"I believed in the value of the technology we are developing and wanted to be part of the adventure"

Mimetis, a spin-off of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC), was founded by Yassine Maazouz and David Pastorino in 2013 to design and manufacture biomaterials to regenerate bone tissue. Inspired by nature, Mimetis manufactures medical devices made of synthetic materials that replace bone grafts and meet all the biological requirements necessary for bone regeneration. This spin-off aims to transform knowledge into promising solutions and attractive, competitive, adapted products, resolving patient problems and meeting the clinical requirements for surgical use.

Why did you want to be an entrepreneur?

I wanted to be an entrepreneur because I believed, and still believe, in the value of the technology we are developing and wanted to be part of this adventure with David Pastorino, CEO of Mimetis. Plus, the world of business was totally new to me and was a challenge, and that’s exciting.

What is the most important strategic decision you’ve made so far?

First, David Pastorino and I make all the decisions together. There have been two very important ones so far. On one hand, choosing the regulatory path for our first product; and, on the other, choosing our partners.

What is the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Possibly to not separate regulatory strategy from the company’s overall strategy. Another important piece of advice I got was to not underestimate our funding needs.

And now what? What milestones do you want to achieve in the short term?

In the short term, I want to get CE marking for our first product this year and to be able to prove that biomimetic biomaterials are the next generation of bone-graft substitutes.