An example of how this translates into business benefit is Voxar, the Edinburgh-based company founded in 1995 by Andrew Bissell to develop three-dimensional medical visualization software solutions for the clinical market. Voxar's success in forging strategic partnerships with many of the world's leading original equipment manufacturers played a key part in the eventual acquisition of the company by the Belgian company Barco ( http://www.barco.com/) in September 2004. This move has led to major investment in the integrated business and significant growth in sales over the last two years.

Their agility, relatively rapid time to market, and reliance on proven technologies make convergence companies an attractive proposition to partners and investors alike. So, with Scotland's crop of homegrown talent knocking loudly on international doors, what is good for these companies is also good for our global standing and the advancement of medicine across the world.