The CRAASH Barcelona acceleration program, run by Biocat and CIMIT (Boston), concluded its eighth edition with a gathering that brought together some 50 entrepreneurs, mentors, healthcare professionals and key ecosystem stakeholders to learn firsthand about the 8 participating projects. The event brought to a close this intensive three month program designed to transform healthcare innovation projects into solutions with real market potential.
The day kicked off with an introduction by the Biocat team and an institutional welcome from the organization’s CEO. This was followed by a talk from the event sponsor, Roche Diagnostics, sharing their approach to driving innovation in the diagnostics field.
The core of the event, however, was the pitches by the eight participating teams, followed by expert feedback, delving deeper into each project’s value proposition and how well it fits clinical practice and the market. The event concluded with closing remarks and a casual networking session on the terrace of Pier07 in Barcelona.
The program’s value, in the teams’ own words
One of the defining features of CRAASH Barcelona is its practical focus on customer discovery, validation with real users and expert feedback, as highlighted by several participants from the 2025 edition.
The EOLO team emphasized: “Our key takeaway is the critical importance of good customer discovery. It was essential in identifying which needs we address —or should address— to be truly competitive. Feedback from the mentors, who have very diverse profiles and a genuine interest in the project’s success, gave us essential strategic insight.”
The OneCareAI team underscored the value of direct engagement with the healthcare system: “Taking part in CRAASH has been a highly valuable experience. Thanks to the mentors and interviews with healthcare professionals, we were able to better analyze the problem we aim to solve and refine our value proposition. It is a very practical program that allows you to speak with real users, challenge assumptions and make more informed decisions.”
HealthTech Innovations highlighted the program’s overall impact on project maturity: “CRAASH Barcelona gave us a 360° view of our company and key tools to grow as an organization. Pitch preparation, stakeholder interview methodology and mentor feedback —with an international perspective— were decisive in strengthening our project and planning future expansion.”
As for Guttmann Cognitest, the team noted: “The program provided structure and clear criteria to grow our project. It helped us turn ideas into a clearer action plan, prioritize needs and better define the value proposition and implementation model. We also gained strategic vision and validation through mentoring and expert feedback, which allowed us to identify risks, refine our focus and bolster what sets us apart.”
With the close of this latest edition, CRAASH Barcelona has reaffirmed its role as a benchmark program for accelerating healthcare innovation toward the market, connecting scientific talent, clinical expertise and business vision.
Applications for the ninth edition of the program will be accepted beginning in April.