Switzerland has a great tradition in medical technology which holds significant future potential. The Swiss medical technology added-value chain is well structured and highly integrated. About 1'300 companies with 45'000 employees create an annual turnover of 20.3 billion Swiss francs. The annual growth is 6 to 8 %.

Medical technology represents a key area of the precision engineering industry in the Canton of  Bern. The long tradition of the watchmaking industry in the region advanced the know-how in precision manufacturing and is an important advantage for the medical technology branch.

There are approx. 320 medical technology companies with 7'000 people operating primarily as manufacturers and suppliers. In the last years the number of employees in the medical technology industry has grown by 20%. Companies such as Medtronic, Haag-Streit, Ypsomed, Straumann, Ziemer Group, Bien-Air, Carbamed, Steris, Staar Surgical and Bernafon are already in the region.

The Medical Cluster, a network organization for medical technology companies, focus on activities like promotion for the innovation, expansion of education and support of innovative companies. The Competence Center of Medical Technology is responsable for professional technology transfer between universities and industry.

Numerous leading research institutions are based in the Canton of Bern and the neighbouring regions. The focus of these institutions’ research is on various medical technology disciplines and other medical areas. Institutions like the University hospital "Inselspital", the ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research, the Theodor Kocher Institute, the Bern University of Applied Sciences as well as the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology (CSEM) are in the region.