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20 Years of National Conference on Health Economy in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – A Region Setting the Pace for the Future
- Ben Ramhofer
- Jun 15
- 4 min read
Rostock, June 2025. With the Baltic Sea glistening just outside, the Radisson Blu Hotel in Rostock welcomed guests from across Europe to celebrate 20 years of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern’s Healthcare Economy Conference – a major milestone for one of Germany’s most dynamic regional innovation platforms.
What started as a regional gathering has grown into a nationally respected forum where policy makers, researchers, healthcare providers, and businesses come together to shape the future of healthcare – with a clear focus on collaboration, data, and European cooperation.
Ship to Business: Networking on the Water
One of the conference’s most beloved traditions is the evening event “Ship to Business” – and even under cloudy skies, it delivered.
Participants boarded a cruise boat from Rostock’s harbor and set sail for a networking session unlike any other. The weather was overcast and a little breezy, but the atmosphere on deck was warm and energetic.
Conversations flowed between clinicians, startups, investors, policy advisors, and researchers – exactly the kind of cross-sector dialogue the healthcare system so urgently needs.
This informal setting provided a perfect backdrop to discuss emerging projects, form new partnerships, and revisit familiar ideas with fresh perspectives. For us at MAYA Data Privacy Limited, it was a particularly rewarding evening. We had the chance to dive deep into discussions about privacy-preserving AI applications in clinical settings – a topic that resonated strongly with many participants.
And fittingly, the skies cleared the next day – with sunshine and blue skies over the first sessions, reflecting the forward-looking energy of the entire event.
The Origins: From Regional Exchange to National Innovation Hub
Back in 2005, the first edition of this conference aimed to strengthen the regional healthcare economy. Over the years, this annual event has evolved into a high-profile gathering that reflects the growing role of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (MV) as a testbed for innovative health solutions.
Organized by BioCon Valley® GmbH on behalf of the state’s Ministry for Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Tourism and Labour, the conference is rooted in MV’s long-term strategy to position health not just as a sector, but as a foundation for economic resilience, digital innovation, and societal wellbeing. This year’s anniversary edition made one thing clear: Rostock is not just a meeting place – it’s where ideas take off.
A central highlight of the event was the session titled "European Health Data Space – Researching with Patient Data", which brought together top-level experts to discuss one of the most pressing topics in European healthcare innovation.
The impulse talk was delivered by none other than Prof. Dr. Sylvia Thun, Director of the Core Unit eHealth & Interoperability at the Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin – one of Europe’s leading voices in healthcare standardization. Her message was clear: interoperability, standard-compliant data formats, and European collaboration are non-negotiable if we want to unlock the full potential of health data for research and patient care.
The panel discussion that followed included:
Bettina Martin, MdL, Minister for Science, Culture, Federal and European Affairs of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Schwerin
Prof. Dr. Steffen Augsberg, Professor of Public Law at Justus Liebig University Giessen ersity Giessen
Manon Austenat-Wied, Head of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Representation of Techniker Krankenkasse, Schwerin
Prof. Dr. Karlhans Endlich, Scientific Director and Dean of Universitätsmedizin Greifswald
Johanna Hasting, Director Government Affairs & Policy Germany at GE HealthCare, Munich
Dr. Jens Placke, President of the Ärztekammer Mecklenburg-Vorpommern; Practicing Specialist in Internal Medicine and Cardiology, Rostock
Moderated by Jürgen Zurheide, Correspondent for Tagesspiegel and Stuttgarter Zeitung, Düsseldorf
In a packed room the session emphasized that building a trustworthy, secure, and interoperable European health data infrastructure is both an opportunity and a responsibility – one that needs alignment between legal frameworks, medical ethics, technological innovation, and cross-border trust.
Ireland Meets Mecklenburg-Vorpommern: European Partnerships in Action
One of my personal highlights was the opportunity to meet Maeve Collins, the Irish Ambassador to Germany, during the event.
Ireland, known for its agility in implementing digital health strategies and regulatory clarity, is a natural partner for cross-border collaboration in this space. Our conversation was a reminder that health data innovation is a European mission – and that smaller countries, regions, and companies all have a key role to play. The presence of international diplomats also underscores how this conference has become more than a local event – it’s a European platform for meaningful dialogue and collaboration.
Real Conversations, Real Progress
What truly sets this conference apart is its structure: real exchange over polished showmanship, substance over slogans. The sessions were rich in content but accessible. The exhibition area provided space for health tech companies, researchers, and institutions to showcase their work – and most importantly, to talk to each other.
From workforce shortages to AI applications, from elderly care to secure data anonymization – this conference is a mirror of the real-world challenges the healthcare system faces. But more than that, it is a laboratory of solutions.
A Final Thought: Celebrating What Matters
20 years of healthcare industry dialogue in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is not just a birthday – it’s a celebration of cooperation, trust, and vision. This year’s event reminded us that great healthcare innovation doesn’t only happen in capitals or Silicon Valley – it happens where people come together, openly and with purpose. Rostock showed once again how strong regional roots and a European horizon can grow real progress.
We at MAYA Data Privacy Limited were proud to participate – not as a sponsor or speaker, but as part of the conversation. Thanks again to Enterprise Ireland, especially Nicol Hoppe pe to invite Amnexis, RedZinc and us.
And as we sail into the second half of 2025, we do so with the wind of ideas in our sails – and with many new connections made in Rostock.
#Healthcare2025 #Rostock #EuropeanHealthDataSpace #DigitalHealth #Networking #IrelandInGermany #HealthInnovation #MVProud #HealthData #ShipToBusiness #AIForData #DataForAI
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