The Vall d’Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) had a prominent presence at the Mobile World Congress Barcelona 2026 and at its startup platform, 4 Years From Now.

International debate on the role of artificial intelligence in healthcare

Within the programme “AI in Healthcare: Hype or Hope?”, organised by AstraZeneca at 4YFN, Raul Herance, head of the VHIR Medical Molecular Imaging research group, took part in the session From Algorithms to Impact: How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Care at Scale.

The session, held on 4 March at the Sky Stage of 4YFN, focused on how artificial intelligence solutions are moving from pilot phases to applications with real impact on healthcare systems. During the debate, international experts discussed how these technologies can help improve biomedical research, optimise healthcare processes and enable more personalised medicine.

Raul Herance shared the perspective of the research carried out at VHIR and across the Vall d’Hebron Campus in the field of medical imaging and the application of new technologies to advance the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases.

Recognition for female entrepreneurship linked to VHIR

The presence of women linked to VHIR was also visible in the field of biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship. Within the framework of 4YFN, three spin-offs originating from VHIR (D-Sight, MIMARK and Heecap) were recognised among the Top 10 Women Entrepreneurs in Catalonia 2026, an initiative promoted by EAE Business School Barcelona.

Among the distinguished professionals is Eva Colás, founder and scientific director at MIMARK and co-head of the VHIR Biomedical Research Group in Gynecology. This recognition, awarded at one of the leading international technology and innovation events, highlighted VHIR’s ability not only to generate scientific knowledge but also to promote women-led business initiatives that transform research into practical solutions.

VHIR spin-offs with solutions to improve patient care

VHIR also participated in MWC Barcelona by presenting business projects arising from its research activity. On 5 March, researchers from the institute delivered micropresentations (pitches) to introduce two spin-offs created from the centre’s research: Bsure Medical and Tensor Medical.

Bsure Medical, created in 2020, operates in the field of biotechnology and personalised medicine. The company has developed a genetic kit to predict severe adverse reactions to subcutaneous implants, with the aim of improving patient safety and supporting clinical decision-making prior to the procedure. The company has a strategic alliance with the multinational Fagron as an industrial partner and investor.

Tensor Medical, founded in 2021, develops artificial intelligence solutions applied to medical imaging to improve care for people with Multiple Sclerosis. Its technology enables neuroradiologists to quantify new brain lesions in MRI scans more accurately, reducing the error associated with visual assessment and increasing diagnostic sensitivity. Preclinical studies with a first functional prototype have shown a significant improvement in lesion detection.

The Vall d’Hebron Campus health data space

MWC Barcelona also hosted the presentation of the VHTeDades project, the health data space of the Vall d’Hebron Campus. This initiative, presented by Susanna Aussó, Director of Information Systems at the Vall d’Hebron University Hospital, aims to securely and interoperably collect and organise millions of healthcare data points generated by the campus.

This platform will make high-quality data available to healthcare professionals and researchers in order to improve clinical decision-making, boost research and foster innovation in healthcare. The project will also facilitate access to these data for the campus research institutes, including VHIR, and is part of the European Health Data Space promoted by the European Union.

Participation in the R&D&I networks meeting

VHIR’s innovation team was also represented at the R&D&I networks meeting organised by Mobile World Capital Barcelona within the framework of 4YFN. The session, held on 2 March, brought together several R&D&I networks from Catalonia with the aim of highlighting the continuity of this initiative and promoting new agreements and strategic collaborations between research and innovation institutions.