Plan 1: Host seminars on medical and healthcare devices

　We continue communicating with medical institutions and industries to pursue production of safe, high-quality and cost-saving medical devices.

• We encourage members’ technological progress by offering information on key points for commissioned development and production as well as information on the latest trends regarding medical devices.
• We actively offer networking events, business negotiations and facility tours for medical device manufacturers and “Monozukuri companies (regional SMEs).”

(Pictures of conferences)

Plan 2: Business matching services

　We provide business matching services to SMEs in Fukushima Prefecture to facilitate connections with medical device manufacturers and research institutions including universities, all located inside and/or outside the Prefecture.

　We send project managers with outstanding skills and experiences in medical devices to regional SMEs to promote their business expansion to medical welfare related industry through various approaches: offer business matching services with medical device manufactures (prototype production, OEM production, component supply etc), introduce prototype production plans from university researchers, and support SMEs in raising research funds from third parties.

Plan 3: Promote R&D of medical devices utilizing technology innovations from universities

　We pursue the development and commercialization of leading-edge diagnostic and therapeutic devices utilizing outcomes of research on haptic (tactile sensor) technology of the Nihon University College of Engineering as well as optical, miniaturization, and information-processing technologies.

Plan 4 Host seminars on human resources development through medical-engineering collaboration

　We host seminars to encourage regional SMEs to collaborate with medical device manufactures and universities as well as reinforce skills required for device productions.

Programs

• Medical device maintenance management, operation room & clinical engineering center tours, medical device manufacturers tours, and business presentations on non-medical firms entering the medical industry
• Practical trainings on operating and dismantling medical devices
• Overseas market cultivation overview, etc.

Plan 5: Support SMEs to handle approval and licensing procedures under the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act

　We encourage SMEs in non-medical sectors to enter into medical device related industries for the first time.

　We offer SMEs independent consultation by sending them consultants with skills and experiences in medical devices.

Plan 6: Support SMEs in market cultivation

　We promote technological strengths of SMEs to the world in order to allow them to cultivate a marketing network in the following ways:

• Hold an expo and technological seminar on design and production of medical devices - “Medical Creation Fukushima”.
• Run “Fukushima Pavilion” at Medical Show Japan & Business Expo
• Present a booth of Fukushima Prefecture at overseas expos (MEDICA in Germany, KIMES in South Korea).
• Regional Industry Tie-Up (RIT) program for medical device industries between SMEs in Fukushima Prefecture and North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), Germany

Plan7: Grants for Medical Industry Cluster Project

　We financially support firms engaged in development and verification testing of medical and welfare devices, in order to aid in the recovery of the industries affected by the Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami.

CYBERDYNE Inc

“Development of robotic suit HAL for medical usage“

　The firm develops rehabilitation equipments for elbows and knees. The self-driven equipments aim to improve motor function of human beings including brain, nervous system and musculoskeletal systems.

• The firm currently locates one of their offices at Technology Development Room at High-Tech Plaza, Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture

Echo Electricity Co., Ltd

“Development of medical device for tear secretion examination”

　The firm develops prompt and accurate dry-eyes testing (tear secretion examination) devices that shorten the regular testing time of 5 minutes to 5 seconds saving time for both patients and doctors.

Fukushima Medical University Aizu Medical Center (Professor Irisawa)

“Development of magnetically guided capsule endoscope system for improving gastric cancer screening rate”