Within the framework of the Mobile World Congress, the eleventh edition of 4YFN was held this March. This MWC satellite event is already recognized as the can’t-miss event for entrepreneurs within the MWC, a setting in which all agents within the entrepreneurship ecosystem are represented: startups, investors, public institutions, universities, business schools, and large corporations seeking to get closer to the startup world. 4YFN showcases innovations in both digital and industrial entrepreneurship, from robotics and artificial intelligence to projects focusing on health, virtual reality, mobility, food, energy, and much more. Held in Barcelona, 4YFN has become one of the most important technological hubs in Europe, welcoming participation by nearly a thousand startups from all over the world.
IQS was once again present at the event, led by IQS Tech Factory (IQS TF), the heart of entrepreneurial activity at the university. IQS Tech Factory’s objectives are to promote an entrepreneurial spirit and support the development of new business projects, especially those that have emerged within the IQS community, with initiatives such as the Startup Challenge incubation programme, not to mention various Hackathons organized in collaboration with businesses.
The IQS Tech Transfer division was also present, representing the 15 IQS research groups, showcasing its solutions and partnerships with startups and how it provides advice and services to companies to achieve business excellence in innovation and technology.
Participation by eight startups thanks to IQS TF
Eight startups participated in this year’s edition of 4YFN led by IQS, where they showed their industrial and digital entrepreneurship solutions in different areas of expertise.
NextReef Ecosystems presented its proposal to regenerate and restore marine biodiversity through solutions based on biomimetic structures. This spinoff, which emerged from the GAM research group within the IQS Department of Industrial Engineering, provides solutions to transform environmental challenges and conserve natural capital based on sustainable materials. “We are very grateful for all the support we have received from IQS, and we hope that our presence here will give us the opportunity to attract new investors for this innovative project,” said Dr Albert Forés, CEO of NextReef Ecosystems.
VOIMA is a virtual reality software that helps pain management and improves patient physiotherapy. It enables physical therapists to design and create personalized exercises according to patient needs. It is unique on the market with its level of accessibility and is already being tested at the Aspace Foundation and the StepbyStep Foundation for patients with cerebral palsy and spinal cord issues. “I participated in the Startup Challenge 2024. Thanks to this I was able to redefine and improve my product to adapt it to the needs of the sector,” stated Ari Laiho, an industrial engineer and founder of Voima.
Craex Barcelona aims to be a pioneering company in eliminating and marketing the blue crab, an invasive species in the Mediterranean Sea that causes serious damage to ecosystems and destroys the habitats of other species. Starting with pilot tests in the Ebro Delta, the startup aims to carry out mass fishing of this crab and use it in its entirety: selling its meat worldwide, in different formats, with an established network of partners and taking advantage of other products from the animal’s exoskeleton, such as calcium carbonate or chitosans, to develop other products. “We’re really happy to collaborate with IQS because of the university’s connection with the business world, not to mention the talent at the school,” noted David Benet, co-founder of Craex.
Vall d’Hebron is participating in the pilot study of the MouthX technology, developed by Aurax, which consists of a device similar to a dental splint, laterally attached to the teeth, which allows patients with reduced mobility to connect via Bluetooth to any compatible electronic device (mobile phone, tablet, computer) using control through the movements of their tongue, jaw, and head. “There are millions of patients with functional diversity in their upper extremities around the world, and this technology was a necessity because it also represents a tool for inclusion,” claimed Narcís Codina, one of the founders of Aurax. Víctor Julià, another founder, is one of the mentors participating in the IQS TF Startup Challenge programme.
Spider GRIP is an innovative startup that has developed an adhesive applicable to the sole of indoor sports shoes that allows athletes to accelerate and decelerate more effectively, thus reducing the risk of injury. Its creator, Miquel Vallcorba, a fourth-year Business Administration and Management student at IQS, remarked that “getting support from IQS, both within the Startup Challenge and thanks to my innovation and entrepreneurship professors, has meant everything to me. Now we’re ready to launch the product on the market.”
ATOM offers an innovative, safe, and compact industrial technology solution that enables the generation and storage of hydrogen in a sustainable manner, bridging the generation and consumption of renewable energy. It was created by Lucas Vicen, an IQS Chemical Engineering student who has won several awards, along with students from Elisava. They are currently developing the second phase of their prototype.
Claudia Alsina, an MBA and Industrial Engineering dual master’s degree student, was also present with her idea CROMOS, based on establishing electronic commerce to transform traditional products, such as socks, into collectible products.
Finally, the IQS startup Aortyx also attended this year’s 4YFN, showcasing its disruptive technology for the treatment of aortic dissection in the presentation made by all the IQS proposals. Aortyx was founded in 2018 through the collaboration between the GEMAT and GEVAB research groups at IQS. Dr Noemí Balà, co-founder of Aortyx, also participated in the TECNIO INNOVATION EXPERIENCE 2025 event, organized by ACCIÓ, along with three other startups in the health sector: Virtest Technologies, which emerged from the UPF, AB-BIOTICS, from the UAB, and Tensormedical, from the UdG.
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