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The medical technology industry is at the heart of innovations in healthcare as companies focus on developing advanced devices, instruments, and equipment to diagnose, treat, and prevent disease. In Switzerland, the medtech sector has seen remarkable growth. Between 2021 and 2022, the industry created over 4,500 new jobs, employing around 67,500 people, or more than 1% of the Swiss population. With revenues exceeding CHF 20.8 billion in 2021, the sector’s performance has outpaced the average of the past decade.
Front and centre to this boom is the Basel Area, which has carved a large niche in the medical equipment industry. Home to major companies such as Roche Diagnostics, Straumann Group, and Medartis, the region also boasts a vibrant ecosystem of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and startups. This concentration of expertise, combined with a rich industrial history, makes Basel an attractive location for medtech companies. A key element of Basel’s strength lies in its proximity to the canton of Jura, which has a long tradition of watchmaking and skilled subcontracting. This background enables the production of highly complex products using specialised materials. The canton of Jura now has the highest density of medtech suppliers in Switzerland.
Among the many innovative startups in the Basel Area are companies like Incaptek GmbH and Nutrix AG, both pushing the boundaries of medical technology. Incaptek is a trailblazer in material science, producing microcontainer films and microcapsules with controlled release functions. These materials can serve various industries, including biotech and electronics. In medtech, Incaptek’s drug-eluting coatings offer precise, controlled drug release, revolutionising how medical devices deliver treatments. Nutrix, on the other hand, has made its name in Basel’s medical equipment industry through its efforts in tackling diabetes management with non-invasive glucose monitoring. Their technology uses saliva-based sensors combined with artificial intelligence to monitor glucose levels.