EIT Health Spain
EIT Health Spain is the Spanish regional hub of the EU-backed EIT Health innovation network, connecting 100+ member organisations across business, research, education, and healthcare delivery to accelerate healthcare startups and scale-ups through funding programmes, education, and corporate partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What EIT Health Spain does
EIT Health Spain is the Spanish regional Co-Location Centre (CLC) of EIT Health, a Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC) established in 2015 under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT), an EU body. Headquartered in Barcelona with a Madrid office, it operates a 'knowledge triangle' that links business, research, education, and healthcare delivery to advance European healthcare innovation. Rather than developing proprietary technology products, EIT Health Spain functions as an innovation accelerator and ecosystem facilitator, running programmes such as Headstart, Wild Card, Catapult, Bridgehead, Gold Track, EIT Label-accredited education, the Think Tank, Living Labs and Test Beds, and the EIT Health Investor Network. It has supported 2,998+ startups and scale-ups (2016–2023), trained 65,000+ students and professionals, and contributed to 123 product and service launches.
EIT Health Spain serves a diversified set of beneficiaries including early-stage health startups seeking funding and market access, students and healthcare professionals seeking training, corporate partners (Novartis, Roche, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi, Takeda, MSD, Biogen, GE Healthcare, J&J, Astellas, Altran/Capgemini) seeking innovation pipelines, and academic and research institutions (Karolinska Institutet, Imperial College London, University of Copenhagen, BIST, Ferrer) seeking cross-border collaboration. Programmes channel funding, mentorship, and market access into portfolio companies; Gold Track alumni have raised over €500M in follow-on funding, and Ochre Bio signed a $1BN+ deal with Boehringer Ingelheim. Spanish-specific partners include BIST and Ferrer, with 15 Headstart winners supported through the Spanish CLC under Managing Director Dr. Cristina Bescos.
Revenue mechanics are non-commercial and publicly funded: EIT Health is primarily sustained through EU institutional funding under the Horizon Europe framework, with EIT having confirmed support for a further seven years, supplemented by member organisation contributions and corporate partner co-investment. The Venture Centre of Excellence partnership with the European Investment Fund mobilises €1.7B for life science investment, expanding capital access for portfolio companies. Pricing is grant-based rather than commercial; participation in the ecosystem is not transacted at market prices. Distribution is via six regional CLCs, the Innovators Community online platform, and direct corporate engagement.
EIT Health Spain firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- EIT Health Spain
- Legal name
- EIT Health
- Website
- https://eithealth.eu
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- EIT Health Spain is the Spanish regional hub of the EU-backed EIT Health innovation network, connecting 100+ member organisations across business, research, education, and healthcare delivery to accelerate healthcare startups and scale-ups through funding programmes, education, and corporate partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
EIT Health Spain industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Healthcare Innovation Services
- NAICS
- Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Health and Welfare Funds (525120), Computer Systems Design Services (541512)
- SIC
- Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Healthcare Access & Provider Network Navigation (EDAIAMAI)
Keywords
Where EIT Health Spain is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Barcelona
- HQ country
- Spain
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices6 records
Markets served
EIT Health Spain business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- EU Institutional Funding: EIT Health is primarily funded by the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) as part of the EU's Horizon Europe framework. The organisation channels this public funding into healthcare innovation programmes, education, and acceleration activities across Europe.
- Partnership Contributions: Member organisations contribute to and participate in EIT Health activities. Partners include pharmaceutical companies, medical device firms, academic institutions, and healthcare providers that co-invest in innovation projects and programmes.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
EIT Health Spain product offering
Product offeringCore offering
EIT Health Spain operates as the Spanish regional node of the pan-European EIT Health innovation network, functioning as an innovation accelerator and network facilitator. It provides a portfolio of programmes including acceleration programmes (Headstart, Wild Card, Catapult, Bridgehead, Gold Track), education programmes with EIT Label accreditation, a Think Tank for policy research, an Investor Network, and access to Living Labs and Test Beds, all aimed at supporting healthcare startups and innovators across the business, research, and education sectors.
