HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY

The Digital Health
Sector1

THE DIGITAL HEALTH SECTOR

Summary
The Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in enormous
disruptions within health care. The traditional faceto-face patient-physician care model has had tobe re-examined, with digital technology and newmodels of care being rapidly deployed to meet thevarious challenges of the pandemic. It has acted as
an accelerator to almost all digital business models,
including digital health technologies.
Germany’s pharmaceutical, biotechnology, medical
technology, and information technology sectors arerenowned for their innovativeness. German firms
are pioneers in the creation of new digital healthsolutions combining traditional healthcare sector
knowledge with cutting-edge technology.

Germany is one of the countries with the biggest number of medical technology suppliers andconstitutes the major European pharmaceuticalmarket. All of this has led to the creation of avibrant digital health start-up ecosystem across thecountry – offering new IT-based health products
for many and varied use cases. The industry also
benefits from exceptional research facilities in thehealth and IT disciplines, high-quality healthcare
infrastructure with internationally acclaimed hospitals, and rigorous data protection standards.
Together, these factors drive digital health innovations, allowing Germany’s health sector to react
quickly – even to extraordinary situations.

EUR 169.8 bn

turnover generated by the German
ICT industry

EUR 3.5

mobile health market size inGermany

EUR 127.7 bn
German health-related business export
volumeEUR 34.0 bn
global mobile health revenues1

all data from 2020

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The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

Market Data
Over the last decade, digitalization has beenshaping more and more aspects of life and now
drives almost all industries. This also holds truefor health-related businesses and patient care.
The digital health market is expected to growglobally to a market share of 12 percent by 2025.
This is equivalent to a market size of EUR 979
billion, of which EUR 57 billion is accounted forby Germany. According to the consultancy firm
Roland Berger, Covid-19 is part of th e reason
for this growth, as the pandemic is accelerating
digital health provision. Moreover, the growing
mobile health market is one of the main contributors to this trend.
In 2020, the global mHealth market size was EUR
35 billion. Analysts from the Grand View ResearchConsultancy expect this number to grow at acompound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.7
percent for the period 2021 to 2028. In Germany,market size reached EUR 3.5 billion in 2020 andis expected to grow at over 30 percent (CAGR)
from 2021 to 2030. Experts believe that patients
will progressively own their health data, deciding
who they grant access to.
Germany’s digital health activities benefit froma number of favorable conditions. First, there
is a strong domestic mobile health market
which provides digital health companies withan attractive foundation for further growth.
Second, digital health “Made in Germany” isbased largely on the country’s leadership in the
global healthcare industry: whether in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology or medical technology sectors. Total export volumes for German
health-related businesses was EUR 127.7 billion
in 2020. The necessary expertise is provided by
7.4 million employees currently working in theGerman healthcare industry. Third, Germany ishome to a strong technology sector. With annual
sales revenue of more than EUR 169.8 billion, theMobile Health Turnover in Germany
in EUR billion

2020 3.52030

Source: Global Market Insights (2021)

48.3

German Health Industry Export Volumes
in EUR billion

114.8

118.1

2015

2016

126.1

2017

136.5

139.8

2018

2019

127.7

2020

Source: Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (2021)

domestic IT, telecommunications and consumer
electronics sector is a major pillar of the German
economy. Healthcare has established itself as an
attractive growth area for German IT companies.
These companies increasingly provide solutions
for connected services, adapted infrastructures,
medical devices, and digital health products. Thisdevelopment is facilitated by vibrant Internet ofThings (IoT) clusters established in and around
Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and Cologne that connect IT start-ups with the healthcare industry.
Thanks to these excellent conditions, a diverse
digital health environment has formed in Germany. Driven by regional governments, companies and clinics, more than a dozen acceleratorsand local hubs support the foundation of newstart-ups (see page 9). In addition, a substantial
number of companies – large, small and mediumsized enterprises – already offer a broad portfolio of IT-based health products. Their services
range from video-based doctor consultations andmedical records for the smartphone to diagnostic
and therapeutic apps for doctors and patients aswell as preventive services supporting a healthy
lifestyle.
For example, fitness trackers generated revenueof around EUR 4.1 billion in Germany in 2020.
Growing digitalization also impacts data storage
infrastructures and communication processes
across the healthcare sector. Here German companies are helping to develop more efficient data
routes in hospitals, location sites, attending physicians, care and rehabilitation facilities, patients’
homes, and health insurance companies.

