The i4KIDS Acceleration Programme is a six-month initiative designed to fast-track early-stage innovations in fetal, paediatric, and maternal health. The programme supports high-potential projects through two structured phases. The Phase 1 (May–July) helps teams define and strengthen their value proposition through specialized training, mentoring, and gap assessments. The Phase 2 (September–November) builds on this foundation, offering expert consultancy and pitch preparation support. The programme culminates in a final pitch event during Demo Day on November in Barcelona. 

The basic timeline for the 2026 edition of the programme is as follows. A detailed calendar is represented in Appendix A: 

 

Key Dates: 

1. March 9th, 2026: Call for projects. 

1. April 12th, 2026: End of the call for projects. 

1. By the end of April, the seven projects selected to join the Acceleration Programme will be announced. 

1. May 4th, 2026: In-person Kick-off meeting and start of the programme for the participants. 

1. November 2026: End of classes and Pitch competition. 

1. December 18th, 2026: End of the Programme. 

 Format of Sessions: 

• Group Classes (Masterclasses): All masterclasses will take place in person from 15:00 to 18:00 CEST (1.5–2 hours).
  To ensure accessibility, participants who cannot attend a session physically may request a hybrid participation link. 

• One-to-One Mentoring Sessions:  Mentoring sessions will be arranged individually, considering the availability of both participants and the assigned mentors or consultants. For those theoretical sessions that include a compulsory individual mentoring component, and as outlined in the present document, two specific dates will be assigned for scheduling these meetings. Participants must book their individual session within one of these two dates to ensure timely completion and alignment with the programme schedule. Providing two options allows mentors and participants to coordinate and confirm a suitable time during the allocated slots. In the exceptional case that a participant cannot attend during either of the proposed days, alternative dates will be explored to find a feasible solution. 

1. Phase 1. May – July 

The Phase 1 is designed to validate early-stage innovation projects (TRL 2 to 3) by confirming their value proposition through a structured approach comprising the following steps: 

• Specialized Training: Participants engage in a specialized training programme that guides them through the key stages of healthcare innovation, from identifying unmet needs to navigating IP, regulations, business models, and market access. Along the way, they gain practical insights into clinical trials and patient engagement. The programme blends group workshops with one-on-one mentoring, ensuring a balance between shared learning and personalized support.  

• GAP Assessment: Using a healthcare innovation cycle methodology, like the CIMIT/KTH approach, we conduct a GAP assessment to pinpoint disparities between the current project state and the desired project outcomes. This process enables strategic planning and resource allocation to efficiently bridge these gaps. 

Following Phase 1, a comprehensive analysis will determine the most suitable services for the project’s advancement. The specific list of services will be agreed upon between the i4KIDS team, mentors and participants (Appendix B). At the end of the Phase 1, the project team should have a clear idea of its strengths and what it needs to work on in the following phase. 

1. Phase 2. September – November 

The Phase 2 is designed to de-risk early-stage innovation projects by increasing their value and maturity through a structured support programme. This phase runs from September until the end of November, with the final project presentations taking place in Barcelona in November. 

Programme Highlights: 

• Need/Problem Validation: This step entails a thorough evaluation of identified needs. It involves engaging clinical experts in interviews to validate the hypothesis that has risen. Insights obtained from these stakeholders ensure a comprehensive understanding of the challenges being addressed. 

• Mentorship accompaniment: Engaging experienced mentors who provide guidance and support tailored to the specific needs of each project, aiding in navigating challenges and maximizing opportunities for success. 

• Workshop in impact: Workshop to enhance project strategies, encourage collaborations, and increase positive social impact in paediatric healthcare. 

• Consultancy services providing access to expert consultancy services in areas such as Regulatory Roadmap, Business Strategy, Intellectual Property Management, Market Access and Technological Feasibility, while not all services may be covered by the programme, a thorough assessment is conducted to prioritize the most essential services tailored to each project’s specific needs and maturity level. 

• Deck preparation and communication to pitch: Aid teams in creating persuasive pitch materials that effectively showcase their project’s vision, goals, and milestones. Support includes not only the design and structure of the deck, but also strategic guidance on how to communicate the pitch, ensuring clarity, coherence, and impact. The aim is to empower teams to deliver compelling presentations to stakeholders, evaluators, and potential partners. 

Only projects from the i4KIDS member research groups can apply to this programme. If you are interested in participating in the programme but are not a member of the i4KIDS network, you can contact our i4KIDS team through contact@innovation4kids.org and our team will evaluate your candidacy for potential adherence to the network. 