Product overview
EIT Health Spain operates as part of the pan-European EIT Health innovation network, functioning as a coordination and acceleration organization rather than a traditional product company. The organization does not offer a unified software platform or commercial products. Instead, it provides a portfolio of innovation support programmes including Education Programmes (with EIT Label accreditation), Acceleration Programmes (Headstart, Wild Card, Catapult, Bridgehead, Gold Track), Product and Service Development initiatives, a Think Tank for policy research, Events and Opportunities for networking, an Investor Network, and Living Labs and Test Beds access. These programmes work together to support healthcare innovation from education through to commercialization, connecting the knowledge triangle of business, research, and education.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- EIT Health Catapult: Acceleration programme for promising health start-ups
- EIT Health Headstart
- EIT Health Bridgehead
- Women Entrepreneurship Bootcamp
- Think Tank
- StarShip
- Skill Sync
Products and services
- Acceleration Programmes
Quantifiable outcome
- 2,998+ start-ups and scale-ups supported (2016-2023)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use EIT Health Spain
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
EIT Health Spain technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
EIT Health Spain partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
28 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- NovartiscoreEIT Health and Novartis launched 'Beyond Rheum' partnership supporting patients with Axial Spondyloarthritis. Longenesis also partnered with Novartis for a pilot project on digital cardiovascular care innovation.
- Takeda BelgiumcoreEIT Health Open Innovation programme brought together NimBio, Takeda Belgium, and KU Leuven to pilot IBD flare detection technology.
- Boehringer IngelheimcoreEIT Health-supported start-up Ochre Bio signed a $1BN+ deal with Boehringer Ingelheim, representing a major milestone in the organisation's success in connecting innovators with corporate partners.
- RochecorePartnership includes Bits & Pretzels HealthTech founding partnership, launch of AI oncology platform with EIT Health-supported start-up in Italy, and renewed strategic alliance with HIMSS Partner Innovation Exchange.
- GE HealthcarecoreGE Healthcare partnered with Optellum (EIT Health-supported) to advance lung cancer diagnosis and increase survival rates through AI-powered early detection.
- Johnson & JohnsoncoreEIT Health-supported Optellum partnered with Johnson & Johnson to increase lung cancer survival rates through diagnostic innovation.
- BiogencoreEIT Health and Biogen launched the 'neurotechprize' addressing Alzheimer's Disease from around the globe.
- Altran (Capgemini)supportingAltran supported Wild Card challenge regarding mental and brain health.
- SanoficoreSanofi supported Wild Card challenge regarding mental and brain health.
- HIMSScoreEIT Health renewed strategic alliance with HIMSS Partner Innovation Exchange (PIE) Initiative for health innovation collaboration.
- BioMed AlliancesupportingEIT Health and BioMed Alliance signed MoU for two-year collaboration to advance health research.
- EIT FoodsupportingEIT Health and EIT Food organised workshop on food and health, co-creating strategies to help citizens and patients.
- European Youth ParliamentsupportingEuropean Youth Parliament partners with EIT Health to bring together young Europeans to address healthcare challenges.
- European Patients' ForumsupportingEIT Health-backed initiative on data in healthcare launched at the European Patients' Forum Congress, raising awareness about responsible use of health data.
- EUREGHAsupportingEIT Health partners with EUREGHA (European Regional and Local Health Authorities) for regional health innovation collaboration.
- HealthTech For CaresupportingHealthTech For Care and EIT Health collaboration benefits the Venture Centre of Excellence in Paris.
- La Roche-PosaysupportingNALA.care joined forces with La Roche-Posay to benefit patients through the partnership.
- Karolinska InstitutetcoreKarolinska Institutet hosts EIT Health Think Tank Round Tables and is a key academic partner in the Scandinavian region.
- Imperial College LondoncoreImperial College London is highly active with 15 Campus activities and 4 Innovation Projects. They partner on bootcamps with Vlerick Business School and innovation challenges.
- University of CopenhagencoreUniversity of Copenhagen, a core partner, participates in education programmes including MSc in Innovation and Health Care (IHC) celebrating first graduating class.
- BIST (Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology)coreBIST joined EIT Health Spain as a new partner, collaborating in science for health innovation.
- FerrercoreFerrer joined EIT Health Spain as a new partner, strengthening the Spanish innovation ecosystem.
- AstellassupportingEIT Health start-up partnered with Astellas researching therapies for mitochondrial dysfunction.
- MSDcoreEIT Health-supported Longenesis and MSD launched online test for cervical cancer risk as an important step in personalised cancer prevention.
- IHI (Innovative Health Initiative)coreEIT Health and IHI unite to drive healthcare innovation, representing major EU public-private partnership in health research.
