Ioba

Name

Ioba

Legal name

INSTITUTO UNIVERSITARIO DE OFTALMOBIOLOGÍA APLICADA

Website

https://ioba.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ophthalmology and Vision Sciences Research and Clinical Services

NAICS

Offices of Optometrists (62132), Scientific Research and Development Services (5417), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169), Electromedical and Electrotherapeutic Apparatus Manufacturing (334510)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Health Services (8000)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHLAKAKAN

Ocular Imaging & Diagnostic Testing Centers

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Specialist Medical Practice/Ophthalmology & Optometry

SECONDARYHLAFAHAJ

Ophthalmic Specialty Hospitals

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Healthcare Providers & Systems/Specialty Hospitals & Inpatient Specialty Care

SECONDARYHLAHAJAH

Cataract Surgery Systems & IOLs (Phaco Systems, IOLs, Intraoperative Aberrometry, Viscoelastics)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Ophthalmic Devices (Vision Care & Surgical)

SECONDARYHLAHAJAC

Visual Field & Functional Vision Testing (Perimetry, ERG/VEP, Contrast Sensitivity)

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Medical Devices & Diagnostics/Ophthalmic Devices (Vision Care & Surgical)

SECONDARYHLAIAAAL

Ophthalmology Pharmaceuticals

Healthcare & Life Sciences/Pharmaceuticals/Branded (Innovator) Pharmaceuticals

Keywords

• Ophthalmology clinical services
• Vision science research
• Clinical trials ophthalmology
• Medical device safety testing
• Postgraduate ophthalmology training

Headquarters

HQ city

Valladolid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Clinical services: Direct patient care services including consultations, diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, and treatments across multiple ophthalmology subspecialties. The clinic handles over 17,000 appointments annually. Payment facilitated through insurance agreements with major Spanish health insurers.
2. Postgraduate and continuing education: Revenue from doctoral programs, master's degrees, specialized courses, and short rotation programs for professionals. Includes Neuro-Ophthalmology courses (€150 general / €100 for residents), short rotation programs (€300–€1,000 per month depending on duration).
3. Research grants and public funding: Competitive research funding including the Castilla y León Research Excellence Ladder programme securing €850,000 over four years, ERDF co-financing, and project funding from bodies such as Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Junta de Castilla y León, and European networks.
4. Contract research and clinical trials: Fee-for-service research agreements with pharmaceutical companies and medical device manufacturers for safety/toxicity studies under GLP, clinical trial coordination, and technical reports. Clients include AJL Ophthalmics, Novartis, Abbvie, Aura Biosciences, and others.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IOBA operates a specialized ophthalmology clinic delivering consultations, diagnostic tests, surgical procedures, and treatments across all ophthalmology subspecialties, paired with applied research programs in vision sciences and advanced therapies. It also offers postgraduate education (doctorate in vision sciences, specialized courses, professional rotation programs) and contract research / clinical trial services for pharmaceutical and medical device companies. The integrated model translates proprietary research findings directly into clinical care.

