7 startups and spinoffs from the BioRegion of Catalonia take part in 31st Barcelona Healthcare Investment Forum

Seven Catalan startups and spinoffs (Amalfi, Anais Medical, Dryox Health, Nimble Diagnostics, Point Pressure, Tailor Surgery and Pharmacelera) took part in 31st Barcelona Healthcare Investment Forum. Nanodecal also participated. During the event, the companies got the chance to pitch to venture capital managers in the life sciences and healthcare sector.

• Amalfi Analytics: spinoff of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) that offers tools using big data and machine learning for healthcare planners and managers to understand problems and assess options for improvement.
   
• Anais Medical: spinoff of Hospital Universitari Parc Taulí (CSPT) to develop practical educational materials, like realistic simulators and models, to train and improve the skills of clinical experts in various areas like nephrology, surgery, radiology and nursing. The project was part of the Biocat acceleration program CRAASH Barcelona.
   
• Dryox Health: Catalan startup that develops and markets new dermatology therapies for serious skin conditions, offering the best solution to them.
   
• Nanodecal: startup that is developing an in vitro diagnostic kit to detect superbacteria in under 10 minutes so antibiotics can be prescribed based on evidence. The test can be done at any healthcare center and on any patient.
   
• Nimble Diagnostics: is a spinoff that develops a microwave-based technology to monitor stents implanted in patients with cardiovascular diseases. It is a spinoff of the Institut d’Investigació Germans Trias i Pujol (IGTP), the Universitat de Barcelona (UB) and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) that has developed a device that will identify possible obstructions in stents quickly and non-invasively.
   
• Point Pressure: startup that is developing a medical device to help patients with chronic conditions that involve spasticity with a non-invasive physical treatment that gives them a wider range of motion in the affected limbs. The company participated in Biocat’s CRAASH Barcelona acceleration program.
   
• Tailor Surgery: spinoff of Hospital Universitari Parc Taulí (CSPT) that offers a comprehensive 3D digital surgery service for orthopedic procedures. They also provide the specific instruments and implants needed, fully personalized to the patient.
   
• Pharmacelera: company from the BioRegion of Catalonia that provides computer-aided software for drug design and development to boost productivity in pharmaceutical R&D.

In recent years, the event has become a benchmark in the Catalan biomedical ecosystem, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the community to bridge the gap between entrepreneurs and investors in the healthcare sector. Biocat CEO Robert Fabregat took part in the event.

When it was his turn, Biocat CEO Robert Fabregat gave a rousing speech based on the latest figures on investment raised by emerging companies in the Catalan ecosystem in the first half of this year: €296 million, more than all the funding secured in 2021.

“Barcelona is one of the main healthcare innovation hubs in Europe and the city is more and more open to the world every day. These figures bolster our belief in the ecosystem’s potential to scale up to the level of other European countries,” he noted, while also highlighting the significant increase in international investors in recent years.

The event was organized jointly by the Barcelona Medical Association (COMB), Barcelona Activa-Barcelona City Council, ESADE-BAN and Biocat, with collaboration from Invivo Ventures.

The startup pitches from this year’s event are available on the Barcelona Medical Association’s YouTube channel, as well as those from all the forums held since 2015.