Agfa HealthCare, a leading provider of diagnostic imaging and healthcare IT solutions, announces today that it has been awarded a 3.5 million Euro (4.7 million US$) grant by the Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT) for its IT research & development (R&D) program. The funds, which will be released over a period of three years, will support the R&D centers in Flanders for the next generation of integrated medical information and imaging systems.
Innovation key to improving healthcare and patient care
IWT awarded the grant based on the technological innovation power and strong potential for business valorization of Agfa HealthCare's R&D program. The program firmly establishes Agfa HealthCare's R&D facilities in Ghent and Mortsel alongside the company's other R&D centers in North America, Europe and China. Together, these centers will develop advanced technology for image-intensive clinical applications for radiology and cardiology, amongst others.
The program advances Agfa HealthCare's goal to continuously increase the efficiency of healthcare and improve the delivery of patient care, through innovation. "We strongly believe that innovation is an essential component for our future success, and the funds provided by the IWT will help us to realize our ambitious R&D program," explains Christian Reinaudo, CEO Agfa-Gevaert NV.
Agfa HealthCare diversifies financial sources for R&D
The grant comes soon after the European Investment Bank (EIB) signed a contract to lend Agfa HealthCare 130 million Euro (176 million US$) for R&D in the Ghent and Mortsel centers, as well as in the company's other European R&D facilities in Germany, Austria and France. This agreement, concluded in November 2010, will contribute - with the IWT grant - to the company's internal growth strategy as well as its efforts to further diversify its financing sources.
Related news articles:
- Agfa HealthCare's Profile
About IWT
IWT, the Flemish Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology, helps Flemish companies, research centers and organizations realize their research and development projects, by providing financial funding, advice and a network of potential partners in Flanders and abroad. It works to promote close cooperation between all players in the domain of technical innovation in Flanders. IWT also supports the Flemish Government in establishing its innovation policy.
About Agfa
The Agfa-Gevaert Group is one of the world's leading companies in imaging and information technology. Agfa develops manufactures and markets analogue and digital systems for the printing industry (Agfa Graphics), for the healthcare sector (Agfa HealthCare), and for specific industrial applications (Agfa Materials). Agfa is headquartered in Mortsel, Belgium. The company is present in 40 countries and has agents in another 100 countries around the globe. The Agfa-Gevaert Group achieved a turnover of 2,755 million euro in 2009.
About Agfa HealthCare
Agfa HealthCare, a member of the Agfa-Gevaert Group, is a leading global provider of diagnostic imaging and healthcare IT solutions. The company has nearly a century of healthcare experience and has been a pioneer on the healthcare IT market since the early 1990's. Today Agfa HealthCare designs, develops and delivers state-of-the-art systems for capturing, managing and processing diagnostic images and clinical/administrative information for hospitals and healthcare facilities, as well as contrast media solutions to enable effective medical imaging results. The company has sales offices and agents in over 100 markets worldwide. Sales for Agfa HealthCare in 2009 were 1,178 million euro. For more information on Agfa HealthCare, please visit www.agfahealthcare.com.