In Groningen
you build the
healthcare of
the future
In Groningen
you build the
healthcare of
the future
In Groningen you work on healthtech that helps people
This is where it all happens
Groningen is home to a unique network of over 65 companies and government agencies that work together on Healthtech, medical technology, life science and data. From leading hospitals and international companies and startups, to top educational institutions. Here they all come together to continuously develop healthcare solutions in making significant steps from care to prevention.
Technology plays a vital role in this. Your tech skills help craft the IC of the future, smart data infrastructures, robotics and 3D technology. But also sustainable energy supplies, digital care platforms, medical equipment and mobile apps. These developments make it possible to diagnose diseases earlier, improve treatment and create better support care for professionals.
This is where it all happens.
Healthtech is an important part of today’s healthcare practices. It is the collective term for all technology, software and innovations developed and used to improve health care, aimed at increasing the quality of care and treating diseases faster and more effectively.
The healthcare sector also faces major challenges, such as a rapidly ageing population and significant shortage of healthcare professionals. Smart technology is needed to reduce the workload of healthcare professionals, speed up processes and give patients greater control over their own health.
Healthtech can be broken down into four categories:
1. Medical Technology and Devices
These are the physical equipment and technologies used for diagnosis, treatment and supporting independence. For example:
- Medical equipment: Innovative scanners, X-ray equipment and surgical robots.
- Mobile technology (wearables): Mobile devices that measure heart rate, blood pressure or oxygen saturation.
- Sensors and home automation: Smart systems in the home that detect movement or falls in elderly patients.
2. Data, AI en Biotechnology
Data collection and analysis play an increasingly important role in healthcare. Groningen holds a unique position, home to the largest healthcare database in the Netherlands: Lifelines. The processing of large amounts of medical data (big data) serves to improve healthcare. For example:
- Artificial Intelligence (AI): Analysing medical images (such as MRI scans) in order to detect diseases faster and more accurately.
- Biotech: Developing new medicines and treatments using biological processes and cellular technology. This is an important part of the life science sector.
3. e-Health and Digital Care
The focus here is on digital support of the care process and self-management. For example:
- Electronic patient files: Centralised and digital systems that safely store medical data.
- Teleconsultation: Video calls with a physician or treatment professional.
- E-health modules: Online therapy or treatment programmes via portals.
4. Remote Health Care (Monitoring)
Is technology that makes it possible to receive care from home. For example:
- Home monitoring: Devices that measure vital patient functions and can be read directly by the hospital.
- Smart medication dispensers: Devices that dispense medication remotely and send a reminder if a dose is forgotten.
- Personal alarm: Buttons that contact a care monitoring centre immediately in an emergency.
As a tech professional, you play a key role in all these areas.
In Groningen you make healthcare smarter with data & AI
Working in Healthtech
For all these developments technical professions are needed. The healthcare sector offers a wide range of career opportunities on the vocational, higher professional and university level: from a technician in the technical department of a hospital, to laboratory technician and chemical-physical analyst in labs, to data manager in the central monitoring unit and the technician physician in the 3Dlab who works on innovative 3D models.
Your tech skills play an essential role on all levels in improving healthcare and medical research for early detection and prevention. Healthcare x tech, the perfect combination.
Be inspired.
Technical positions in healthcare
- Medical Equipment Technician
- Medical Instrument Maker
- Laboratory Technician
- Chemical Physical Analyst
- Manufacturing Chemist
- Service & Maintenance Engineer (medical equipment)
- Healthcare Application Administrator
- IT Support Technician
- Medical Systems Installation and Maintenance Technician
- Biomedical Engineer
- Software Engineer
- Clinical Engineer / Scientist
- Data Manager
- Data Analist
- AI / Machine Learning Engineer (medische toepassingen)
- Application Specialist MedTech
- Quality / Validation Engineer
- Technician Physician
- Mechanical engineer
- R&D Engineer
- Regulatory Affairs Specialist
- Technical Lead / Architect
- QA specialist
- Scientist - Bioalysis
- Scientist Analytical Development
Use your tech skills to make real impact
The healthcare economy in Groningen is growing faster than the national average and is the largest sector in the regional economy. Future-proof healthcare demands an effective approach, which is why many extensive developments can be found in Groningen. An example is the realisation of the Healthy Ageing Campus, where care, science, education and entrepreneurship come together under one roof.
Overview of organisations in the network
More than 65 companies, from hospitals to international corporations and startups, contribute to the healthcare of tomorrow. Their sole purpose is to work towards prevention and more healthy years for everyone. Below is an overview of some of these organisations. Click to learn more about them and the opportunities they offer.
Universitair Medisch Centrum Groningen
Het UMCG is de cruciale motor in de gezondheidsketen. Nieuwe technologieën, van slimme datatoepassingen tot kunstmatige intelligentie.
