The UOC to promote 8 start-ups from its community in the 4 Years From Now fair at the Mobile World Congress

More than 20,000 people attended the 2017 edition of 4YFN, including representatives of companies, investors, experts and press. For the fourth year running the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) will participate in 4 Years From Now (4YFN). The international technology start-ups event of the Mobile World Congress will take place at Fira de Barcelona from 26 to 28 February. The University will have a stand, coordinated by HUBBIK – the UOC platform to promote entrepreneurship – with the representation of eight start-ups set up by members of the University community.

The University stand – through the UOC Knowledge Transfer and Research Support Office (OSRT) team, who coordinate HUBBIK – will support eight start-ups, set up by members of the UOC community.

Luis Villarejo, UOC Technology specialist, runs ARlab, a UOC spin-off specialized in designing, developing, implementing and advising on augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality technologies in education, culture and tourism. ARlab provides implementation and consultation for software solutions based on immersive technologies aimed at improving communication of products and services, enriching the user's experience. Its clients include “la Caixa” Banking Foundation and Banco de Sabadell's real estate division, Solvia Inmobiliaria.

Xavi Pascual, holder of the UOC Master's Degree in Education and ICT, and course instructor on the same degree, is the creator of BeDebate, an open innovation challenged-based platform. BeDebate promotes challenges sponsored by businesses in order to innovate. The platform offers a new way of developing the values of products or services with potential clients and the joint creation of new ones. The participants who resolve challenges receive prizes if they provide the winning solution, such as experiences to help them grow professionally. The platform also has an educational side – BeDebate Education – for learning challenges with debate via video, where students collaboratively resolve challenges sponsored by businesses or institutions.

Miquel Cerdà, participant in the EduTECH Emprèn programme, an initiative of the UOC's HUBBIK, is one of the heads of Filmclub, a project that makes cinema available to faculty and students throughout the world as an educational tool. Filmclub is an open and collaborative digital platform for integrating films and documentaries into classrooms in order to address subjects, such as maths, sciences, history, philosophy and the arts. The platform enables the time and effort educators spend selecting materials for their classes to be reduced.

Toni Cuenca, student on the UOC Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering, runs Instalik.es, a platform for the automation of communication in businesses. The objective is to save time and effort spent on social networks with a tool designed to interact with potential followers interested in their products and services. Initially, Instalik.es has focused on Instagram, automating the sending of likes to accounts related to certain sectors, monitoring specific targets and sending messages to new followers, favouring a rapid growth of positioning. The platform seeks to expand to other networks and fields, such as education.

Gemma Fàbregas, holder of the UOC Master's Degree in Multimedia Applications: Smart Content Design and Development, is the creator of Jo també llegeixo, an application designed for children with Down's syndrome to learn how to read with a methodology adapted to their abilities. This app is based on the principles of the global reading method, successfully implemented by specialists in special education. Jo també llegeixo has games that stimulate children's perceptual abilities, gradually introducing the global perception of words until achieving the reading of short texts. The app enables children to advance at their own pace, without pressures or frustrations, with adapted online support, while always fostering their autonomy.

Eduard Blasi, finalist in the 2017 edition of Spin UOC – the University's annual entrepreneurship and transfer programme – is one of the heads of Nepcom, a mobile instant messaging app aimed at internal and external communication of professionals, companies and institutions. Its main characteristic is to provide a high level of security and privacy for corporate communications. The app is especially suited for companies that handle sensitive information and need to transmit it securely. As well as having its servers located in Spain, Nepcom already complies with the European General Data Protection Regulation, obligatory for all companies from May 2018.

Joan Iniesta, student on the UOC Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management, runs Optimio, an expenses optimizer for individuals, the self-employed and companies. The platform enables return on equities to be improved through big data and artificial intelligence. With Optimio you can save time and money optimizing expenses, such as household, daily, leisure and travel expenses. Optimio provides specific solutions for companies and the self-employed. Its main clients include well-known companies such as Wallapop and Applus.

Teresa Fèrriz, specialist in the UOC Office of the President and Institutional Relations, has developed the app Parkinsons, which improves the well-being and quality of life of those living with Parkinson's disease thanks to the scientifically proven benefits of music therapy. Parkinsons is a multiplatform app personalized through automatic learning techniques based on the musical history of each patient, their tastes and daily physical and mental state. This app was the result of a process of open innovation fostered by the UOC, the Research Institute of the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau (HSCSP-IR) and the technology solutions company GMV.