where: Norway House.

• US – Norway networking evening. (Norwegian food and networking) in Minneapolis/St Paul.

Day 3 – June 2nd Visiting Mayo clinic (The delegation)

• Mayo Clinic: An introduction to the Mayo clinic, how they work with digital home monitoring, following up patients staying at home, treatment and PROM between the out-patients and the hospitals. Newest innovations and “best practice”.
• Medical Alley (The delegation)
  • – a forum for healthcare leaders to exchange ideas, learn about emerging innovations, and create cross-sector collaboration. 
  • – U.S. go-to-market accelerator. U.S. market entry includes educational webinars, in-person bootcamps, introduction to partners, and reverse trade promotion  
  • – Medical Alley Starts—a venture platform that accelerates the formation and growth of healthcare start-ups. 
  • – Elevating business – world-class network facilitates partnerships, investments, legislative advocacy, and sharing industry intelligence. 

Norway has a public cluster program of which both clusters are members. We are national and international collaboration arenas for large and small companies, municipalities, hospitals, public organizations, user organizations, academia / R&D institutions and investors. 

Norway Health Tech (NHT) is a health technology cluster, dedicated to accelerating and support the development of new medtech, digital health and eHealth products, services and innovative solutions for the Norwegian and global health tech market. NHTs aim is to foster the development of a competitive Norwegian medical technology industry that reaches out in the global market. NHT have a long history and strong emphasis on the digitalization of hospitals.  

Norwegian Smart Care Cluster (NSCC) is a digital/ehealth cluster, with the same mission as NHT – to scale and develop companies. NSCCs focus is on the digitalization of Care services delivered by the municipalities. Both clusters work with hospital at home type of solutions.  

Together we have more than 500 members from all over the country, and we are a catalyst in the process of developing the Norwegian health tech industry with respect to innovation, commercialization, and globalization.  

Our focus areas: 

• Facilitate cooperation between research, health care, academia and industry 
• Encourage and facilitate market-driven innovation and procurement processes 

• Facilitating clinical trials and testing 
• Assist member companies to professionalize and to develop international
  oriented business plans and strategies 
• Enhance the knowledge of international markets and help companies to reach the
  global market 
• Attract development and investment capital  
• Facilitate partnerships and knowledge building within the health sector across borders 

USA Next-project – funded by Viken fylkeskommune