News

After last summer’s strong performance across three European circuits, the BCN eMotorsport team—supported by Fractus and the Fractus–UPC Deep Tech Hub—is aiming to climb the rankings at FS Germany and to further refine the weight and aerodynamics of its vehicle. These goals were presented during Networking Day, the team’s annual showcase and demonstration event for sponsoring companies and partners, which took place on November 19 at Parc del Fòrum of Barcelona.

In an interview with the outlet, Virmedex researcher and CEO Daniela Tost explains how the spin-off aims to reshape the learning paradigm for healthcare professionals—shifting from passive, observation-based training to hands-on practice that strengthens real-world skills and decision-making. Last week, Virmedex received the UPC Research Valorisation Prize, supported by Fractus and the Fractus–UPC Deep Tech Hub.

The eight hospitals of the Catalan Health Institute (ICS) have optimized the diagnosis of breast cancer thanks to artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms created by the UPC, within the framework of the DigiPatICS project, which automate the analysis of tissue samples. The project has received the 15th Research Valorization Award, organized by the Social Council with the support of Fractus and the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub, presented last November 19.

The jury of the 15th UPC Research Valorisation Award has recognised DigiPatICS as the best technology transfer project, Permanently Polarized Hydroxyapatite as the best market-ready invention and Virmedex as the best technology-based company. A special mention has also been given to the collaboration between the CDEI and Girbau, focused on the design and simulation of industrial laundry machinery.

Rubén Bonet, co-founder of Fractus, reflects in an interview with VIA Empresa on Fractus’s journey since it was founded as a UPC spin-off, and highlights the “a lot of work to be done” that Catalonia still has in patent applications. In this regard, he specifies that, with the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub, the goal is to contribute a small part “so that the technologies that emerge, in this case from the UPC, find their path and reach the market.”

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) has launched a new edition of Next Frontier Founders, its acceleration and investment readiness programme that connects technology with capital to bring projects from the lab to the market. This year, 13 companies linked to the UPC community (three spin‑offs and ten start‑ups, either already established or in the process of being set up) were selected from 40 applicants.

BCN eMotorsport, sponsored by Fractus within the framework of the Deep Tech Fractus-UPC Hub, has consolidated this summer as the first university team in the State in electric vehicles, after achieving, at the Hockenheim Ring circuit in Germany, the second best result in its history with the CAT17X single-seater.

With this initiative, Fractus promotes the connection between university and business to empower young talent in disruptive technologies.

BCN eMotorsport has managed, for the first time, to complete the Formula Student 'Endurance' endurance test at the Red Bull Ring circuit (Austria), where it competed with the CAT17X vehicle from July 20 to 24: 22 km of route with electric battery. It has also obtained very good results in other tests at the Austrian circuit and is now preparing to continue participating in the competition at the Barcelona-Catalunya (Montmeló) circuits, from August 5 to 10, and at the Hockenheim Ring in Germany, from August 18 to 24.

The 'From Lab to Market' program, a joint initiative of Fractus and the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya - BarcelonaTech (UPC) promoted by the Fractus-UPC Deep Tech Hub, is consolidating itself as a driver of technology transfer. This is highlighted by the article published in the digital newspaper 'Gaceta de Salud' dedicated to this initiative, which has as its main objective to shorten the gap between university research and market needs, with a particular focus on the health sector, and which is already bearing fruit.