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MOBILE HEALTH AND SMART SOLUTIONS

Industry Trends
Strong mHealth and Quantified Self Demand
Digital health solutions offered as mobile apps orfor mobile devices are in high demand due to different factors. One factor is the growing number ofsmartphone and tablet users. Because an increasing number of individuals utilize handheld devices,mHealth will continue to drive the eHealth businessforward. In 2020 there were 60.7 million smartphoneusers and 31.8 million tablet users in Germany. Manyof those had more than one cell phone contract.
This number is constantly rising, as is the internet
penetration rate which was 86.7 percent in the same
year. The term “eHealth” is also becoming morecommonplace, with 86 percent of the population
being familiar with the term. Smartwatches are themost commonly used gadgets for health purposes.
There are currently 110,000 medical applications available in app stores (Google Play, Apple
and Amazon) worldwide. Of the leading global
mHealth apps available in 2020, some 34 percent
were made by companies based in Europe. The
mHealth market offers diverse solutions covering everything from chronic tinnitus therapy
and depression self-help to diabetes management apps. At the time of writing, there were 19
healthcare apps available for prescription in theGerman DiGA registry (Digital health applications). Most of these products support tracking,recording, analyzing, controlling and evaluating
personal health-related data in everyday activities. This demonstrates the high potential formobile health in the preventive area.

Most Frequently Used Smart Health Devices in Germany
in percent
62
Smartwatch
30

ScalesBlood pressure
meter
Fever thermometer

27
16
15

Motion trackers
9

Glucose meter
Sleep tracking
systemCare phone/social
2
alarm system
Other

9

7

Source: eHealth Report Statista (2020)

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The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

Healthcare Providers Are Becoming Smarter
The disruptive nature of digital health innovation is dramatically changing the structure of
traditional health systems worldwide. Today,
patients not only increasingly monitor their own
health but also use online platforms to obtain
information – enabling them to make more
independent decisions than ever before. One of
the most significant achievements in the digitaltransformation of the German healthcare systemis the electronic patient health record (ePA) finallybecoming a reality in 2021 after 16 years of planning. Patients are now able to obtain all of theirpersonal health data within the German healthcare system, with extensive digital connection
between patients and service providers being
enabled by the development.
According to researchers from the magazine“E-HEALTH-COM”, 94 percent of German healthcare companies are currently in the process ofor planning to digitalize their internal processes
and procedures in the next two years. 75 percent of hospitals and out-patient care chains areprioritizing the improvement of patient care byestablishing platforms, portals and prescribing
healthcare applications. This is reflected in 76
percent of practitioners having digitalized mostpatient documentation, 79 percent have medical equipment with integrated digital interfaces,and 24 percent use devices for remote diagnostic
purposes.
Another promising advance is the “Digital Careand Care Modernization Act” (DVPMG), which has
been in effect since June 2021. This law aims tofurther promote telemedicine, ensure data security, update telematics infrastructure and to simplify the prescription of care apps. Furthermore,a new procedure will be created for reviewing
the possibility of reimbursement of expenses for
digital care applications. The DVPMG roadmap
also makes provision for digital IDs for insured
individuals and service providers in 2023. This willallow digital ID holders to verify their identity
securely for video consultation and digital healthapp purposes. The electronic health card will beable to be read in contactless fashion by service
providers by 2023, with all insured parties having the opportunity to share their accurate andsecure health data with clinicians in other EU
countries.

Global Funding Continues to Rise
In 2019, total health expenditure in Germany
was EUR 410 billion. This represents 11 percentof Germany’s GDP and has increased almost five
percent (CAGR) for the period 2000 to 2019. Oneof the most important initiatives in 2020 was
the Hospitals Future Act (KHZG). This supports
the digital transformation and modernization ofGerman hospitals with a total of EUR 4.3 billion,
focusing primarily on the need for digital infrastructure, data privacy standards and the reduction of bureaucratic requirements.
Start-ups operating in the IT and health fields
are increasingly attractive to the private capital
market and several digital health-focused venture
capital funds have recently been announced. For
instance, early-stage start-ups will receive EUR
53 million from DVH ventures, while commercial
health insurers plan to create a EUR 88 million
fund for digital health investments. Internationally, digital health funding secured EUR 12.4 billion – with a total of 637 deals – in 2020. Major
investment areas include treatment of diseases,
on-demand healthcare, research and development, mental health, consumer information, andnon-clinical workflows.
Telemedicine Becoming More Common
The continuing Covid-19 epidemic has sparked adigital health adoption and innovation revolution.
This is mostly due to the surge in demand foralternatives to in-person care that has occurredsince early 2020. Telemedical devices connecting in-patient and out-patient sectors as well
as home care are another digital health trend.
German researchers, hospitals and companies
have developed a number of telemedicine platforms – such as monitoring patients with cardiac
pacemakers and digital home care services as afollow-up to clinical rehabilitation in orthopedic
indications – for specialized use cases.
Public approval of the use of digital technology
in remote healthcare provision has skyrocketed inrecent months. According to a McKinsey survey,
around two thirds of Germans are more receptive to telemedicine now than they were before
the pandemic crisis. The telemedicine offer grew
rapidly, so that 52 percent of all doctors in private
practice had already started offering video consultation hours by May 2020.

