The i4KIDS 2024 Acceleration Programme has now completed its first phase

The i4KIDS 2024 Acceleration Programme, designed to identify and guide innovative projects in fetal, paediatric, and maternal health towards market readiness, has recently completed its initial phase. In this launch, the programme has offered a structured process tailored to the needs of each participating project.

Selected Projects

Through a call directed to members of the i4KIDS network, a committee of experts evaluated the proposals received based on the unmet clinical need they address, market opportunity, transferability and implementation capacity, social and economic impact, as well as the team. The highest-rated projects, ranging from MedTech and Digital Health to Biotechnology and Pharmaceuticals, and focused on paediatric and maternal health, are:

X-Trem

A point-of-care (PoC) test based on sTREM-1 levels to triage the severity of children with a suspected infection.

Team: Bàrbara Baro Sastre, Pere Millat Martínez, Sara Ajanovic, Quique Bassat, Oscar Casado, Teresa Puigferrat.

NanoRett

Development of nanocapsules to facilitate the brain delivery of MeCP2 protein for the treatment of Rett Syndrome.

Team: Alfonso Oyarzábal, Àngels García-Cazorla.

ANICARE

Development of a low-tech, low-cost, at-home fetal monitoring device for pregnant women with limited access to healthcare in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Team: Clara Maspons, Natalia Villarreal.

BRAVQAI

AI-based clinical decision support system for the evaluation and prediction of paediatric cerebrovascular diseases.

Team: Sandra Bernaus Tomé, Josep Munuera, Christian Mata.

VR 4 FV & IRD

Development of a virtual reality device for the evaluation and monitoring of functional vision in patients with inherited retinal dystrophies.

Team: Jaume Català-Mora, MD, PhD, Eduard Pedemonte-Sarrias, Estefanía Cobos Martín, Martí Engli Rueda.

First Phase: Validation

During the month of July, the selected projects participated in the Validation phase, aimed at confirming their value proposition through:

• Specialised Training: In Intellectual Property, MDR Regulation, Business Models, and Market Access through group and individual sessions with mentors.
• GAP Assessment: Evaluation using a health innovation cycle methodology to identify disparities between the current state of the project and the desired outcomes, allowing for strategic and efficient planning.

Second Phase: Valorisation

In September, the second phase of the programme, the Valorisation phase, will begin, aiming to increase the value of the projects based on the strengths and areas for improvement identified in the first phase.

This part of the programme will consist of different training modules:

• Needs Validation: Comprehensive evaluation of identified needs, with the participation of clinical and patient focus groups.
• Mentorship: Experienced mentors will provide guidance and support tailored to each project.
• Impact Workshop: In collaboration with Impact Hub, project strategies will be improved, and collaborations will be fostered.
• Preparation for Oral Presentations: Assistance in creating presentation materials such as pitch competitions, etc.

The i4KIDS Acceleration Programme will conclude on 21 November with the presentation of the projects at the Pediatric Innovation Day to be held in Barcelona (attention! On 27 September, the Pediatric Innovation Day will be held in Riga!), with more details to be announced soon.