Fundación La Caixa has selected 23 biotechnology and health sciences projects to provide financial support of 100.000 to 300.000 euros, as well as advice on the development of the projects.
The support program is divided into two, the first includes support to emerging and initial projects in the technology transfer process, and the second provides support to projects with greater progress in their development with the purpose of encouraging them to find private investors and later reach marketing.
Within the first section of projects, 20 of 109 projects were selected to present. 95 of them belong to research centers, hospitals or universities in Europe.
Ten of these projects focus on therapies and drug development, the remaining ten are projects that involve Digital Health technologies, such as medical devices, and diagnostic techniques that are developed with new technologies.
The initiatives receive two other types of support, in addition to the accompaniment program and financial support:
- Advice from industry agents, to make a marketing plan.
- Immersion in the market: Most of the projects are born within the academic environment, with friendly environments. The program offers to compare your asset value proposition and guide or adapt it to market characteristics.
The criteria are divided into four requirements: Quality of science and technical viability of the asset, transfer potential, execution and development plan, and social impact and responsible innovation.
Thanks to previous programs, participants have managed to create 23 companies related to their innovations.