The German telemedicine portal initiated by theGerman Federal Ministry of Health provides an
overview of ongoing telemedicine projects in Germany and has listed around 200 projects to date.
Artificial Intelligence and Smart Sensors
Companies from engineering and information
technology fields sell and distribute new software tools, smart sensors for implants, cloudcomputing technologies, blockchain systems,
and wearables. This technology might be utilizedin population health management to meet therequirements of the elderly and, in the long term,
to cover the nursing staffing shortage.
Experts forecast that AI and deep learning algorithms, for instance, will improve treatment
outcomes at lower costs. First applications from
German companies with deep imaging – whichturns medical images into biomarkers – demonstrate that doctors’ decisions could be strongly
supported with integrated imaging information
to implement more precise therapies for patientswith cancer or skin diseases. Other German enterprises focus on using AI-based strategies in R&D
processes, drug research and simplifying diagnostic methods. According to the German Health
IT Association (bvitg), doctors consider AI to be
extremely important or absolutely vital – with 56
percent planning to adopt one to ten AI applications in the near future.

German Preferences for eHealth Appsin percent

61

Nutrition apps
38

Apps to measure bodily functions
Patient apps

30

27

Sleeping apps
Medication checkers/reminders

20

Apps to set up routines

19

Symptomcheckers

18

Meditation/mindfulness

16

Allergy/management apps
Menstruation, contraception
or fertility apps

15

Other

4
3

Source: eHealth Report Statista (2020)

5HIGH POTENTIAL FOR COOPERATION

Sector Structure
The German digital health sector makes use of thebroad foundation of healthcare expertise available in the country. Companies from different
industries offering a diverse portfolio of digital
health solutions are active in the market. Some ofthese businesses are specialists in niche areas thatrecognize digital health may help speed up product development by enabling digital clinical trials
and expanding the healthcare applications value
chain. The digital health market offers plenty ofactivity areas along the healthcare value chain.
These include, but are not strictly limited to, theareas listed below.

• Preventive medicine: Digital diagnostic services
will fundamentally change disease prevention. A
number of German companies, mainly with an IT
background, offer solutions for monitoring physiological data as a form of advanced wellbeing in
fitness, wellness and healthy nutrition contexts.
There are a number of very innovative solutions
on the German market, such as smart clothes,shoes, yoga pants, and socks to monitor or track
metrics and improve performances.
• Wearables represent the largest market segmentin the fitness area, with annual revenue of EUR
375 million in 2019. Germany’s strong medical
biotechnology sector also provides a rapidly
growing toolbox of digital health services basedon modern molecular biology and microbiome
research. This enables researchers, clinicians andpatients to identify the causes of many diseases– such as inflammatory diseases, cardiovasculardiseases and gastroenterology – before symptoms are recognized.

MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
Medical Biotechnology is one of the mostinnovative healthcare
fields in Germany. Thispublication provides anindustry overview.

HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY

The Medical
Biotechnology Sector

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The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

PHARMACEUTICAL SECTORHEALTH MADE IN GERMANY

The Pharmaceutical
Sector

1

The pharmaceuticalindustry is the largest
sector within the German healthcare industry. This publication
highlights its strengths
and international partnership opportunities.

• Diagnostics and therapeutic treatments: Digitalsolutions have advanced modern medicine sothat personalized treatments such as individual
dose volumes, time schedules and reminders caneasily be implemented. Moreover, digital tools
support patient empowerment and maintenanceof treatment and are therefore ensuring efficienttherapies – this is of particular relevance forpatients with chronic diseases including cardiovascular diseases, chronic respiratory illnesses,
and diabetes.
• Other devices help establish remote monitoringof respiratory diseases, patients at risk of stroke,and cardiac arrhythmia. There are currently 2.2
million users in the hypertension segment market. Overall, revenues of eHealth heart-failure
products amounted to EUR 32 million in 2019
and are expected to record a CAGR of seven percent by 2022 in Germany. These devices are used
to analyze, assess, store and transmit healthdata, with the information generated sharedwith physicians. Solutions also include tools that
help patients to monitor their blood pressure
or maintain a diabetes diary by automaticallystoring insulin units and blood glucose readings.
The revenue for eHealth diabetes solutions inGermany was EUR 20 million in 2019. User numbers are expected to reach a total of 400,000 by
2022.
• Rehabilitation and patient care: In the hospital
rehabilitation setting, physiotherapists commonly treat patients who have had amputations, spinal cord injuries, strokes, traumaticbrain lesions, and other debilitating injuries. For
these indications, robot-assisted wearable sys-

