The spin-off Rob Surgical begins manufacturing its surgical robots

BarcelonaRob Surgical begins a new chapter with the manufacture of its surgical robot for high-precision procedures. After years of development and validation, thespin-off Rob Surgical will begin production of its device at a plant located in El Prat de Llobregat.

Rob Surgical's robot, called Bitrack, designed in Catalonia, has the same functionalities as the American Da Vinci robot, which dominates the international market, but at a lower cost to reach more hospitals. With its device, which can be adapted to different operating rooms and is easy to transport, the company focuses on soft tissue procedures in the abdominal area, primarily for urology, gynecology, and gastroenterology treatments.

The El Prat factory has the capacity to produce between 15 and 20 robots, with a surface area of 500 square meters. With the inauguration this Friday, which was attended by the Minister of Industry, Jordi Hereu, the company thus begins one of the most challenging phases in the technology transfer process, which starts with research conducted at universities and ends when the resulting product reaches the market. The robot has previously been validated in Barcelona hospitals such as Clínic, Vall d'Hebron, and Germans Trias, and is in the final stage of the CE marking process, an essential requirement for its production and sale in Spain and throughout the European Union.

The project's history dates back to 2012, when Rob Surgical was born as a spin-off from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC). The spin-off company was launched by researchers Alícia Casals, Josep Amat, and Manel Frigola, who had patented the underlying technology in 2008. Jaume Amat, son of one of the founders, and Mario Ferradosa also joined the management team. Rob Surgical plans to invest €50 million in the coming years in the commercial launch of its solution. The company currently has a team of 55 professionals and expects to reach 200 employees within five years.