Product overview

IOBA (Instituto Universitario de Oftalmobiología Aplicada) is a university research institute affiliated with the Universidad de Valladolid offering a tripartite structure of clinical services, research programs, and professional training. Its clinical arm provides specialized ophthalmology care across multiple subspecialties. The research division operates through recognized research groups (Retina, Optometry, Glaucoma, Refractive Surgery, Ocular Surface) and a Unit of Excellence focused on advanced therapies, biomarkers, and health technology assessment. The training arm offers doctoral programs (Doctorado en Ciencias de la Visión), specialized courses (Neuro-Oftalmología), professional rotation programs (PREC), and student practicums. The institute also conducts clinical trials and provides research services including safety testing and experimental model development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Clinical Ophthalmology Services Specialized ophthalmology clinical care across multiple subspecialties for individual patients and referring clinicians, including consultations, diagnostics, surgical procedures, refractive surgery, and advanced therapies. Handles over 17,000 patient appointments annually and serves as a reference center for complex cases, with direct billing via 13+ Spanish health insurers.
• Doctorate in Vision Sciences (Doctorado en Ciencias de la Visión) University doctoral program focused on research training in vision sciences, coordinated by Prof. Yolanda Diebold Luque and offered jointly by Universidad de Valladolid and other Spanish universities (USC, UM, UCM, UAH). Targets graduate researchers and professionals seeking advanced research credentials.
• Neuro-Ophthalmology Course (Curso de Neuro-Oftalmología) Online asynchronous specialty course on neuro-ophthalmology covering patient approaches, emergencies, diagnostic studies, and treatment of neuro-ophthalmological pathologies. Priced at €150 general / €100 residents; available to ophthalmologists, neurologists, and related professionals.
• PREC: Professional Rotation and Short Stays Program (Programa de Rotaciones y Estancias Cortas) Tailored practice and training program for specialized competency development at IOBA, coordinated by Prof. Miguel José Maldonado López. Offers 1–3 month rotations at €1,000/month and 1–3 week stays priced €300–€900 depending on duration, designed for professionals seeking hands-on immersion at a reference center.
• Student Practicum Program (Prácticas para Estudiantes de Grado y Formación Profesional) Practical training for university and vocational students in clinical, laboratory diagnostic, research, and management areas at IOBA, delivered in partnership with multiple Spanish and international universities.
• Clinical Trials Unit (Unidad de Ensayos Clínicos, UEC) Unit conducting commercial and independent clinical research at IOBA, coordinating multicenter studies and providing GLP-compliant safety and toxicity study services for pharmaceutical and medical device clients. Clients include AJL Ophthalmics, Novartis, Abbvie, Aura Biosciences, Xoma, Paloma Pharmaceuticals, and ProRetina Therapeutics.
• Retina Research Group (Grupo de Investigación en Retina) Accredited research group (GIR 400, UIC 238) at IOBA focused on retinal pathologies including neuroprotection, cell therapy, proliferative vitreoretinopathy, hereditary retinal diseases, and ophthalmic medical device safety. Coordinated by Rosa Coco Martín.
• Optometry Research Group (Grupo de Investigación en Optometría) Research group at IOBA focused on optometry and vision sciences, developing technologies for ophthalmic examination, contact lens evaluation, detection and diagnosis techniques, and public health improvements. Coordinated by Raúl Martín Herranz.
• Unit of Excellence Program (Unidad de Excelencia) Research excellence program at IOBA organizing advanced therapies and regenerative medicine, biomarkers and neuroprotection, and health technology assessment, led by eleven researchers including Iván Fernández Bueno (Scientific Director), Margarita Calonge Cano (IOBA Director), and Yolanda Álvarez Teruel (Programme Manager); funded by the €850,000 Castilla y León Research Excellence Ladder programme.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 17,000 patient appointments annually across all ophthalmology subspecialties
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oftared (Red Temática de Oftalmología del Instituto de Salud Carlos III)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBA participates in OFTARED, the Thematic Network of Ophthalmology of the Carlos III National Institute of Health, collaborating on national research initiatives including the National Observatory for Rare Ocular Diseases (ONERO) and the National Registry of Rare Diseases.
• CIBER-BBN (Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Bioingeniería, Biomateriales y Nanomedicina)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative participation in CIBER-BBN, the Biomedical Research Networking Center for Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine, facilitating interdisciplinary research collaboration.
• Retibrain (Red Temática RED2018-102499-T)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBA participates in the Retibrain thematic network alongside seven other Spanish research groups, focused on neuroprotection research using the retina as a model for central nervous system pathologies. Funded by the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
• RICORS REI (Red de Investigación Clínica de Enfermedades Renales)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating institution in RICORS REI network for clinical research.
• RICORS TERAV (Red de Investigación en Terapia Avanzada)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerParticipating institution in RICORS TERAV network for advanced therapy research.
• CRMRTCCyL (Centro en Red de Medicina Regenerativa y Terapia Celular de Castilla y León)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBA participates in the Network Center for Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy of Castilla y León, funding part of its cell therapy research for retinal pathology and neuroprotection.
