"The best teams are the ones that have created the greatest sense of belonging"

A motorcycle accident and broken leg were the ingredients that went into making Xkelet. Ricardo Veiga, CTO of Xkelet, had an accident that left him with a broken leg in a cast, with all of the typical discomfort, for 2 months. Later, he founded the start-up Xkelet with his partner Jordi Tura. They have created a 3-D-printed splint for post-traumatic and therapeutic immobilizations that can be used in 80% of the most common fractures.

At Xkelet they believe that orthosis doesn't have to be a bad word, and that there is beauty in each product they produce. Their designs change, making them just as unique as each individual, adjusting to the patients’ basic needs in their daily lives: hygiene, comfort and mobility.

Why did you want to be an entrepreneur?

I worked for different companies in the private healthcare sector for many years and, over time, I ended up developing the capacity to carry out my own projects. When the idea for Xkelet came up, I knew we would have to set up a company in the end, as it is essential to gain access to funding, the sector and the human resources necessary to push the project forward.

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

Before founding the company, we needed to know whether we were on the right track. The most difficult decision was to set up a team of engineers, developers and doctors, with the cost involved, to assess the project and decide whether the time invested will be profitable.

I have a motto: "The best teams are the ones whose members are the most committed. The ones that have created the greatest sense of belonging." When this works in any company, it is the most marvelous part of working as a team.

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

The best advice I've been given over these years is to be patient and understand the needs of the workgroups and the people in them.

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

Xkelet has finished its first product (palm and forearm immobilization) with hardware and software development. We expect to take it to market in 2017. We've already finished the procedures to register the product with the AEMPS by the end of 2016 and in the fourth quarter of this year we will do the first clinical trials, in private healthcare offices and hospitals, to consolidate the state of the technique and officially take it to market.