The regional companies in the Health and Wellness industries represent a very dynamic and competitive sector, also connected to quality of life and high quality services. Pharmaceutical cluster boasts high growth trend in exports (+75% in 2019-21 period). The biomedical district in Mirandola (Modena) - with around 5,000 employees – boasts high levels of innovation and internationalization. The production of orthopaedic prosthetic products in the Bologna area is another regional excellence. Wellness Valley includes global companies such as Technogym. A top healthcare system complete the picture: Emilia-Romagna is the 1st region in Italy for the efficiency of the health system (Demoskopika, 2020).
Main specializations
Top companies
| BIOMEDICAL | PHARMA | WELLBEING | PACKAGING |
|---|---|---|---|
| Image  | Image  | Image  | Image  |
Innovation ecosystem
The regional production system is strongly oriented towards Industry 4.0, supported by the innovation ecosystem that is able to create collaborations and synergies between knowledge system and business. Here are some key actors:
Clust-ER HEALTH – Health and Wellness
Clust-ER Associations are communities of public and private bodies (research centers, companies, training institutes) created to support the competitiveness of the most important production systems in Emilia-Romagna.
Regional High Technology Network
Discover the High Technology Network industrial research offering in ‘Energy and Sustainability’
Scientific institutes of excellence (IRCCS)
IRCCS Orthopedics
Bologna - Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli
www.ior.it
IRCCS Neurology
Bologna
www.ambo.ausl.bologna.it
IRCCS Oncology
Reggio Emilia
www.ausl.re.it
Meldola (FC)
www.irst.emr.it
IRCCS Surgery
Bologna - Policlinico di Sant'Orsola
www.aosp.bo.it
EIT Health
EIT Health is a community of innovators dedicated to improving the lives of people and patients connecting world-class organisations across Europe from the three worlds of business, research and education. ART-ER is among the associate partners.
| HEALTH AND WELLNESS RESULTS OF THE REGIONAL SMART SPECIALIZATION STRATEGY 2014-24 (Updated June 2024) | ||
|---|---|---|
1.175Funded R&D Projects | 509million euros of total investment | 385million euros of public funds |
Main international Trade Fairs
Key facts
| Health and Wellness in Emilia-Romagna | ||
|---|---|---|
| Employees (2023, Infocamere) 137,745 | Local units (2023, Infocamere) 33,160 | Export (2023, Istat Coeweb) 4.48 bln € |
| Import (2023, Istat Coeweb) 1.86 bln € | Trend 2019-22 health industry +55% | Trend 2019-22 pharmaceutical products +103% |
| Health system | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1st region in Italy for the efficiency of the health system (Source: Demoskopika, 2020) | 1st Italian region for Essential Assistance Levels (EAL) (Source: Fondazione GIMBE 2010-18) | Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli 8° World's Best Specialized Hospital in Orthopedics (Source: Newsweek 2022) |
Info-sheets "Invest in health and wellness in Emilia-Romagna"
Main international trade fairs
Main international trade fairs in Emilia-Romagna related to Health and Wellness include: Exposanità, Cosmoprof, Cosmofarma, Expodental, Rimini Wellness, B.T. Expo
News
Medtronic, from 400 to 560 employees in 4 years
Medtronic, US multinational leader in medical technologies, invested heavily in two companies of its group that are part of the regional biomedical district of Mirandola (Modena): Bellco and Mallinckrodt.