tems that are connected to other digital mobile
devices pave the way for innovative gait
• training.
• • Some companies in Germany have a particularfocus on this area. Thanks to the high-quality
standards that prevail within rehabilitation
centers, these sites are frequently chosen for a
first-of-its-kind use. Digital health products also
improve homecare which is becoming increasingly important in out-patient care. They assist
elderly people, for instance, in their everyday
life at home by preventing falls or supporting
communication in emergency situations. In 2020,
more than 230,000 German households were
equipped with Ambient Assisted Living functionalities (AAL) including pressure mats, emergency
buttons and services.
• Health IT infrastructure and data handling: The
sheer quantity of data accumulated in healthcare systems means that efficient medical
information systems – as well as data storage
and data-sharing interfaces – are imperative for
effective treatment decisions and doctor-patientcommunication in in-patient and out-patientcare scenarios. In a survey conducted by Statista
in 2021, health professionals name the mostimportant eHealth priorities at the moment as
being IT security, data privacy and the adoptionof medical records. According to a bvitg report,
the medical industry ranked as the seventh sector most targeted by cybercriminals.

Digital Healthcare Act
In December 2019, the German parliament passed
legislation authorizing the prescription of digital
medical applications and facilitating video consultations to support the detection and treatment ofdiseases. The Digital Healthcare Act (DVG) drives
the digitalization of Germany’s healthcare system,
including the coverage of costs of standard software as well as mobile and browser-based apps
made available by private and public health insurance funds. To be eligible, medical app solutions
must be approved and listed in the DiGA registryby the German Federal Institute for Drugs andMedical Devices (BfArM). This is to ensure theirsafety, quality, security, and functionality.
Digital Healthcare Act:• Allowing easy patient access to healthcare
applications• Driving innovation in the German healthcare
system• Making a digital network for the health sector
obligatory• Increasing acceptance of online video
consultations• Improving research findings in the field ofhealth services• Strengthening interconnectivity of the healthcare industry

Digital Health Activity Areas

Diagnostics and Therapeutic Treatments
eHealth Heart Failure Products: EUR 32 million revenue in 2019
eHealth Diabetes Solutions: EUR 20 million revenue in 2019
Preventive Medicine
Wearables is the largest segment, with annual
revenue of EUR 375 million in 2019

Health IT Infrastructure
The medical industry: 7th most targeted bycybercriminals

EUR 32meHealth Heart Failure Products
eHealth Diabetes Solutions

EUR 20m

Rehabilitation and Patient Care
230,000+ German households with AAL functionalities

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FOCUS ON INNOVATIONThe Digital HealthLandscape in Germany
High-quality Healthcare Infrastructure
Germany’s export-oriented health industry profits from a strong, innovation-driven home basewith a high-quality healthcare system. It provides
a unique infrastructure for implementing andexporting digital health solutions. The country is
one of the world leaders when it comes to offering the best possible in-patient and out-patientcare. Every year, Germany’s 1,914 hospitals – andtheir 910,000 full time employees – take care ofaround 19.4 million patients. There are 1,112 rehabilitation facilities as well as 15,400 nursing homes
and a further 14,700 nursing services in Germany.
The annual costs for in-patient treatment in German hospitals increased by 5.7 percent to approximately EUR 98.8 billion in 2019. The majorityof hospital costs are spent on medical services,nursing services, pharmaceuticals, special services,and therapeutic services, with cardiovasculardiseases being the source of the highest costs. In
2018 alone, around 45,000 heart bypass surgeries
were conducted. Moreover, the German statutory
health insurance funded EUR 125.6 billion costs for
hospital and medical treatments – accounting foralmost 50 percent of the entire spending in 2019.

German Statutory Health Insurance Funding by Service Categories
in EUR billion
2016

2018

2020

Hospital treatment

72.9

77.1

81.5

Medical treatment

36.5

39.4

44.1

Treatment care and nursing homes

5.7

6.4

7.3

Provision and rehabilitation services

2.6

2.8

3.1

Source: Federal Ministry of Health (2021)

R&D Excellence
Germany’s clinical infrastructure is embedded instrong R&D and industry networks throughout
the country. Since the late 1990s, a number ofregions have become established as Europe’s leading health clusters and R&D hubs – paving theway for interdisciplinary collaboration between
research institutes, universities, hospitals, andcompanies from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology sectors. Many ofthese clusters and hubs have laid the foundations

