i4KIDS strengthens its position at 4YFN, a flagship space for the entrepreneurial ecosystem
i4KIDS has completed its third consecutive participation in 4YFN 2026, the flagship event for technological entrepreneurship held within the framework of the Mobile World Congress, which this year brought together nearly 105,000 attendees from 207 countries in its twentieth edition. Once again, 4YFN highlighted the central role that the entrepreneurial ecosystem plays in global transformation, hosting more than 1,000 startups and corporations, 300 speakers and numerous investors managing funds totalling 70 billion dollars.
Emerging technologies to drive paediatric and maternal health
One of i4KIDS’ most notable contributions this year has been the presentation of a virtual reality rehabilitation tool developed within the framework of the project i4KIDS4RARE, the “Fantastic Quest”. Designed for children with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), this solution aims to improve patients’ adherence to home-based rehabilitation through gameplay. The tool was presented during the session “Humanistic innovation and organisational models fostering the adoption of innovation”, organised in collaboration with the Unió Catalana d’Hospitals at the Catalonia Health Innovation Ecosystem Pavilion, led by Biocat and the Fundació TIC Salut Social.
As part of the congress activities, i4KIDS once again took part in the programme organised by the Consorci de Salut i Social de Catalunya, which included a guided tour through the main health‑tech spaces at 4YFN, an emerging solutions workshop, and a challenge session aimed at identifying unmet clinical needs and exploring new opportunities for collaboration.
The team also attended the session organised by AstraZeneca on artificial intelligence applied to healthcare, “AI in Healthcare: Hype or Hope?”, which examined the impact of emerging technologies on the evolution of the healthcare system.
The role of the Generalitat’s R&I networks: cooperation and knowledge transfer
The 2026 edition also highlighted the impact of the research and innovation networks funded by the Generalitat de Catalunya and AGAUR. The i4KIDS team attended the presentation by Javier Selva, Director General for Knowledge Transfer and Knowledge Society at the Departament de Recerca i Universitats, held at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center’s stand. His address focused on the strategic role these networks play in accelerating knowledge transfer.
Meanwhile, Mobile World Capital Barcelona organised a meeting for all the funded knowledge‑transfer networks, with the participation of Javier Selva and Teresa Sanchis, Director General for Research and Universities. The event became a valuable space for exchange among the different networks in the ecosystem and concluded with their visit to the i4KIDS stand, where they learned about the projects driven by the hub and its contribution to paediatric and maternal health innovation in Catalonia.
A meeting point for the community and impactful projects
The i4KIDS stand was once again a key meeting point for members of its network, collaborators and professionals from the sector, with a strong presence of organisations linked to the clinical and research fields.
In a landscape shaped by advances in artificial intelligence, personalised medicine and increasing cooperation among sector stakeholders, i4KIDS reaffirms its mission: to accelerate innovation that transforms the lives of children and their families. The 2026 edition of 4YFN has once again helped consolidate its role within a rapidly expanding entrepreneurial environment, while reinforcing the relevance of paediatric and maternal health within the global innovation ecosystem.
Featured
Featured
Featured