BIOTRONIK, Charité, and German Heart Center Foundation Announce Partnership to Advance Digital Cardiology

Strategic Initiative Strengthens

Berlin as Europe's Hub of Digital Cardiology

BERLIN, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- BIOTRONIK, die Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, and the German Heart Center Foundation today announced a research and innovation partnership focused on advancing digital and translational cardiology. The collaboration will bring together world-class clinical cardiovascular expertise at Deutsches Herzzentrum der Charité (DHZC) with BIOTRONIK's strength in active cardiac devices, artificial intelligence, and connected health technologies.

The partnership builds on existing projects in cardiovascular healthcare, including publicly funded initiatives. The cooperation framework will span from early-stage ideation to joint development and contract research. Initial projects will focus on developing AI‑driven tools and advanced simulation environments to improve device-based therapies.

Digital Cardiovascular Care

"The future of cardiovascular care is digital, connected, and predictive," said Dr. Volker Lang, Senior Vice President Research & Development, BIOTRONIK. "By integrating advanced AI, telemonitoring, and implantable technologies with clinical research, we are transforming heart care and enabling better outcomes for patients worldwide."

"This strategic partnership demonstrates how academic medicine and industry research can work together to pave the way for data-driven cardiology," emphasized Prof. Heyo K. Kroemer, Chairman of the Board of Charité. "It is particularly important to us that this collaboration advances innovation while also training the next generation of heart specialists to meet the challenges of digital medicine."

Prof. Gerhard Hindricks, Interim Head of the Department Cardiology, Angiology and Intensive Care Medicine at DHZC and Lead Project Manager, added: "New technologies are rapidly transforming the management of cardiac rhythm disorders and heart failure. At DHZC, we pursue technological leadership and drive innovation in all major subspecialties of cardiovascular medicine. This partnership with BIOTRONIK enables us to accelerate the journey from bench to bedside, bringing scientific discoveries more quickly into clinical practice to benefit patients."

Endowed Professorship for Digital and Translational Cardiology

Beyond the scope of the collaboration, BIOTRONIK and the German Heart Center Foundation are jointly supporting the establishment and funding of an endowed professorship for Digital and Translational Cardiology at Charité.

"By attracting internationally experienced researchers from the field of digital cardiology and related disciplines, the initiative aims to accelerate innovation and help shape the future of cardiovascular care worldwide," said Andreas Portmann, Managing Director of the Foundation. "The combination of clinical excellence and technological innovation strengthens Berlin's position as a leading hub for cardiovascular research and serves as a key driver of Europe's leadership in medical technology."

About BIOTRONIK – To find out more, go to https://www.biotronik.com/en-int

About Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin – To find out more, go to https://www.charite.de/en/

About German Heart Center Foundation – To find out more, go to https://stiftung-deutsches-herzzentrum.org