A device to end hair loss in chemotherapy and anti-infections biopsy needles, among European projects selected for acceleration program CRAASH Barcelona
<ul>
<li>Biocat (Barcelona) is promoting the initiative with CIMIT (Boston), the most experienced healthcare accelerator in the world, and EIT Health, the main European healthcare consortium</li>
<li>10 international projects have been selected among 65 applications from 21 countries</li>
<li>The teams will be trained to market their technology within the next 3 to 5 years</li>
</ul>
Barcelona, May 6, 2019.- 10 international projects have been chosen to participate in the 2nd edition of CRAASH Barcelona, the acceleration program Biocat organizes with CIMIT (Boston), the most experienced health accelerator in the world, and in collaboration with EIT Health, the main European healthcare consortium.
The 10 projects chosen to participate in CRAASH Barcelona this year, selected among 65 applications from 21 countries, are:
- Luminate Medical: A novel solution to end hair loss in chemotherapy using a portable, wearable and comfortable device based on a disruptive technology platform. The Ireland based team is eliminating pain, infection risk and waiting lists from chemotherapy induced hair loss treatment.
- NeedleSafe: Technology from Universitat Pompeu Fabra able to avoid the risk of infections after biopsy procedures, based on electrically releasing silver ions from a silver coating on the biopsy needle.
- Smiletronix: Project from British start-up Smiletronix, currently based in Barcelona, that combines the latest IoT and Ai techniques to create a solution that allows users to regularly and affordably complete dental health diagnostics in the comfort of their own homes.
- Smart Flora: Personalised plans for diet and nutritional supplements delivered through a mobile app from the British company Smart Flora with a base in Barcelona. Smart Flora aims to alleviate patients’ intestinal discomfort. Users receive a probiotic recommendation based on their symptoms and food recommendations based on their microbiome profile, analyzed in the laboratory beforehand.
- Aniling: Proprietary, first-in-class solution from Catalan start-up Aniling, that enables simultaneous genome and epigenome analysis for research and clinical use to advance personalized medicine.
- Flomics Biotech: Liquid biopsy tool developed by Flomics Biotech, from Barcelona, that combines analysis of ribonucleic acid (RNA) circulating in the blood and machine learning algorithms for screening, diagnosis, prognosis, monitoring and stratification of patients with complex diseases like colorectal cancer.
- NIMA: Surgical knot device project from Berlin Charite University Hospital, developing an innovative surgical knotting technology that enables efficient, high-quality surgical suturing by medical personnel in and outside the operating theatre.
- SeizeIT: Non-stigmatizing wearable that monitors biosignals to generate qualitative analysis of epileptic seizure activity. Developed by Byteflies in co-creation with UCB Pharma (Belgium) to help epilepsy patients get an optimized and personalized treatment.
- Levitate Medical: Laparoscopic surgical device, developed in Ireland, that can treat Pelvic Organ Prolapse in a safer more effective way. The Device allows surgeons to perform a minimally invasive, mesh-free procedure which solves all design requirements.
- Fine Birth: Project from start-up Innitius, from Granada, to develop a device which can diagnose in real time the false threatened preterm labor (PTL) cases with a low-cost test.
From Barcelona to Boston
CRAASH Barcelona will train the ten teams to market their technology within the next 3 to 5 years. The fellows will be guided by expert mentors from CIMIT (Boston), the most experienced health accelerator in the world. Over 15 years, CIMIT has successfully accelerated more than 600 healthtech projects.
CRAASH Barcelona is an intensive 12-week program divided into three phases. The first phase (May to July) will allow teams to validate whether their technology can cover a real need and find a place on the market. Teams will work with experts from CIMIT in Boston, first in person at an event in Barcelona and then through virtual meetings.
The second phase of CRAASH Barcelona will allow teams to validate their project in two other European markets, France and the Netherlands, through visits to the Medicen (Paris) and Yesdelft! (Delft) ecosystems in September and October. Finally, some of the CRAASH Barcelona teams will also be able to network and validate their projects in the Boston ecosystem, which is one of the most important in the healthcare sector, where they will pitch their projects in November.
About Biocat
Biocat is the organization that champions the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem in Catalonia working to transform science and technology into regional economic growth as well as social impact.
In 2013, in order to increase the impact of these strategic activities, Biocat launched Moebio, its initiative for acceleration and innovation. Moebio is ranked as one of the top accelerators in Europe according to rankings by Digitalhealth.careers, Mobile World Capital or Tech EU.
CRAASH Barcelona is one of the flagship programs of Moebio, along with Design Health Barcelona (d·HEALTH Barcelona).
