Earl E. Bakken Medical Devices Center, UMN

The Earl E. Bakken Medical Devices Center (Bakken MDC) at the University of Minnesota is an interdisciplinary program focused on advancing medical device innovation from concept to commercialization. Named after Earl E. Bakken, a pioneer in medical devices and founder of Medtronic, the center promotes new technologies aimed at enhancing healthcare. Bakken MDC serves as a collaborative hub for researchers, clinicians, engineers, and entrepreneurs to accelerate the development of medical technologies. It supports the entire innovation pipeline, offering services such as clinician-led innovation, advanced 3D printing, engineering design, and virtual reality/augmented reality visualization. The center also provides access to prototyping labs and training through its Fellows Program, which mentors emerging innovators in the medical device field. In addition to its core services, the center hosts educational programs to cultivate skills in medical device development, making it a vital resource for researchers, startups, and industry partners in the medical technology sector.

• Employees 27
• Founded 2007