UOC to showcase 16 innovative business ventures to international audience at 4YFN

From 3 to 6 March, Barcelona will host this year's Mobile World Congress, including 4 Years From Now (4YFN), the special event for start-ups at the Fira Gran Via convention centre. Continuing its tradition since the event's inception, the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (UOC) will have a stand to showcase innovative entrepreneurial projects from its university community.

"Entrepreneurship is now firmly established as a key pillar in the UOC's areas of research and knowledge transfer, with great potential for growth," said Xavier Vilajosana, Vice Rector for Research, Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship. "We work hard to promote it, not only as a way to increase the impact of scientific activity, but also as an opportunity for professional development for our entire community: students, graduates, teaching staff and researchers."

More projects than ever 

Vilajosana pointed out that the UOC is reaffirming its commitment to 4YFN as a leading international event, having participated since it first took place. "This year we're taking a quantitative leap, from hosting eight initiatives at our stand to 16 start-ups and spin-offs from our ecosystem," he said.

According to Mireia Riera, director of the UOC's Knowledge Transfer Development department, which coordinates the UOC's stand at 4YFN through its Hubbik platform, presenting 16 entrepreneurial initiatives "allows us to highlight the diversity and quality of the innovative talent we help to develop. In addition to serving as a showcase for our research and entrepreneurship, the UOC's stand at 4YFN facilitates direct networking with potential clients, partners and investors."

The entrepreneurial projects by members of the UOC community that will be presented at the 4YFN stand include initiatives that have participated in annual entrepreneurship programmes such as SpinUOC and EduTECH Emprèn, or that have received investment from the UOC through Invergy.

The UOC at 4YFN 2024 (photos: UOC)

Revolutionizing education so everyone can learn better

Accessibles is a start-up with expertise in inclusive ed tech, focusing on the development of tools that improve accessibility on digital platforms by addressing cognitive, communicative and sensory needs. The technology utilizes artificial intelligence to offer cutting-edge solutions that include personalized support, summaries, machine translation, sign language, easy reading and pictograms. The aim is to ensure that everyone has access to quality inclusive education that aids independence, participation and development in a digital environment tailored to their needs. The minds behind the project are Laura Martín, who studied a postgraduate diploma in Educational and Technological Design of Programmes, Environments and Resources and a master's degree in Education and ICT (E-learning) at the UOC; Anna Barnadas, who holds a diploma in Business Science and a postgraduate diploma in Accounting Regulations from the UOC; and Luis Malhadas.

Daniel Benítez, who studied Computer Engineering at the UOC, and Aleix Riba have developed ARCamp, an application that provides a simple way to create interactive educational experiences. This tool combines augmented reality, GPS and QR codes to design personalized stories, facilitating the gamification of museum tours, outdoor excursions and classroom lessons. ARCamp is aimed at cultural and educational institutions or administrations that wish to promote their heritage or improve how they share their content.

Immersium Studio is a UOC spin-off launched by Luis Villarejo that specializes in the development of interactive 360-degree immersive learning experiences with virtual, augmented and mixed reality. Its solutions are applied in areas such as education, culture, health and tourism, providing experiential training that allows users to improve their skills and abilities in safe, controlled environments. Immersium Studio has received international prizes including the 2021 Auggie Award for the best health and wellness solution, while its clients include the United Nations, Doctors Without Borders and most Catalan universities.

Langtern is a start-up created by Laura Gutiérrez to revolutionize language teaching through AI. This digital tool allows teachers to prepare language classes quickly and efficiently, offering personalized activities for each level and learning objective. Thanks to its intuitive design and specially adapted resources, Langtern makes it easier for teachers to optimize their time and focus on teaching, while encouraging the use of innovative tech tools in the classroom.

