“CRAASH Barcelona is one of the best acceleration programs that INNITIUS has done”
Rubén Molina is a young researcher from Granada living in Bilbao with an entrepreneurial spirit since the first day he set foot in the laboratory at the University of Navarra. After three years devoted to science, in 2017 he created Innitius, where he developed a portable medical device called Fine Birth. “Our product tells you in real time whether a woman is actively giving birth or whether it is just a false preterm labor event,” he says.
In 2019, he decided to sign up for the CRAASH Barcelona program to give his business an extra push. Now, two years later, they are planning to launch their product onto the market, while continuing to develop new technologies based on women’s health.
What led you to become an entrepreneur?
During the years I worked as a researcher at the University of Navarra (2014–2017), I realized the impact that all the advances we were developing could have on society. There was so much potential and highly developed technology. I didn’t want all that to be shoved in a drawer and be forgotten. So I decided to take the leap to have an impact on society and showcase the scientific work.
How did CRAASH Barcelona help you evolve the project?
We received strategic support from mentors with an incredible international background.
We learned so much about issues like regulation, analyzing business opportunities, market analysis, industrial property, reimbursement[h1] … And this led our business plan to totally change.
What did you like the most about the program?
We were able to meet with more than 100 stakeholders to make sure that our value proposition met what the market expected of us.
We explored the most important markets in Europe and the United States. We spent weeks of immersion in Holland, France, Germany, and Boston, where we were able to see how different each market is and the market drivers of each region.
Would you recommend that other entrepreneurs participate in CRAASH Barcelona? Why?
Of course! Generally speaking, I would say that it is one of the best acceleration programs that INNITIUS has done. It requires a great deal of day-to-day work and dedication, but it is more than justified given the end result!
And now what? What milestones do you want to achieve in the short term?
We would like to bring the product to market next year. We have to finish the technology validation, meaning clinical trials, but our intention is to start marketing the product in 2022.
We also wanted to continue working in other tech applications related to women’s health. It’s a very promising niche.
The 4th call for applications for the program is now open
This year, the program is targeted exclusively at projects with a TRL 3–6 (proof of concept / initial clinical trials) related to the field of medical devices, diagnostics and digital health or existing companies that are currently looking for a health application for their technology. The candidates also have to be established in (or with ties to) the BioRegion.
The projects chosen will be guided by expert mentors from around Europe and from CIMIT (Boston), the most experienced health accelerator in the world with more than 1,000 projects in 20 years. The experts will validate their technologies and the participants will be able to see how they fit in the market of some of the most important healthcare ecosystems in the United States (Boston) and Europe (Barcelona and other European cities).
If you want an impetus for your project or company, you have until June 15 to sign up for the 4th edition of the CRAASH BARCELONA program.