Martini Ziekenhuis
Topklinisch opleidingsziekenhuis. Van verpleegkundige tot ICT'er, elke schakel is belangrijk!
LIFE Cooperative
Hier vind je een overzicht van alle aangesloten bedrijven en vacatures in de Life Sciences & Health sector.
Lifelines
Grootste biobank van Nederland. Lifelines is een grootschalig medisch-wetenschappelijk onderzoeksprogramma en heeft als doel te ontdekken hoe mensen gezonder oud kunnen worden.
Farmaceutisch onderzoek en klinische studies
ICON is wereldleider in het uitvoeren van klinisch- en bioanalytisch onderzoek in opdracht van farmaceutische en biotechnologische bedrijven
Lode Holding
Marktleider op het gebied van ergometrie (nauwkeurige meet- en testapparatuur voor inspanning en revalidatie).
ThermoFisher Scientific
Amerikaanse multinational en wereldwijd marktleider in laboratoriumapparatuur, life sciences en farmaceutische diensten.
Symeres
Groot internationaal bedrijf die farmaceutische en biotechbedrijven ondersteunt bij het ontdekken en ontwikkelen van nieuwe geneesmiddelen.
CC Diagnostics
CC Diagnostics werkt in samenwerking met het UMCG aan een test naar baarmoederhalskanker. De nieuwe test moet efficiënter, goedkoper en vrouwvriendelijker worden dan de al bestaande testen.
Ommerlander Ziekenhuis
Het Ommelander Ziekenhuis in Scheemda zet volop in op HealthTech. Belangrijke innovaties omvatten de digitalisering van het zorgproces, de introductie van een nieuw gezamenlijk patiëntendossier en de uitwisseling van medische gegevens.
Healthcare is where technology makes a real difference
Combining forces with leading educational institutions
The growth of the Groningen healthcare sector is also driven by the unique power of combining forces with leading educational institutions. The University of Groningen, the Hanze University of Applied Sciences, and the University Medical Center Groningen rank among the top academic centers in Europe. The direct access to practice-oriented educational institutions, such as Noorderpoort and the Alfa-college, also contributes to this. By combining knowledge with practical application, the ideal landscape for growth in healthcare innovation and applications is created.
University of Groningen - RUG
The University of Groningen is the academic driving force behind Groningen's healthtech sector. Within the HTRIC cluster (Healthy Ageing Technologies Research & Innovation Cluster), the Faculty of Science and Engineering works closely with the UMCG to make technological innovations, such as smart nanomaterials and molecular diagnostics, directly applicable in healthcare.
Hanze University of Applied Sciences
Hanze University of Applied Sciences Groningen acts as the engine behind practice-oriented research, technological innovation, and the training of tech and healthcare professionals. It focuses on practice-based education, research and innovation, with a special emphasis on digital care and healthcare technology. In doing so, the university works closely with the professional field, SMEs, and healthcare institutions.
Noorderpoort
Noorderpoort is one of the largest vocational colleges in the Northern Netherlands, dedicated to preparing students to become the future foundation of the region. The college offers a wide range of programs targeting technical careers that can be applied in healthcare. Alongside its regular tech courses, Noorderpoort (partnering with Alfa-college) has joined the TZA (Technology & Healthcare Academy Groningen). Here, students gain hands-on training in applying innovative healthcare technologies like home automation and robotics.
Alfa College
Alfa-college directly connects ICT and technology programs with Groningen's health tech sector through the Vitality Campus. Within this network, students tackle societal challenges using smart technological solutions. Additionally, students complete internships at leading regional innovation centers, such as Health Hub Roden, where they work on practical projects involving medical technology, robotics, and advanced home automation. The college also develops specialized programs, such as 'Immersive Technician', to prepare students for digital healthcare simulations. This practice-oriented education seamlessly aligns with the rapidly growing demand for healthcare technology in Groningen
MIITN Mixer: Life Sciences & Biotech - 4 June!
Make it in the North is bringing together Life Sciences and Biotech companies with international talent for an evening of networking drinks, inspiring conversations, and professional connections.
Life Capital
Discover Life Capital, the central collaboration and training platform for new and existing talent within the LIFE Cooperative company network.
Innovation lecture: Medical Device Regulation - 30th June
Together with the UMCG Innovation Centre, HTRIC is organising an innovation lecture about Medical Device Regulation, exploring the key regulations, challenges and opportunities involved in bringing medical innovations to practice.
Want to find out what technology in healthcare can mean for you?
No matter your technical background, whether you are looking for a career switch, just starting out, or exploring your options, healthcare and healthtech offer a wide range of career opportunities.
We are happy to help you take the next step. Reach out using the contact form below.