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The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

for subsequent digital health accelerators andhubs – with particularly strong activities in Berlinand Munich (see map on page 9). The Digital HubInitiative, launched by the Federal Ministry for
Economic Affairs and Climate Action, promotes
cooperation between companies and businessstart-ups within a geographical region. Of the 12
digital hubs financed by the initiative, two hubs
have a specific healthcare sector focus. They arelocated in Nuremberg/Erlangen and Mannheim/
Ludwigshafen.
www.de-hub.de/en

Significant R&D spending in the German healthcare industry also highlights the major role ofinnovation in the sector. Total R&D spending by
the pharmaceutical industry reached EUR 7.8 billion in 2019 – equivalent to approximately 17.1
percent of industry revenue. Within the medical
technology sector, nine percent of annual turnoveris invested in R&D, with 15 percent of employees
in the sector working in the R&D field. German
biotech company R&D investment reached EUR
2.5 billion in 2020 – some 37 percent more thanin the previous year. Since 2000, there have been
rapid increases in bio-IT solutions and services.
Improved analysis tools for big data have fueled
the progress made in molecular biology. A growing
number of German companies have establishedtheir expertise in this field.
Germany also promotes the improvement of dataexchange between different hospital sites andbiomedical research institutes. The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research provided
funding of EUR 150 million for the establishment
of data integration centers at German university
hospitals for the period 2017 to 2021. Germany
enjoys high levels of data protection thanks to
the National Data Protection Law (Bundesdatenschutzgesetz – BDSG).
All recorded health data is given special protection. Stakeholders dealing with electronic medical
records must comply with these exacting standards. They are also well prepared to adapt to the
new European General Data Protection Regulation(GDPR) which came into effect in May 2018. German digital health experts in science and businesshave extensive knowledge in setting up safe digital data exchange infrastructures based on highlevel protection standards. Several hospitals sites
in Germany are leaders in implementing thesesolutions together with the health IT industry.

looking to move into the US market, the German
Accelerator IT and the German Accelerator Life Sciences offer well-established structures financedby the German Federal Ministry for Economic
Affairs and Climate Action. Companies taking partin those programs benefit from mentoring workshops, US office workspace provision and contact
assistance with VC investors and possible clientsin the USA. US-based health companies can makeuse of this infrastructure to establish contact withGerman start-ups. Germany has around 75 hubs,with many of them providing specific support for
digital health start-ups.

Gateway to German Start-ups
Most German digital health companies have a
global strategic perspective and look for cooperation partners in international markets. This is
not only true for large corporations in the traditional healthcare industry, but also for smaller
businesses. For German digital health start-ups

Digital Health Activities in German Clusters, Networks, Hubs and Accelerators
Health Hubs & Accelerators
1

Health-i Initiative of Techniker Krankenkasse

2

Philips Health Innovation Port

3

Healthy Hub, Hanseatische Krankenkasse

4

Healthcubator

3

5

Grant4Apps Program of Bayer AG

Hamburg

6

Startupbootcamp7Flying Health Incubator

1

2

4

5

8

8

Pfizer Healthcare Hub

9

28 29 30 33

9

German Accelerator Life Sciences/IT

67

10 18 19 20
12

13

15

Berlin26 27
DortmundKöln

25

14 Digital Hub Initiative Nürnberg/Erlangen

German Accelerator Life Sciences/IT

16 Healthy hub, Siemens Betriebskrankenkasse
17

Digital Hub Initiative Ludwigshafen/Mannheim

21

Healthy hub, mhPlus Krankenkasse

22 Merck Accelerator
23 Digital Lab “BI X”

32

24 Healthy hub, IKK Südwest

Aachen26 I/E-Health NRW
27 Healthy hub, BIG direkt

23
24

Ingelheim
am Rhein

Saarbrücken

28 XLHEALTH

22

29 EIT Digital

Darmstadt

30 EyeFocus Accelerator

14

17

31

Ludwigshafen/Mannheim

Batch Zero Accelerator, Roche

32 DvH Ventures

Nürnberg /Erlangen

21

33 Health Innovation Hub (hih)Non-Health speficic Hubs & Accelerators

Ludwigsburg

15 16 31
Munich11

10 Axel Springer Plug and Play Accelerator GmbH
11

TechFounders

18 hubraum – Tech Incubator of Deutsche Telekom
19 Techcode20

Source: CONOSCOPE GmbH (2021)