Levelab is an innovative solution developed by Alex Rius that allows teachers and schools to plan and deliver practical online lessons in STEM subjects (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), programming and design. With just one click, students enter an environment with the tools and materials they need to work on practical challenges, and the right amount of support to minimize frustration and maximize learning. By collaborating with universities, online schools and educational platforms, Levelab removes barriers to access and provides scalable learning solutions, boosting student engagement, expanding the scope of training plans, reducing costs and helping organizations deliver transformative, high-impact education.

Picofon is an app that uses gamification techniques to improve phonological awareness, allowing users to identify and differentiate sounds and phonemes in words. Aimed at children aged three to seven, Picofon is based on the premise that phonological awareness can enhance future reading skills. The app uses advanced technology, including body movement and voice recognition, touch capabilities and an AI model to personalize learning activities. This project has been developed by Esteban Peñaherrera, a student on the doctoral programme in Education and ICT (E-learning), with Professor Llorenç Andreu and Professor Mònica Sanz-Torrent, co-leaders of the Cognition and Language Research Group (GRECIL), attached to the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, the UOC eHealth Center's Neurodevelop eHealth Lab and the University of Barcelona.

POWAR STEAM is a start-up founded by Pablo Zuloaga that develops STEAM (STEM subjects plus arts) educational tools to simplify lessons on climate change and sustainability in the classroom. Solutions such as the POWAR Climate Simulator and the P-Bit Educational Kit allow students and teachers to experiment interactively with real environmental data, promoting hands-on learning in line with educational curricula.

Smart Classroom Project is a UOC and University of Barcelona (UB) spin-off launched by faculty members and researchers Guillermo Bautista, María Casanovas and Marta López, from the Faculty of Psychology and Education Sciences, and Anna Escofet (UB), dedicated to the design of educational spaces based on scientific evidence. The company offers research, consultancy and implementation services to improve learning environments and adapt them to new pedagogical approaches to promote the well-being of students and teachers. The aim of the initiative is to facilitate the improvement of educational spaces on a solid scientific and pedagogical basis, involving the stakeholders affected by the changes.

Technology for well-being and health

Kala is the first app in Spanish to offer comprehensive support for women going through the menopause. The app, developed by Talia Leibovitz, a course instructor at the UOC's Faculty of Information and Communication Sciences, offers tools for monitoring and tracking physical and mental symptoms, access to a support community and reliable, verified information about the menopause, as well as support from health professionals.

The UNNE Neurostimulation Institute is a UOC spin-off that specializes in personalized non-invasive neuromodulation treatment to improve cognitive, motor and emotional health. The company offers training for professionals and advice for clinics interested in implementing these techniques. The aim of this initiative is to apply innovative technologies to conditions such as depression, Alzheimer's or stroke, combining neurostimulation with other forms of treatment that have proven effective to maximize quality of life for patients and their families. The project is led by Elena Muñoz Marrón, clinical neuropsychologist and joint principal investigator of the Cognitive Neuroscience and Applied Data Science Lab (NeuroADaS Lab) at the eHealth Center and associate professor at the UOC's Faculty of Health Sciences.

AI-driven digitalization to boost productivity

BeTalent was developed by Xavi Pascual, who graduated from the UOC's Master's Degree in Education and ICT (E-learning) before becoming an instructor on the programme. The platform is designed to equip professionals with AI-related skills that they can apply to their work, helping them to integrate this new technology in their daily activities and sharpen their competitive edge. The project was originally derived from BeChallenge, an experiential learning platform based on challenges, developed in response to the growing demand for AI skills in the labour market. Its methodology combines hands-on training, meetings with experts and a final applied learning project, where each participant works on a real project with AI in their professional field.

eTrivium helps companies to streamline access to information and enhance their employees' understanding of internal knowledge, allowing them to apply corporate know-how easily and efficiently while reducing operating costs and response times. The solution includes eTrivium3L.AI, which digitalizes knowledge and converts it into interactive courses; TEA Chatbot, which answers queries instantly; and a digital campus with advanced metrics. This technology has been designed by Anna Domínguez to automate and optimize business knowledge management.

