"The sector is looking for solutions that will radically change its life”
Nuria Pastor
She studied Psychology and a Master in Health Research at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). After some years as a researcher at the Hospital del Mar Research Institute, in 2008 she co-founded HumanITcare, a platform to monitor patients’ healthcare information, where she is currently CEO.
HumanITcare is a solution that uses big data to monitor diseases. The platform collects data from a patient’s various devices and sensors and uses artificial intelligence to remotely monitor their health. Nuria Pastor explains the goal of her company and the opportunities to improve and position their technology.
Why did you want to be an entrepreneur?
When I started working at Hospital del Mar Research Institute, I saw patients every three months to assess their health. What impacted me the most was that, in the months between check-ups, the patients had complications, got worse with treatment... and there was no tool to detect these parameters once the patients went home. I started thinking that technology could be a good tool for objectively monitoring the patient, and now that’s what we’ve been doing for two years with HumanITcare.
What is the most important strategic decision you’ve made so far?
In the beginning, we were very focused on neuroscience and, based on demand, have opened up new paths, such as chronic diseases and minority diseases. Along the way, we’ve incorporated a team of very talented people and are currently very focused on improving monitoring for clinical trials and what is called 'Real World Data': obtaining information from patients in different real-world environments.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?
Be disruptive and validate. Don’t be scared: the sector is looking for solutions that will radically change its life. And take this road with the best: this is why I have an extremely talented team.
And now what? What milestones do you want to achieve in the short term?
Now it’s time to position ourselves as the best Real World Data solution. Thanks to the grant we’ve been awarded by the European Institute of Technology (Bridgehead), we’re opening doors not only in the local market but also internationally.