Four Catalans win at CaixaBank's 'start-up' awards

BarcelonaThe Catalan technological ecosystem receives its accolades at the 19th edition of the EmprènXXI awards, the accolades from CaixaBank DayOne and the state entrepreneurship financing company Enisa dedicated to the best emerging companies. The entity's entrepreneurship financing segment has awarded the start-ups Second Hundred, Aridditive, and AtomH2 in three of its eight sectoral challenges of the year, while it has granted the biomedical company Polar Nanopharma one of the two honorable mentions, dedicated to the initiative with the greatest capacity for social impact. The four companies from the principality have prevailed in a process that received more than a thousand applications.

The recognized companies operate in various sectors, from health technologies to 3D printing. Second Hundred, according to founder and CEO Belén Ballester, aims to generalize predictive medicine with a proposal that brings to homes, offices, and other private spaces the capability to perform blood tests capable of detecting up to 30 biomarkers. The company, located in Vilanova i la Geltrú, manufactures self-blood collection kits

, collects the generated samples, and transfers them to clinical facilities for analysis within 48 hours. In just three months of activity, as detailed by Ballester, they have already activated 35 clients.

Aridditive, for its part, considers itself "the digital foundation of construction." Specializing in 3D printing, it uses this technology to create blocks with low environmental impact materials of various textures and sizes. The startup, a spin-off from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, manufactures "in less time" and at a "cheaper" price than traditional concrete molds, pieces ranging from urban furniture to bases for highway lights. Among its latest operations, it has carried out the renovation of the Sutton nightclub.

Among the 100 most innovative

One of the award's stars has been AtomH2, a young technology company specializing in renewable generation. The technology aims to be an alternative to the diesel backup generators that guarantee power for critical structures and equipment. It does so with a combination of solid hydrogen storage and lithium batteries. The company's machines also feature solar panels capable of autonomously generating the energy needed to meet their clients' demand. In addition to the DayOne awards, AtomH2 has been included in Forbes' list of the 100 most creative initiatives in the world.

Outside the Principality, CaixaBank awards have been received by the Galician company Batea Oncology, dedicated to improving cancer treatments; the Andalusian company Rewoox, specialized in professional training with virtual reality; GPT Advisor, a Valencian proposal for an AI chatbot specialized in the world of investment; Veganic, a Valencian manufacturer of natural products for the care of agricultural exploitations, and Voltic, a system developed in the Balearic Islands to automate the management of hotel facilities.

Unlike sectoral challenges, which focus only on certain business verticals, DayOne reserves a transversal recognition for initiatives with special technical or social impact. The Catalan company Polar Nanopharma has been the recipient, for its proposal to improve the quality of life of oncological patients requiring chemotherapy treatments. The startup manufactures polymers that ensure drugs reach tumor cells directly, substantially reducing side effects on healthy tissue. In this field, the Valencian company Ajax DNA has also been awarded, for its studies on the effectiveness of personalized medicines for complicated patients.