Microsoft Ventures Accelerator

Clinical Infrastructures Supporting Start-ups
12

Helios.hub

13

Digital Health Accelerator, BIH

25 Digital Hub Aachen/mHealth Division, RWTH Aachen

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INDUSTRY VOICESGerman Expertise
German digital health companies offer a diverse
portfolio of high-quality IT-based products fornational and international clients. Foreign markets appreciate the innovative technologies, highdata-protection standards and professionalism ofGerman health IT companies. International business strategies play an important role for bothlarge corporations and SMEs active in the digital
health sector.
Here, leading representatives of three German
health IT companies report on what makes theirexpertise so interesting for international partners,
why global alliances and strategic partnerships
are the key to successful business development
and what they have learned from the corona pandemic.
CompuGroup Medical is one of the world’s leading e-health companies. The company’s software
products serve a safer and more efficient healthcare system. The basis of CompuGroup Medical’s
services is its unique customer base of more than
1.6 million users – including physicians, dentists,
pharmacies and other healthcare professionals –in outpatient and inpatient settings. CompuGroup
Medical has a workforce of more than 8,500
employees and is located in 18 countries with
operations in 56 countries.
Ada Health GmbH has been working since 2016
to improve healthcare. Ada’s artificial intelligence solution helps a user base of over 10 million people worldwide. Ada partners with leading
healthcare systems and NGOs to realize its visionof personalized healthcare for all. The Ada app is
the number one medical app in over 130 countries
and has completed more than 10 million symptom
analyses to date.
T-Systems is a leading provider of digital services with annual revenue of EUR 4.2 billion anda workforce of 28,000 employees in 2020. The
Deutsche Telekom subsidiary is headquartered inGermany with presences in Europe as well as inselected core markets and strategic production
locations. T-Systems provides global production
and supply chain solutions to companies operating worldwide

Bernhard Calmer
Managing Director, CompuGroup Medical SE & Co.
KGaA, Koblenz
What distinguishes digital health “made inGermany” in international comparison?
Germany is the third-biggest market for medical
technologies in the world. And it will continue tobe a growth market. Meanwhile, medtech will godigital – not only devices but processes and data
storage. The German government is driving thedigital transformation of our healthcare systemwith various initiatives.
What can international partners expect fromcollaborating with CompuGroup Medical?
Since 1987, today’s CompuGroup Medical has beenworking towards the vision of a digital healthcare
system. With our large platforms and market
experience, we are the driving force for more collaboration to achieve this goal. International partners can be part of our ecosystem by embedding
their solutions or becoming a distribution andimplementation partner.
What are your most important “lessons
learned” from the pandemic for international
business?
As a software company that is covering almost
all critical healthcare pathways, we have been
“at the forefront” from the very beginning. We
reacted mmediately, developed and provided
software modules to our customers free ofcharge. The biggest challenge, however, was theswitch to virtual customer training which we
successfully managed thanks to our enthusiastic
team.

www.cgm.com

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The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

Daniel NathrathCo-founder & Chief Executive Officer, Ada HealthGmbH, Berlin

Wilfried Bauer
VP Digital Solutions / Public & Health, T-Systems,
Bonn

What distinguishes digital health “made in Germany” in international comparison?
Germany is a melting point of talent – and one of
the best innovation hubs in the world – particularlyin the disruptive digital health technology. At Ada,
we have invested 10 years in building powerful AI
with a relentless focus on medical quality and usercentric design. Leading healthcare organizations allover the world rely on Ada’s solutions to help theirusers make informed healthcare decisions.

What distinguishes digital health “made inGermany” in international comparison?
Germany stands for engineering know-how andsafety. The coronavirus warning app is the perfect example. We developed together with SAP
the most successful tracing app against Covid-19
worldwide. The data protection of the Corona
Warning app is exemplary

What can international partners expect fromcollaborating with Ada?
At Ada we all share a passion for medical quality
and scientific rigor - it’s a core part of our culture.
Clinicians are involved in developing and testing
our AI to ensure accuracy and safety. Partners
appreciate our commitment to building solutions
on the most innovative technology, fosteringinteroperability across their ecosystem and ourexpertise in transforming care pathways with AI.
What are your most important “lessons
learned” from the pandemic for international
business?
Digital health is no longer a “nice to have.” Thepandemic has highlighted the integral role that
digital health plays in helping people find andaccess the right care. We have learned that user
value holds more weight, with organizations
expecting their users to be empowered to takeaction and anonymous data insights to be leveraged for improved care experiences and healthoutcomes across the board.
www.ada.com

