Technology Transfer and Business Development

Patent applications

In 2019, the ICMAB has applied for 4 patents:

• Nanovesicle and its use for nucleic acid delivery
  Inventors: Nora ventosa, Jaume Veciana, Ariadna Boloix, Nathaly Segovia. Co-ownership with VHIR and CIBER-BBN.
  New engineered nanovesicle for small RNAS delivery in vitro and in vivo for therapeutic applications.

• An electrolyte-gate-field-effect transistor
  Inventors: Marta Mas, Francesca Leonardi and Qiaoming Zhang. Ownership CSIC.
  An electrolyte-gated field-effect transistor (EGFET) with enhanced electrical stability. These new EGFETs operate in aqueous environment, and are stable for more than 12 hours under continuous operation, greatly surpassing current state-of-the-art EGFETs. The increased stability makes them suitable for real life applications.

• Third generation dendrimer, process of production thereof and use thereof
  Inventors: José Vidal, Vega Lloveras. Ownership CSIC.
  A new dendrimer that can be used as a contrast agent (CA) in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This new CA is non-toxic and it is expelled from live tissues in hours, making it the best option when periodical MRI tests are needed.

• An antiferromagnetic bendable recording device
  Inventors: Josep Fontcuberta, Ignasi Fina, Florencio Sánchez. Ownership CSIC.
  A new magnetic recording device where information is cloaked, virtually unerasable and bendable. The device can store information as the magnetic band or a barcode or even more advanced magnetic memories. Once written the information is unalterable and cloaked.

License agreements

The patent application “Minimally-invasive continuous clinical monitoring of small molecules” has been licensed to the startup Actualize Health.

License option agreements

A license option agreement has been signed with Biogents to develop the technology protected by the patent application “Insect repulsion and/or barrier arrangement and method for repelling insects” EP3473092 A1.

Startup creation

A new company has been created, Actualize Health. This new startup will develop new biosensors for small molecules analytes, due to a patent license agreement.

• Eurecat: Technology Cener of Catalonia, working in more than 160 projects of applied R&D in the sectors of food, health, energy and resources, industrial systems, sustainable mobility, and cultural issues. 

• Leitat: founded in 1906, Technology Center collaborating with more than 30 countries and developing more than 215 projects in biotechnology, health, advanced materials, industrial chemistry, renewable energies and new production processes.

• LABEIN Tecnalia: created in 1955, one of the major private technology center in Spain, specialized in construction, energy, environment, steel industry, innovation systems and motor industry.

Technology Platforms

MATERPLAT
The Spanish Technological Platform for Advanced Materials and Nanomaterials (MATERPLAT) improves and increases the competitiveness of Spanish companies, for which materials and nanomaterials and their transformation processes are fundamental elements in the development and commercialization of their products and services. MATERPLAT develops a framework for meeting and collaboration between the different agents of the National Business, Science and Technology System interested in promoting the research, development and application of Advanced Materials and Nanomaterials.

We have participated in several meetings of this platform in 2019, including the MATERPLAT General Assembly 2019 (26 November). It is an important forum from to build and strength a fruitful networking with companies in this sector.

INDUCIENCIA
The Science Industry sector is made up of the organizations dedicated to the conception, design, construction, operation and maintenance of scientific facilities and instruments in any field. INDUCIENCIA is a structured forum, led by the industry, in which all interested agents: companies, universities, scientific centers and technological centers participate and collaborate, to jointly define the objectives of research and technological development in the medium and long term, with a clear market orientation. It contributes to the advancement of science and technology and the strengthening of technological innovation and constitutes a growing market, generator and user of new technologies, intensive in R&D and in which the transfer of knowledge and experiences is bidirectional and constant among the innovative agents.

We have participated in several meetings of this platform in 2019 and are building a strong networking with companies in this sector

Other Technology Platforms
Some of our researchers also participate in the following Technolgy Platforms:

• PTE: Plataforma Tecnologica de la Energía
• Futured: Plataforma Española de Redes Eléctricas
• GIA: Grupo Interplataformas de Almacenamiento
• EERA: European Energy Research Alliance / Joint Program on Energy Storage / Subprogram SP5: Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (Materials, Technology, Applications) Coordinator: X. Granados (CSIC, Spain)
• Plataforma SUSPLAST (CSIC): Interdisciplinary Platform for Sustainable Plastics towards a Circular Economy. SusPlast aims to develop research and innovation activities, including socio-educational strategies, aimed at plastic production processes and their recycling, through mechanical, chemical and biotechnological strategies to meet the necessary requirements to implement plastics management based on a circular economy.

Clusters 

CMAV (ADVANCED MATERIALS CLUSTER)
We are members of the nanotechnology and advance manufacturing work groups in CMAV Cluster. We are leading the NANOHUB project that will enable the search of nanotechnology equipment’s and capacities of the members of the cluster.

SECPHO
We are members of SECPHO since 2019. The Secpho Cluster is focused on promoting technological innovation through the application of deep technologies, mainly photonics or technologies based on light, to all types of sectors of our economy. We are participating in this cluster to improve the generation of business opportunities for companies, the access to new innovation projects, and to support and foster innovation in the field of deep tech, mainly photonic and optic technologies.

Open Innovation Forum
The ICMAB participated in the industrial challenges committee in the 2019 edition. ICMAB researchers had several meetings with companies to discuss their challenges and possible solutions.

Barcelona IOT congress
The ICMAB participated in the Brokerage event in October 2019. By participating in the 20-minute pre-scheduled B2B meetings, we had the chance to find contacts to build new cross-border international business and technology partnership.

Foro Transfiere 2019
Some of the ICMAB technologies were featured in the event. 

NANOTECH Japan
Some of the ICMAB technologies were showed in the event

PRUAB Ideas Generation competition
Camille Dore, from the Nanostructured Materials for Optoelectronics and Energy Harvesting ICMAB Scientific Group (NANOPTO) was part of the team that won the 2019 edition, with a project for the production of cellulose food packaging.

Seminars organized
“Research collaborations in the Pharmaceutical Industry” by Maribel Crespo from ALMIRALL, Director of Research Alliances Department, was organized on November 2019, with a high participation of ICMAB researchers.

Business Fair UB
We participated in the 2019 fair launched by the UB faculties of the areas of Sciences and Engineering: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Computer Science, Earth Sciences and Biology. This is an opportunity for the students to meet companies and research centers related to the studies they are carrying out.