• AJL Ophthalmic S.A. (Vitoria, Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple contract research agreements for safety and bioactivity evaluation of ophthalmic implants and medical devices including orbital reconstruction sheets, retinal pigment epithelium cell culture tests, silicone-F6H8 mixture evaluation, and ophthalmic implant safety studies. Funded projects totaling approximately €37,000.
• Novartis Farmacéutica S.A. (Barcelona, Spain)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSponsors the Cátedra Novartis de Distrofias y Degeneraciones Retinianas (Chair of Retinal Dystrophies and Degenerations) directed by Dr. Rosa Coco, funding research and awareness activities on hereditary retinal diseases.
• Abbvie Laboratories Inc. (Illinois, USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial collaboration with IOBA Retina Group on ophthalmology research.
• Aura Biosciences Inc. (Massachusetts, USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial collaboration with IOBA Retina Group on ophthalmology research.
• Xoma Corporation (California, USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial collaboration with IOBA Retina Group on ophthalmology research.
• Paloma Pharmaceuticals (Massachusetts, USA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial collaboration with IOBA Retina Group on ophthalmology research.
• ProRetina Therapeutics (Madrid, Spain)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerClinical trial collaboration with IOBA Retina Group on ophthalmology research.
• ERN-EYE (European Reference Network for Ophthalmology)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBA and Hospital Clínico Universitario hold Associated Center status of ERN-EYE, enabling participation in European reference networks for rare and complex ophthalmology cases.
• Universidad de Valladolid (UVa)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBA is a University Research Institute affiliated with the Universidad de Valladolid and its Foundation (FUVa). The university provides institutional support, research infrastructure, doctoral programs, and administrative services.
• Hospital Clínico Universitario de ValladolidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOBA collaborates with the Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid on joint clinical care, retina research projects, and jointly obtained ERN-EYE Associated Center status.
• Agencia Española de Medicamentos y Productos Sanitarios (AEMPS)coreOthersOfficial advisory body agreement (BOE No. 255, October 22, 2018) designating IOBA as an advisory body for the Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Devices in ophthalmology matters.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wills Eye Hospital: US-based specialty ophthalmology hospital affiliated with Sidney Kimmel Medical College, focused on clinical care, residency training, and translational research. Comparable to IOBA as a super-specialized ophthalmology center combining research and clinical excellence.
• Bascom Palmer Eye Institute: University of Miami-affiliated ophthalmology institute consistently ranked #1 in the US. Combines clinical care, research, and training across ophthalmology subspecialties, with strong industry partnerships and patent portfolios—parallels IOBA's tripartite model at an international scale.
• Centro de Oftalmología Barraquer: Barcelona-based ophthalmology center combining clinical practice, research (Barraquer Institute), and postgraduate training. Comparable to IOBA as a Spanish super-specialized ophthalmology institution with both clinical and academic missions.
• Institut de Microcirurgia Ocular (IMO): Barcelona-based private ophthalmology center of excellence offering clinical care, research, and training. IOBA's closest Spanish national peer, with similar focus on subspecialty clinical services and participation in clinical trials.
• Institut de la Vision Paris: Paris-based research institute affiliated with Sorbonne University and Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Hospital, focused on vision science translational research. Comparable to IOBA's research-heavy unit of excellence model with European Reference Network affiliations.
• Singapore National Eye Centre (SNEC): National specialty eye hospital combining clinical care, research, and training, with strong translational pipeline and industry partnerships. Comparable to IOBA's integrated clinical-research model with a larger geographic footprint.
• Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust: One of the world's oldest and largest specialist ophthalmology hospitals, combining clinical care, research (via UCL Institute of Ophthalmology), and training. Directly comparable to IOBA in its tripartite university-hospital-research model and role as a national/international reference center for complex eye diseases.

Regional players

• Instituto Oftalmológico Gómez-Ulla: Santiago de Compostela-based ophthalmology institute with clinical, surgical, and research activities. Comparable to IOBA as a Spanish regional ophthalmology center, though with less explicit research/translational focus.

Emerging players

• European Reference Network for Rare Eye Diseases (ERN-EYE): European Reference Network coordinating rare ophthalmology care across member institutions. IOBA holds Associated Center status; ERN-EYE is comparable as it operates at the same European reference layer for complex ophthalmology cases.
• Sensimed (Triggerfish): Swiss company that developed the Triggerfish contact lens sensor for 24-hour IOP monitoring—a direct market parallel to IOBA's patented contact lens IOP sensor (WO/2009/147277). Comparable as a focused player in the same ophthalmic device category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iobaUVa
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC211R-Np-GjyDeAHn3LIp1A
• Facebookfacebook.com/IobaUVa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iobauva

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ioba