New Healthcare Agreement Strengthens Norway-Germany Collaboration

  • More news on Norway Health Tech

The collaboration between Norway and Germany in healthcare is being strengthened through a new agreement signed by Norwegian Minister of Health Jan Christian Vestre and German State Secretary Edgar Franke. The agreement defines four strategic focus areas and lays the foundation for increased cooperation between Norwegian and German healthcare stakeholders.

In connection with the signing, a delegation of Norwegian health tech companies traveled to Berlin to present their solutions. The delegation included DoMore Diagnostics, Lifeness, Ledidi, Made for Movement, HoloCare, VitalThings, DNV Imatis, Topro, Dossier Solutions, Nordic RWE, NordicNeuroLab, and VAR Healthcare. These companies had the opportunity to pitch their innovations and establish valuable connections with German healthcare players and investors, including representatives from Heal Capital, Siemens Healthineers, Paul Hartmann AG, D2L Pharma Research Solutions, Vision Health Pioneers, and Spectaris.

A Key Gateway for Norwegian Companies

Jan Christian Vestre (center) with Jutta Heix (Oslo Cancer Cluster) and Arild Kristensen (Norway Health Tech) during the delegation in Berlin.
Jan Christian Vestre (center) with Jutta Heix (Oslo Cancer Cluster) and Arild Kristensen (Norway Health Tech) during the delegation in Berlin.

Germany is a key market for Norwegian health solutions, and digitalization, artificial intelligence, and preparedness are central focus areas of this collaboration. With Norway’s goal of increasing exports (excluding oil and gas) by 50% by 2030, partnerships like this are crucial for unlocking new markets and strengthening Norway’s global position in health innovation.

This agreement will be very important in creating momentum for Norwegian companies entering the German market, says Arild Kristensen, COO of Norway Health Tech.

The visit was part of the Team Norway initiative, where Innovation Norway and clusters such as Norway Health Tech, The Life Science Cluster, and Oslo Cancer Cluster play a central role in connecting Norwegian businesses with international markets. These clusters are key partners in realizing the ambitions of this agreement.

Two fireside chats, led by Jutta Heix from Oslo Cancer Cluster and Heinrich Zimmermann from Norway Health Tech, addressed key challenges and opportunities in healthcare collaboration between the two countries. Topics included hospital digitalization and how innovative solutions from small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can be integrated into healthcare services.

Charité as a Central Meeting Point

The visit included an event at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, one of Europe’s leading university hospitals. Norwegian companies presented their solutions to German healthcare stakeholders and researchers. Charité’s leadership, along with representatives from the Norwegian and German health ministries, discussed how technology, AI, and digitalization can improve healthcare services in both countries.

Among the key Norwegian participants were Bjørn Atle Lein Bjørnbeth (Oslo University Hospital), Nicolay Skarsgård (Topro), Torbjørn Furuseth (DoMore Diagnostics), Steinar Thoresen (Nordic RWE), Liv Astri Hovem (DNV Imatis), Bård Benum (VitalThings), and Einar Martin Aandahl (Ledidi). On the German side, participants included Dr. Petra Ritter (Charité), Dr. Thomas Steffen (German Ministry of Health), Marie-Alix Ebner von Eschenbach (Siemens Healthineers), and Dr. Philipp Stoffers (Hasso Plattner Institute).

Nicolay Skarsgård from Topro shared on LinkedIn that it took decades for the company to establish itself in export markets, but that Germany is now one of their most important. He emphasized that collaborations like this can help Norwegian companies scale faster and enter the German market earlier.

The Road Ahead

The Norway-Germany partnership covers several areas within healthcare and aims to strengthen both healthcare services and industry collaboration. The agreement focuses on:

  • Digitalization, artificial intelligence, and improving healthcare system performance
  • Health preparedness and resilience
  • Global health and climate challenges

Closer cooperation in health innovation is crucial for addressing the increasing pressures on healthcare systems. This partnership marks the beginning of a more in-depth collaboration, including a dedicated workshop to explore opportunities across the value chain.

Norway Health Tech, Oslo Cancer Cluster, and The Life Science Cluster continue to open doors for Norwegian companies, create new partnerships, and strengthen Norway’s health industry internationally. Innovation Norway was also a key player in the delegation, facilitating connections between Norwegian and German partners.

More articles
90 Million NOK for Health Technology in Municipalities
14.02.2025
Menon Report: Norwegian Health Industry Exports – Status, Challenges, and the Road Ahead
11.02.2025
New Healthcare Agreement Strengthens Norway-Germany Collaboration
29.01.2025
New Logo, New Identity – One Unified Health Cluster
14.01.2025