A beacon for Europe
Up to 900 researchers from various disciplines are set to work together on AI solutions for the healthcare sector at the MARE Technopark in Venice. One focus is on imaging.
This is possibly one of the largest privately funded healthcare projects in Europe, and it is certainly one of the most spectacular: On the island of Lido, which separates Venice from the Adriatic Sea, a new center for collaborative research into artificial intelligence in medicine is currently being built. The MARE Technopark is under construction on the 42,000 square meter site of the former "Ospedale al Mare", where tuberculosis patients were once treated.
Upon completion, up to 900 researchers from various disciplines will be able to work together here to develop digital solutions that assist physicians in their daily work and measurably improve patient care. Residential accommodation for up to 600 people, a conference center, childcare facilities, a church, restaurants, and cafés are also planned, as well as over 21,000 square meters of greened areas. Part of the site is intended to be freely accessible to the public.
In close cooperation with CompuGroup Medical (CGM)
The operational manager of the project is the former Austrian Finance Minister Gernot Blümel. “The MARE Technopark embodies precisely the kind of private research and medicine which Europe needs to be able to compete globally in the field of cutting-edge technologies,” says Blümel. “Here, we combine historical heritage with future-oriented technology, thereby not only creating a research hub, but also a veritable catalyst for innovation.”
The driver behind the project is CGM founder Frank Gotthardt, who acquired the long-abandoned site in the north of the island in 2023. Our parent company will play a central role in the MARE project ecosystem: As an anchor tenant for over 100 researchers, as operator of the MARE Data Lake, a repository that provides research partners with data, as well as with research centers and start-ups. Those in responsibility attach particular importance to the close integration of basic research and practical applications.
We look forward to the research results
In addition, CGM has developed the MARE AI Engine: A platform that will serve as a training and validation center for AI models and analyze medical history data over longer periods of time to identify early indicators of rare diseases. “The objective is to significantly improve survival rates through timely diagnosis and preventive intervention,” says Emanuele Mugnani, responsible for the data and AI partnership with MARE at CGM. One focus will be on AI-supported imaging. We look forward to benefiting from these results for our product development.
The first construction phase is scheduled to begin by the end of 2025, with completion of the first construction stage planned for 2028. And if everything goes according to plan, the new beacon of European innovativeness will be shining brightly by the end of the decade.
To find out more about the MARE project please visit: www.mare.health