BCN Health Booster: three years accelerating startups in the BioRegion of Catalonia draws to a close
The event featured representatives from institutions and businesses, highlighting the importance of the program for driving growth and consolidation of emerging companies in the sector
Barcelona Science Park (PCB) hosted the closing event for BCN Health Booster, an acceleration program for emerging companies in the healthcare sector run by the PCB, University of Barcelona (UB) and Barcelona City Council, with collaboration from Barcelona Activa and support from Biocat, which has ended after successfully driving innovative startups in the BioRegion of Catalonia for three years. The event featured representatives from institutions and businesses, highlighting the program’s impact on the competitiveness of the Catalan healthcare innovation sector.
Barcelona Science Park CEO Maria Terrades inaugurated the event with some welcoming words, followed by Lorenzo di Pietro, CEO of Barcelona Activa; Robert Fabregat, CEO of Biocat; Jordi Valls, fourth deputy mayor in the Barcelona City Council; and Joan Guàrdia, rector of the University of Barcelona. All of them coincided in highlighting the importance of Barcelona Health Booster as a driver of growth and consolidation for emerging companies in the sector.
According to Biocat CEO Robert Fabregat, “Healthcare accelerators are a key tool for transforming scientific knowledge into real solutions that improve people’s lives and tackle global challenges. Programs like BCN Health Booster help high potential healthcare projects and startups grow faster, get investment and forge strategic connections. This is why Biocat will continue promoting initiatives that help make these innovations real and reinforce Catalonia’s position as one of the most competitive healthcare innovation hubs in Europe”.
In fact, Biocat has played a key role in developing the accelerator, running a personalized acceleration program for each of the 11 participating companies: 5 spinoffs from research centers: Aptadel Therapeutics, Ona Therapeutics, Nuage Therapeutics, OneChain Immunotherapeutic, MiMARK Diagnostics, and 6 startups: Artificial Nature, Bioliquid Innovative Genetics, Deepull Diagnostics, GAT Biosciences, GAT Therapeutics and Oncoheroes Biosciences.
One of the most noteworthy moments of the day was a video showing the main indicators and successes of the program. Over three years of acceleration, the participating companies showed notable growth, improving access to investment, international connections and technological development.
Then, Gisela Lorente, CEO of Aptadel Therapeutics; Marina Rigau, CEO of MiMARK; and Valerie Vanhooren, CEO of ONA Therapeutics, shared their experience in the program, highlighting the support received and challenges overcome in the process of growing their companies.
After the official closing, participants took a group photo with the authorities and had a celebratory cocktail party, where they got to do some networking and bring this era of the accelerator to a close.
Over €107 million in funding
After three years of activity, the accelerator has raised a total of €107.5 million in private (51%) and public (48%) investment. This is up 116% over the €49.8 million declared at the start of the program.
In 2024, the startups secured €9.5 million in private investment and over €8 million in public funding through competitive calls for projects. Plus, they have been awarded 66 patents and 3 more are in the application stage.