Biotronik Hungária Kft., Budapest

1960s - Exploring Opportunities BIOTRONIKR was founded in 1963, as physicist Max Schaldach and electrical engineer Otto Franke developed the first German implantable pacemaker. In the early years, BIOTRONIK's primary focus was on solving basic problems. These included short battery service time, the uncertainty of the remaining battery power, and developing a reliable method for connecting the lead to both the pacemaker and the heart. Research and Development (R&D) produced a series of innovations that are considered milestones in pacemaker technology today. 1970s - Expanding the Playing Field The appointment of Dr. Schaldach as professor for biomedical engineering at Erlangen's Friedrich-Alexander University boosted the company's R&D work. In 1976, the company opened headquarters in Berlin-Neukölln, Sieversufer 8, and eventually moved next door to Woermannkehre 1 (in 1987). Upon acquiring Stimulation Technology, Inc., BIOTRONIK set up production facilities in Lake Oswego, Oregon, in the United States. At this time, the company also began developing and producing advanced hybrid circuitry and modules for the biomedical industry. This was the harbinger to breakthrough technology in the pacemaker industry. These are pioneering BIOTRONIK achievements that stand out in medical technology history.