Current i4KIDS members and research groups:

Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu

1.Malalties metabòliques d’origen pediàtric
2.Sarcomes i Histiocitosi
3.Genètica bioquímica i metabòlica
4.Neurometabolisme pediàtric: mecanismes de comunicació neuronal i teràpies
personalitzades
5.Medi ambient i complicacions en l’embaràs
6.Malalties cardiovasculars en el desenvolupament
7.Cronicitat i cures pal·liatives,
8.Malalties infeccioses i Microbioma
9.Oftalmologia pediàtrica
10.Neurogenètica i Medicina Molecular
11.Medicina fetal i perinatal
12.Grup de recerca del centre de crítics
13.Estudi de malalties per disfunció immune en pediatria (GEMDIP)
14.Genòmica per al diagnòstic de malalties minoritàries
15.Genòmica Translacional
16.Leucèmia i hemopaties pediàtriques,
17.Participació de pacients en la recerca (PERA)
18.Epigenètica del càncer pediàtric
19.Tractament del càncer pediàtric
20.Recerca aplicada a malalties neuromusculars
21.Tecnologies de la salut i la innovació

Institut d’Investigació Sanitària Pere i Virgili 

22.Unitat de recerca en pediatria, nutrició i desenvolupament humà (PEDINUR)
23.NeuroÈpia – Neurociència clínica i epidemiològica

Institut de Recerca Sant Pau

24.Fisiologia molecular de la sinapsi
25.Grup de recerca en salut de la dona i salut perinatal
26.Grup de Recerca en Cures d’Infermeria
27.Malalties genètiques
28.Pediatria,
29.Epilèpsia

Consorci Sanitari de Terrassa 

30.Grup de recerca en Pediatria
31.Grup de Recerca en Salut Integral en l’Adolescència (SIA)

32.Grup de Bioenginyeria Computacional

EURECAT 

33.Unitat de Digital Health

CIM-UPC 

34.CIM UPC (Grup 3D Printing for Health)

ICFO 

35.Medical Optics
36.Super resolution light microscopy and nanoscopy lab

IDIAP JORDI GOL

37.PEDICRONICS-AP
38.Innovació i Tecnologia Pediàtrica (InnoTeP)
39.Infància i Dieta Mediterrània (INFADIMED

IQS

40.GEMAT: Grup d’Enginyeria dels Materials

INSTITUT D’INVESTIGACIÓ BIOMÈDICA DE BELLVITGE

41.Grup de Potència de Cèl·lules Mare
42.Biologia de les cèl·lules mare hematopoètiques i leucemogènesi
43.Nucleases, càncer i immunitat
44.Laboratori de malalties neurometabòliques
45.Grup de recerca en Sarcoma

UNIVERSITAT AUTÒNOMA DE BARCELONA

46.Grup de Sensors i Biosensors
47.Tecnologia i aplicació multimèdia i digital en els dissenys observacionals (GRID)
48.Nanotecnologia
49.Enginyeria de Proteïnes i Nanomedicina
50.Neuropatologia Mitocondrial

ISGLOBAL 

51.Grup de Recerca en Epidemiologia i Salut Internacional

INSTITUTO INVESTIGACIÓN GERMANS TRIAS I PUJOL (IGTP)

52.Grup d’Oncologia Hepàtica Infantil
53.Grup de Recerca Neuromuscular de Badalona (GRENBA)

INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACIÓN CONTRA LA LEUCEMIA JOSEP CARRERAS

54.Leucèmia i immuno-oncologia
55.Biologia de cèl·lules mare, leucèmia del desenvolupament i immunoteràpia
56.RNA regulador i cromatina
57.Desenvolupament i patologies limfocítiques

PARC TAULÍ – INSTITUT D’INVESTIGACIÓ I INNOVACIÓ I3PT

58.Grup de Malalties Minoritàries Parc Taulí

IDIBGI 

59.Endocrinologia Pediàtrica
60.Grup de Genètica Cardiovascular
61.Salut Mental
62.Recerca Metabòlica Maternofetal

UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA

63.Grup de Recerca en Neurociència Cognitiva
64.Grup de recerca sobre aplicacions de realitat virtual i altres noves tecnologies en Psicologia Clínica i de la Salut (VR‑PSY Lab)
65.Trastorns del neurodesenvolupament
66.Bases moleculars de les malalties cerebrals rares i canalopaties

