Applications now being accepted for CRAASH Barcelona acceleration program
Attention entrepreneurial community: you can now apply to join the 7th edition of the CRAASH Barcelona program! We’ll explain some of the changes to the program, the calendar and share some figures demonstrating its success.
Biocat has opened the call to take part in the 7th annual CRAASH Barcelona acceleration program, which facilitates the acceleration of healthcare innovations towards commercialization and clinical practice. The program is looking for six startups or projects that are developing medical devices, digital health and diagnostics with a technological readiness level (TRL) of 3-6, with teams made up of research personnel and entrepreneurs.
This year, the program will start on September 17, 2024 and, through December, participants will receive training on clinical validation, investment and communication skills, as well as mentoring from CIMIT experts and knowledge of the Catalan and German life sciences ecosystems. The Life Science Accelerator will be in charge of the training on the German system.
In addition, the six groups will receive specialised consultancy services from Health Innovation Technology Transfer Fundation (HiTT), feedback from different innovation units at leading centres such as Hospital Clínic, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge and Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, and, this year, a closing event as part of Barcelona Health Innovation Week 2025.
The collaboration agreement with the European Innovation Council (EIC) will be maintained, with Biocat offering beneficiaries of the Ecosystem Partnership and Co-Investment Support Programme the opportunity to participate in this edition of CRAASH Barcelona under special conditions. The programme is organised by Biocat together with CIMIT, in collaboration with ACCIÓ.
The keys to success of CRAASH Barcelona
Dedicated mentors, quality training, onsite sessions and new connections forged with other stakeholders in the ecosystem were the most highly rated aspects of the 2023 edition. “The mentor was a key figure, helping you make the most of the program” highlighted YSOTOPE, who say they are more prepared after taking part in the program.
FECUNDIS rated highly the quality of the onsite classes: “The onsite training is varied and useful, regardless of the phase you are at”. For the Time is Brain team, “the program is demanding, but top notch. The GAITS methodology from CIMIT is key to the program’s success” they added. More science oriented profiles, like the members of Intelligent Idam, however, got “business knowledge we didn’t have” through CRAASH Barcelona. They also rated highly the connections forged with other stakeholders in the ecosystem.
Six years accelerating projects and startups
The results speak for themselves and are an indicator of the success of this program, which has made the list of the most prestigious programs in the Catalan healthcare innovation ecosystem. If we look at the funding secured by the 47 projects and startups that have taken part in these 6 editions, the joint total is €35 million. This injection of capital has allowed them to launch products to market (7 in total) and generate new employment (100 new jobs).