Overcoming challenges in the transfer of medical innovations to application

After studying electrical engineering and medicine at the Technical University of Munich, our foundation chairman Prof. Dr. med. Dr. h.c. mult. Eberthart Zrenner successfully spun off several startups. It has always been his goal to turn knowledge gained at scientific institutes into new, helpful products for people. For example, together with numerous partners, he developed a retinal chip that enables blind people to regain their vision to a certain degree. In implementing this idea, he experienced for himself how difficult it is to implement the technology transfer from a scientific invention to a commercially successful medical product. He saw that there is a gap, especially for the early stages of a project, where the application of an idea is tangible, but still far from overcoming the specific obstacles to successfully establish it in the healthcare market. He also identified how much additional non-scientific “know-how” scientists have to acquire and how much courage and perseverance they need in order to successfully spin off their own company.

Incorporation of the foundation

Since Prof. Eberhart Zrenner has always been enthusiastic about the many possibilities offered by the latest technology, molecular biology and microelectronics for new therapies and aids for patients, he remains committed to actively advancing this field as role model. That is why he established the Foundation for Medical Innovations in 2014. Therefore he donated prize money that he himself won over the course of his life through the research and development of medical technology products: the Alcon Research Award, the Karl Heinz Beckurts Award and the Euretina Innovation Award. The Foundation for Medical Innovation is also actively supported by donations from the Tistou and Charlotte Kerstan Foundation, the Hector Foundation and the B.Braun Foundation.

Objective of the foundation

The Foundation’s objective is to enable quantum leaps of innovation in healthcare, to introduce new improved and affordable technologies into practical application, as well as to create networks of engineers, physicians, researchers and companies that develop concrete solutions for breakthrough innovations. In particular young, courageous entrepreneurs who put innovative ideas into practical application, are to be encouraged.

Previous achievements

The foundation can look back on its first years with pride, having already achieved a great deal with the establishment of its subsidiary, the Medical Innovations Incubator GmbH (MII), its recent qualification program for start-ups, the “4C Accelerator Tübingen”, and the significant support of the development and execution of the „Life Science Accelerator Baden-Württemberg“ with two further educational programs, the “Medical Innovations Explorer” and the “MedTech Start-up School”. The structured start-ups training has created an effective innovation culture that has already introduced more than 170 people to the world of start-ups and supported 85 projects to achieve a practical application.