Twintual is transforming digital communication with an AI-powered virtual twin capable of replying to messages for you via any channel, including email or apps such as LinkedIn, Teams or WhatsApp. The technology, developed by Cristina Grau, a student of the Master's Degree in Data Science and a researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), simplifies the management of personal and professional communications, adapting to your style to help you save time and maintain authentic connections with your contacts. The platform has launched a crowdfunding campaign to boost its development.

Innovation for a safer, more sustainable world

The ADR (Autonomous Delivery Robot) project uses innovative robotics to revolutionize food delivery and traditional last-mile parcel delivery in urban environments, with faster, more efficient and environmentally friendly logistics. The project is committed to helping reduce urban congestion, carbon emissions and noise pollution. ADR leverages cutting-edge AI, advanced sensors, LiDAR systems (optical remote sensing technology), computer vision, radio frequency identification, near-field communication technology, and state-of-the-art mapping and navigation systems, all powered by 5G connectivity, to operate autonomously and remotely in complex urban environments. It was developed by Mohsen Rahmanikivi, assisted by Jamil Ahmad Kassem, a PhD student with the K-ryptography and Information Security for Open Networks (KISON) group at the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3), with support from the Urbanization, Trade and Sustainable Logistics (URBANLOG) group at the UOC's Faculty of Economics and Business.

BCN Resol,set up by Josep Fígols,provides expertise in the development of digital alert channels. The b-resol platform, designed specifically for environments involving children and adolescents, allows for the early detection of cases of violence, including bullying and cyber-bullying, as well as problems of emotional distress, in educational, sports and leisure centres, in accordance with the Spanish law to protection children and adolescents from violence. The co-resol platform is an ethical or whistle-blowing channel for companies and government bodies, in accordance with the Spanish law on whistle-blowing and corruption. It is ideal for protocols to deal with sexual and gender-based harassment.

Fastfest is a start-up co-founded by Arnau Camps, a student on the UOC's Master's Degree in Digital Innovation and Transformation. The project has developed Metabar, an automatic self-service machine that completes the entire process of purchasing and dispensing drinks in just 15 seconds: from selection and contactless payment to pouring the drink, eliminating the need for staff and optimizing bar service at large events such as concerts and festivals.

Visit the UOC's stand at 4YFN

Everyone attending 4YFN is welcome to visit the UOC's stand (8.1C24) to network with the creators of its start-ups and spin-offs or to find out more about entrepreneurship at the UOC. On 3 and 4 March, ADR, BCN Resol, BeTalent, Fastfest, Langtern, Levelab, Picofonand Twintual will be attending. On 5 and 6 March, Accessibles, ARCamp, eTrivium, Immersium Studio, Kala, POWAR STEAM, Smart Classroom Project and UNNE Institute of Neurostimulation will be with us.

Mireia Riera said: "4YFN is an event full of benefits for start-ups and spin-offs. At the UOC, we help them prepare to present their projects at the event through our stand, which allows them to gain visibility, forge alliances and accelerate the growth of their entrepreneurial initiative."

Entrepreneurship at the UOC is aligned with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), Goal 4 (Quality Education), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), and Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure).

UOC R&I

The UOC's research and innovation (R&I) is helping overcome pressing challenges faced by global societies in the 21st century by studying interactions between technology and human & social sciences with a specific focus on the network society, e-learning and e-health.

Over 500 researchers and more than 50 research groups work in the UOC's seven faculties, its eLearning Research programme and its two research centres: the Internet Interdisciplinary Institute (IN3) and the eHealth Center (eHC).

The university also develops online learning innovations at its eLearning Innovation Center (eLinC), as well as UOC community entrepreneurship and knowledge transfer via the Hubbik platform.

Open knowledge and the goals of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development serve as strategic pillars for the UOC's teaching, research and innovation. More information: research.uoc.edu.