Introduction Research and product development in the area of medical technology is booming in Finland. The level of research and know how are on high international level and the research institutes and companies active in the branch are looking for synergy by concentrating their activities in technology centers especially built for supporting the quick development in the area. The idea is to gather the medical and biotechnical research, product development and production under the same roof and among other things to accelerate the timetable during which the research results develop to products ready to be marketed in the international market.
Technology centers accept competition and are looking for new partners both in Finland and abroad.
Functioning technology centers and launched projects are located in Helsinki, Oulu, Tampere and Turku. As an example, the technology center of Tampere, Finn-Medi, is described more closely below. The first building of Finn-Medi was occupied one year ago. The whole project was implemented during the deepest recession in Finland and therefore the building was made smaller than originally planned. Interested companies and institutions are lining up to move to the new premises.