- EP PerMedcoreEuropean Partnership for Personalised Medicine opens new opportunities for EIT Health partners with available budget of over €45M. Six projects selected under EP PerMed Education Call 2025.
- BioPhoTsupportingEIT Health and BioPhoT signed Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen health and life-science innovation collaboration in Latvia.
- EDIT-B ConsortiumcoreEIT Health and the EDIT-B consortium transformed bipolar disorder diagnosis with groundbreaking blood test, launching first test in France that differentiates bipolar disorder from depression.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
EIT Health Spain competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Bayer G4A (formerly Grants4Apps): Bayer's health innovation accelerator offering mentorship, funding, and partnership access to digital health and biotech start-ups; competes with EIT Health for the same pharma-startup deal flow.
- EIT Digital: Sister Knowledge and Innovation Community under the European Institute of Innovation and Technology, operating the same KIC model across Europe with regional CLCs and accelerator programmes, but focused on digital and deep tech rather than health.
- IndieBio: Biotech-focused accelerator programme (now part of SOSV) operating in Europe and the US, supporting life-science start-ups with funding and lab access — directly comparable in mission to EIT Health's biotech portfolio companies.
- European Innovation Council (EIC): EU-level innovation funding and accelerator programme under the European Commission, providing grants and equity to European start-ups including in health; competes directly with EIT Health for the same cohort of health innovators.
- Startupbootcamp Digital Health: Global accelerator with a dedicated Digital Health programme operating in Europe; offers seed funding, mentorship, and corporate access to health start-ups in a comparable cohort to EIT Health.
- EIT Manufacturing: Another sister EIT KIC operating the same regional-CLC accelerator model across Europe; same parent body, same governance, but serving the manufacturing sector rather than health.
- Novartis Biome: Corporate digital health innovation hub by Novartis that runs accelerator-style programmes and partnerships with start-ups; overlaps directly with EIT Health's pharma-corporate-startup matchmaking model.
Regional players
- Mass General Brigham Innovation / MGH Healthcare Transformation Lab: US hospital-system-affiliated innovation hub supporting internal and external health-tech ventures; comparable ecosystem-builder model anchored in a major academic medical centre, but US-focused.
- Cedars-Sinai Accelerator: US-based healthcare system accelerator that supports digital health and medtech start-ups with mentorship, pilots, and validation; operates in a similar accelerator model but serves primarily the US market rather than Europe.
Broad incumbents
- Techstars Healthcare: Global accelerator running multiple healthcare-focused programmes with corporate partners (including pharma and payers); broader, well-funded platform competing for the same healthcare start-up cohort across regions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
EIT Health Spain social profiles
Digital presenceEIT Health Spain financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EIT Health Spain leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
EIT Health Spain subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries7 records
EIT Health Spain funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EIT Health Spain M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about EIT Health Spain
What does EIT Health Spain do?
EIT Health Spain operates as the Spanish regional node of the pan-European EIT Health innovation network, functioning as an innovation accelerator and network facilitator. It provides a portfolio of programmes including acceleration programmes (Headstart, Wild Card, Catapult, Bridgehead, Gold Track), education programmes with EIT Label accreditation, a Think Tank for policy research, an Investor Network, and access to Living Labs and Test Beds, all aimed at supporting healthcare startups and innovators across the business, research, and education sectors.
Is EIT Health Spain a public or private company?
EIT Health Spain is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was EIT Health Spain founded?
EIT Health Spain was founded in 2015.
Where is EIT Health Spain based?
EIT Health Spain is headquartered in Barcelona, Spain, in the Europe region.
How does EIT Health Spain make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. EU Institutional Funding is the primary driver. The others are partnership Contributions.
Who are EIT Health Spain's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Bayer G4A (formerly Grants4Apps), EIT Digital, IndieBio, European Innovation Council (EIC), Startupbootcamp Digital Health, EIT Manufacturing and Novartis Biome. Regional players are Mass General Brigham Innovation / MGH Healthcare Transformation Lab and Cedars-Sinai Accelerator. Techstars Healthcare is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does EIT Health Spain have an API?
No public API is recorded for EIT Health Spain.
What industry is EIT Health Spain in?
EIT Health Spain's product category is Healthcare Innovation Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAMAI, International Healthcare Access & Provider Network Navigation. Its NAICS code is 61131 and its SIC code is 8000.