What can international partners expect fromcollaborating with T-Systems?
Simple, efficient, secure: That’s what our offering for the healthcare sector represents. In ourcore areas of hospital IT, cloud and security, ande-health, we develop solutions that connect all
players and make their lives and work easier. We
are one of Europe’s market leaders for healthcare
ICT. Our team consists of over 700 healthcare specialists
What are your most important “lessons
learned” from the pandemic for international
business?
Viruses know no borders. On behalf of the European Union (EU), we have worked with SAP toensure that member states’ tracing apps warn ofinfections throughout Europe. We also enable thechecking of vaccination certificates for the EU.
The coronavirus was a booster for the digitalization of the healthcare industry. Moreover, there
was also the realization: If politics and businesspull together, digital projects can be implemented
in record time.

www.telekom-healthcare.com/en

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OUR PARTNERS

Industry Associations
The German digital health sector is represented
by a number of industry associations that lobby
for improvements for their member companies. HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY works closely
together with them to provide support forinternational companies seeking collaborationand partnerships with German companies activein the digital health sector. To further enhance
sector visibility, we facilitate the presence ofGerman players at relevant industry events andprovide a platform for connecting with international partners.

BitkomBranchenverband der deutschen Informations- und Telekommunikationsbranche
Bitkom is Germany’s digital association. Founded1999 in Berlin, Bitkom represents more than 2,000
companies of the digital economy. Membershipspans more than 1,000 SMEs, over 500 start-ups
and virtually all global players. Bitkom members
offer software, telecommunications and internet
services, produce hardware and consumer electronics, operate in the digital media sector or are
in other ways affiliated with the digital economy.
More and more companies across all sectors are
joining Bitkom as they digitize their businessmodels. Bitkom advocates the digitization of
the economy, society and public administration.
The association is pushing for the faster rolloutof gigabit networks and digital infrastructure
for energy and mobility, for trade and for smart
homes, for cities and regions. Bitkom supports
policies for data-driven business models, fordata protection and cybersecurity, for platforms,
disruptive technologies, work 4.0 and life-long
education in a digital world. A strong European
digital policy and a fully integrated digital single
market are at the heart of Bitkom’s concerns, aswell as establishing Germany as a key driver ofdigital change in Europe and globally.
www.bitkom.org

12

The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

DMEA - Europe’s central meeting place forhealth IT
Once a year in April, the Messe Berlin exhibition grounds are turned over to all things digital
healthcare related. This is when the “DMEA –Connecting Digital Health” event brings together
all of the relevant players: from the industry to
the medical and nursing professions as well as
policymakers, local administrations and scienceand research actors. Visitors can expect presentations, discussions and workshops held by andincluding speakers from science and practice.
The spectrum of topics covered ranges from thedigitalization of care to artificial intelligence andthe added value of digital prescriptions. As wellas this, around 600 manufacturers and suppliers
present digital health innovations over 26,000
sqm of exhibition space – from IT solutions forgeneral practitioners and laboratories to healthapps and IT security. The topics of young talent and careers also have their place at DMEA
– Europe’s leading health IT event. At a program
specially tailored to them, young digital healthtalents can gain insights into the industry andestablish contacts with universities and potential
employers.
www.www.dmea.de/en/Deutsche Krankenhausgesellschaft
The German Hospital Federation (DKG) represents all public, private not-for-profit and private
for-profit hospitals in all decisions relating tohealthcare policy. It is a partner for policymakers
and authorities, the German healthcare system’s
self-administration infrastructure, other associations and the scientific community. At the organization’s headquarters in Berlin, 80 people workin ten departments, answering the full range ofquestions associated with hospitals. All hospitalrelevant policies of the EU, cross-border healthcare
in the EU, medical tourism with third countries,
and the healthcare economy are among the issues
addressed by the “EU policies, international affairs,
health economy.” Mandated by law, DKG is part of
the “National contact point” for EU patients, which
provides comprehensive information on hospitalcare to foreign patients.
www.dkgev.de
www.german-hospital-directory.de

Federal Association of Healthcare IT Vendors(bvitg e. V.)
There is no way around digitalization if healthcare
in Germany is to be improved and made futureproof. For more than 25 years, the Bundesverband
Gesundheits-IT – bvitg e. V. (“Federal Associationof Healthcare IT Vendors“) has been advocating
the comprehensive use of digital solutions in thehealthcare system. Today, IT solutions alreadymake a significant contribution to healthcare andsupport medical staff in their daily work. Since
its establishment in 1995, bvitg has made theremoval of hurdles to the digitalization of thehealthcare system its mission, in order to guarantee fair competition and strengthen the positionof IT providers active in the healthcare sector.
Over 70 percent of member companies are active

in international markets. The bvitg makes useof this unique expertise in its working andproject groups in which experts from diverse
fields work together on a voluntary basis on
matters relevant to the association and theindustry including data protection, IT security
and telemedicine.
www.bvitg.de

