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Innovation Centres to promote 'Wellbeing' tech

Hi-Tech Scotland reporter | Monday October 27, 2008



A major drive has been launched to identify and develop new wellness and health technologies that will help create a healthier Scotland and provide global market opportunities for innovative companies.

The aim of the three year project is to provide support to Scottish organisations enabling them to become players in an emerging global Wellness and Health market estimated to be worth $200billion a year and to triple by 2012.

The Scottish Enterprise Wellness and Health Innovation project will be managed by Innovation Centres (Scotland) Ltd (ICS) who have successfully completed a pilot project on how to grow the Scottish sector which was financed by the economic development agency. Funding for the extended project will also come from Scottish Enterprise and an application has been made to European Regional Development Fund.

Developing Scottish businesses in this market over the three years of the project is anticipated to grow the economy, create up to 85 new jobs and support 15 collaborative new ventures.

The initiative will also aim to build a robust knowledge sharing, collaborative community of academics, partners, stakeholders and companies that will drive the commercialisation of relevant research.

Companies will also be encouraged to look at the potential to adapt and transfer their existing technologies to address the demands of the Wellness and Health market.  

The project also supports the Scottish Government’s recently published E-Health Strategy for 2008 -2011 which aims to improve patient care through advances in technology.

In delivering the Wellness and Health Innovation Project the ICS team will undertake a four point action plan that will:

•    identify new market opportunities
•    attract global partners to engage with Scottish companies
•    encourage and support SMEs to develop new products and services or transfer existing technologies to the Wellness and Health sector
•    promote innovation throughout the supply chain.  

Tom Ogilvie, CEO of ICS, said: “The explosion of the Wellness and Health market is a consequence of the fundamental changes that are taking place in the delivery of healthcare services worldwide.”

“As people live longer increasing costs of treatment place enormous strains on budgets resulting in a move to home management of medical conditions, a shift to preventative healthcare and encouragement of people to take personal responsibility for their health through an improved lifestyle.”
He added: “New technology is seen as the means of facilitating the change that will deliver solutions to the challenges of providing a 21st century healthcare service. Scotland has a great tradition of leading the field in healthcare from the discovery of penicillin and insulin to ultrasound diagnostics and pioneering the use of surgical anaesthesia and much more.”

“That tradition of medical innovation continues today with companies such as wideblue who have collaborated with PWB Health to develop a hand held device to assist women with breast self-examination to detect the early signs of cancer. Island Communications has been appointed a member of European Consortium funded by the EU to develop a satellite-based tracking system that will allow those with Alzheimers Disease and all forms of Dementia to move around within a safe environment outside their home.”  

Mr. Ogilvie added: “We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to continue our work in helping identify and deliver the next generation of technology–driven healthcare products that will give Scotland a lead in enhancing the care and lifestyle of people here and worldwide.”

David Cross, project manager at Scottish Enterprise said: “Health and well-being is a key strategic priority for the Scottish Government. There is an increasing recognition that health and wellness has a positive impact on the prosperity of the nation.
 
“Scottish companies and institutions have an enviable track record in coming up with innovative ideas. This project will encourage companies to develop new innovations for the wellness market and help them to successfully exploit these innovative products and services.”

The Wellness team will hold its first seminar - “The pulse behind eHealth” - on 20th November 2008. Ambitious companies seeking to exploit these new opportunities are invited to this seminar to meet and listen to a group of leading analysts, partners and innovators who will present their biggest predictions and expectations for this sector.

Attendance at this event can be booked by emailing: forums@innovationcentre.org

www.innovationcentre.org/wellness

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