UIC was present in the HEALTH vertical of Barcelona New Economy Week (BNEW), an international business event organised by the Barcelona Free Trade Zone Consortium that brings together different industrial, technology and business sectors to foster innovation, sustainable development and talent.

The dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Esther Calbo, took part in the roundtable discussion entitled “BIVA: Connecting Innovation with Health and Life Sciences”, which featured representatives from universities, public authorities and businesses. The discussion revolved around the need for collaboration among all stakeholders to drive innovation in health, as well as the importance of people in making this possible.

Dr Esther Calbo stressed that “universities must move beyond their traditional role as places where knowledge is generated and become active players in the innovation ecosystem, capable of connecting talent, research and real-world needs and of ensuring that the solutions developed deliver value for people and society.”

The session also featured Albert Salarich, councillor for the Sant Cugat del Vallès Municipal Council; Jaume Vives, from Sant Cugat Empresarial; Òscar Pérez, from Ferrer; and Marta Princep, from Grifols. The session was moderated by Imma Haro, from RocaSalvatella.

An alliance connecting Sant Cugat’s innovation ecosystem

UIC is a member of the Barcelona Innovation Valley Alliance (BIVA), which connects a range of stakeholders within Sant Cugat del Vallès with the goal of transforming the capabilities and resources already present in the area into joint projects with economic and social impact. The Alliance aims to go beyond simply building a network of contacts and facilitate the identification of shared challenges, generate synergies and develop joint projects.

UIC’s participation in BIVA allows it to contribute knowledge, talent and research capacity to the ecosystem while strengthening the connection between university research and the needs of citizens. “The challenge is to ensure that this research reaches society and addresses real-world needs. BIVA helps us connect this knowledge and turn it into solutions with a direct impact,” Calbo stressed.

The roundtable discussion placed particular emphasis on BIVA Health, which aims to strengthen collaboration among the different stakeholders in the ecosystem and drive joint projects in health and life sciences.