Netzwerk für eHealth Systeme undTelemedizin
The National Association for eHealth Systems
and Telemedicine (Netzwerk für eHealth Systeme
und Telemedizin - NEST) is an amalgamation ofcompanies, research institutions, hospitals, organizations and individuals. The network’s aim is touse innovation to improve patient care and makehealthcare more effective. This is achieved bydeveloping, manufacturing and jointly marketingproducts and services. New applications for innovative technology and standardization processes
play a decisive role in the eHealth and telemedicine sector. This facilitates simultaneous orientation towards national and international markets.
Abroad, NEST is mainly active implementing
projects and research joint ventures in the Arabspeaking world, the Balkans and the former Soviet
republics.
www.nesttelemedizin.de13

OUR SERVICESHEALTH MADE IN GERMANY
Germany is one of the world’s most important
providers and exporters of healthcare products
and services. The country’s innovative medical
products set international standards for quality,
safety and reliability. German manufacturers andservice providers in all health and life sciences
segments attract overseas customers and partners
and deliver leadership in healthcare innovation.
HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY is the export initiative
for the German healthcare industry. It supports
international companies and organizations that areinterested in establishing contact with potential
German partners and suppliers. Set up by theGerman Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs andClimate Action (BMWK), the initiative bundles
expert market intelligence for easy industry access.
One of the initiative’s main goals is to promote theGerman healthcare sector through international
networking activities for the mutual benefit ofinternational partners and German companies alike.
HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY does this by providing
proactive support (including market and regulatory

insight), introductory services, and networking
platforms including trade events at home andabroad. The initiative serves four major industries
active in the international medical market:
pharmaceuticals, medical technology, medical
biotechnology, and digital health care
HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY also works closelywith 16 major German industry associations andis part of the BMWK’s MITTELSTAND GLOBAL
umbrella program for small and medium-sizedenterprises. The initiative is ideally placed toprovide access to German healthcare market
information and to help overseas businesses
identify potential German partners.
The HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY initiative is
implemented by Germany Trade & Invest, theeconomic development agency of the Federal
Republic of Germany, on behalf of the BMWK.

For more information:www.health-made-in-germany.com

Our support for your business:
We publish market briefs, in-depth market
studies and company directories of theGerman healthcare industry and its different sectors.
Our calendar is regularly updated withthe latest industry events in Germany
and overseas.
We take part in leading healthcare
trade fairs all over the world, organize
networking events and enjoy ongoing
dialogue and exchange with international
health policymakers.

14

The Digital Health Sector | health-made-in-germany.com

We provide free access to 3,500+ German
healthcare companies with our online database. Detailed company profiles and directcontact information help international
businesses to identify potential suppliers
and partners in Germany.
Visit www.health-made-in-germany.com
for more information about the German
healthcare industry and all HEALTH MADE
IN GERMANY activities.

CONTACT

Expert Advice

Imprint
Publisher
Germany Trade and Invest
Gesellschaft für Außenwirtschaft
und Standortmarketing mbH
Friedrichstraße 60
10117 Berlin
Germany
Executive Board
Dr. Jürgen Friedrich, Chairman/CEO
Dr. Robert Hermann, CEO
EditorWilliam MacDougall, Germany Trade & Invest, Berlin

Stefanie Zenk is the senior manager responsible
for the medical technology and digital healthindustries at HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY. She isyour point of contact for expert advice in thesefields and looks forward to receiving your inquiries
and requests.

Author
CONOSCOPE GmbH, Leipzig

Get in touch with us to learn more about what
HEALTH MADE IN GERMANY can do for you.

Notes
All rights reserved.
© Germany Trade & Invest, February 2022
Reproduction, in whole or in part, only permissible
with express prior authorization. All market data
provided is based on the most current market
information available at the time of publication.
­Germany Trade & Invest accepts no liability forthe actuality, accuracy, or completeness of theinformation provided.

Stefanie Zenk
Senior Manager, Medical Technology andDigital Health
T +49 30 200 099-756
Stefanie.Zenk@gtai.com
www.health-made-in-germany.com
www.gtai.com

Print
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Order Number
20997-2
Picture Credits
Front page: alvarez/istockphoto.com; page 10:@ CGM Clinical Europe GmbH 2022; page 11: Ada
Health, Deutsche Telekom AG, Foto: Norbert
Ittermann; page 15: Illing & Vossbeck Fotografie

15

About Us
Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) is the economic development agencyof the Federal Republic of Germany. The company helps create andsecure extra employment opportunities, strengthening Germany as
a business location. With more than 50 offices in Germany and abroad
and its network of partners throughout the world, GTAI supports
German companies setting up in foreign markets, promotes Germany as
a business location and assists foreign companies setting up in Germany.
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