Three projects from SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital selected for the 2025 i4KIDS Acceleration program

The i4KIDS Acceleration program has announced the seven projects it has selected for its 2025 edition, focusing on fetal, pediatric and maternal health. Three of the chosen projects are from SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital, and are headed by our staff. They include the following:

• fetal sealing, a self-expanding bioadhesive patch to seal defects in the amniotic membrane after fetoscopic surgical procedures that reduces the risk of premature birth.

Entities and team: BCNatal (SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital and Barcelona’s Hospital Clínic) and the IQS. Headed by Dr Eduard Gratacós, Dr Elisenda Eixarch and Professor Salvador Borrós.

• CET-VAPP, an antibacterial coating for ventilator tubes to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia in pediatric patients.

Entities and team: SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital – SJD Foundation (FSJD) and Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (BarcelonaTech). Headed by Dr Iolanda Jordan and Carmina Guitart.

• MIP – Micro Intelligent Port (ITEMAS), an implantable intelligent venous access device for pediatric oncology patients, with sensors and LED lights that enhance safety and comfort.

Entities and team: Anima Design, Inar Technologies, CMG MedDev, SJD Barcelona Children's Hospital and Acció. Headed by Dr Lucas Krauel and Pamela Lustig.

The four remaining projects are: Insula, Relapse Prevention, HIP-CARE and DARApp (ITEMAS).

The program will provide these teams with six months of training and specialised mentoring in two distinct phases:

• Validation: focusing on regulatory aspects, business models and intellectual property.
• Valuation: includes interviews with clinicians, personalised mentoring and training for pitching projects to investors. This phase will end on 20 November, Pediatric Innovation Day in Barcelona.

Through this initiative, i4KIDS will shore up its commitment to the transfer of scientific knowledge in clinical settings by supporting projects that could have a real impact on the lives of patients and their families.