Each project will receive up to €10,000 in funding, along with 10 hours of strategic mentoring from expert consultants. This support will help research teams assess the feasibility of their proposals and advance the process of valorisation and knowledge transfer.

The selected projects

UIC Innovation is a programme that combines funding and specialist support to help transform research results into solutions with real-world impact. This year, the programme has selected projects that address a range of challenges through a strong applied research approach:

• Gemma Robleda, lecturer and researcher in the Department of Nursing, and Begoña Bosch, director of the Department of Bioengineering, are leading the development of a single-use device designed to relieve thirst and dry mouth in critically ill patients who are unable to take fluids orally. The project is being developed in collaboration with Cuides UIC Barcelona and Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid.
• Selma Peláez and Rosa Maria Cabanas, researchers and lecturers in the Department of Physiotherapy, are developing a telerehabilitation solution tailored to the needs of people with hereditary ataxia. Their team is creating a digital platform for personalised therapeutic exercise based on interactive video games and remote monitoring, enabling healthcare professionals to track patients’ progress remotely.
• Jordi Roviras Miñana and Mauro Manca, lecturers and researchers in the Department of Architecture, are developing a tool to support decision-making in building refurbishment projects based on sustainability criteria and reduced environmental impact. The project centres on the development of a simplified Excel-based tool that helps assess the decarbonisation potential of building refurbishment projects. The initiative is being carried out in collaboration with the JURECA Institute at UIC and Green Building Council España, among other organisations.
• Isabella Meneghel, researcher and lecturer in the Department of Psychology, leads MedMind, a digital platform designed to support the prevention and assessment of mental health challenges among healthcare professionals. The platform provides resources aimed at improving self-care and promoting emotional wellbeing. The project is carried out in collaboration with Cuides UIC Barcelona, the UIC University Dental Clinic, Hospital General de Granollers and other partner organisations.

From research to transfer

UIC Innovation aims to strengthen research projects with transfer potential, reduce uncertainty surrounding their technical and commercial viability and support the progression of innovative solutions towards practical application.

“With UIC Innovation, we want to help researchers take their projects a step further and support the transformation of research results into solutions that can benefit society. The funding and specialist guidance help projects mature and enable teams to explore their transfer potential,” says the vice-rector for Research, Innovation and Knowledge Transfer at UIC, Román Pérez.