UNIVERSITAT ABAT OLIVA CEU

67.Neurometabolisme Pediàtric

IBEC 

68.Nanoprobadors i nanoswitches
69.Biomaterials per a teràpies regeneratives
70.Biosensors per a bioenginyeria
71.Nanobioenginyeria
72.Imatge molecular per a la medicina de precisió
73.Materials interactius bioinspirats i sistemes protocel·lulars
74.Neurobiotecnologia molecular i cel·lular

IRB

75.Genòmica comparativa
76.Laboratori de Senyalització i Cicle Cel·lular
77.Biologia mitocondrial i regeneració tissular
78.Transportadors d’aminoàcids i malaltia
79.Caracterització estructural d’assemblatges macromoleculars
80.Malalties metabòliques complexes i mitocondris
81.Laboratori de Divisió Cel·lular
82.Degradació dirigida de proteïnes i descobriment de fàrmacs
83.Organització de microtúbuls
84.Laboratori de biofísica molecular
85.Genòmica biomèdica (BBGLab)
86.Envelliment i metabolisme

FUNDACIÓ ASSISTENCIAL MUTUA TERRASSA

87.Grup de Recerca Interdisciplinar en Malalties Infeccioses Mútua de Terrassa (GRIMIMT)

UNIVERSITAT OBERTA DE CATALUNYA

88.ChildTech Lab

INSTITUT DE BIOMEDICINA DE LA UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA

89.Genètica Molecular Humana
90.GRENBA (Genètica Ocular Pediàtrica)

IDIBAPS 

91.Diagnòstic molecular
92.Laboratori de Malalties Metabòliques Hereditàries i Malalties Musculars
93.Recerca translacional en noves estratègies terapèutiques i diagnòstiques en malalties hepàtiques
94.Recerca translacional en malalties pulmonars
95.Grup de Recerca Infància i Entorn (GRIE)
96.Genètica molecular dels limfomes pediàtrics

UNIVERSITAT POLITÈCNICA DE CATALUNYA

97.Laboratori d’Enginyeria Biomecànica (BIOMEC)
98.Ciència de Dades Intel·ligent i Intel·ligència Artificial (IDEAI‑UPC)
99.Laboratori de Bioinformàtica i Senyals Biomèdiques
100. BIOART
101. Robòtica Intel·ligent i Sistemes

UNIVERSITAT POMPEU FABRA

102. Grup d’Adquisició i Percepció de la Parla (SAP)
103. Grup de Recerca en Raonament i Cognició Infantil (RICO)
104. BCN MedTech

INSTITUT DE RECERCA VALL D’HEBRON

105. Càncer infantil i trastorns de la sang
106. Infecció i immunitat en el pacient pediàtric
107. Grup de Recerca en Patologia Neuromuscular i Mitocondrial
108. Grup de Recerca en Reumatologia – Unitat de Reumatologia Pediàtrica

CENTRO DE REGULACIÓN GENÓMICA

109. Grup d’Esdeveniments Epigenètics en Càncer

UNIVERSITAT ROVIRA I VIRGILI 

110. Alimentació, Nutrició, Desenvolupament i Salut Mental

The i4KIDS Acceleration Programme considers projects from both academic environments and start-up companies with the following objectives and categories: 

• Projects falling within Technology Readiness Levels (TRL) 2 to 3.  

• Projects dedicated to advancing products and/or services targeting paediatric (from fetal to 21 years old) or maternal health.  

• Projects rooted in MedTech, Digital Health, Biotech, or Pharma, situated within the domains of life sciences, health, or well-being. 

• Projects must have a committed team with availability to participate in the acceleration programme (including all its activities and phases). Minimum 2-person committed on assisting to the programme sessions and activities.  

Proposals submitted to the i4KIDS Acceleration Programme will be evaluated according to the following criteria: 

Idea (25%) 

• Identification of an unmet clinical need. 

• Scientific rationale and solution supported by state-of-the-art knowledge and proof-of-idea results. 

Market opportunity (20%) 

• Identification and early validation of the market needs.  

• Target market characteristics. 

• Identification of potential users and customers. 

• Competitors and differential value proposition. 

Transfer and implementation capacity (15%) 

• Current stage of development.  

• Intellectual property maturity and strategy.  

• Plan for project exploitation. 

Impact (20%) 

• Economic and social impact.  

• Benefit for patients. 

Team (20%) 

• Experience in the field and roles complementarity of the project team.  

• Commitment of the team members to participating in the programme. 

If necessary, the evaluation panel may request verification of information provided in the proposals through either in-person or online interactions with the applicants. 

The i4KIDS Acceleration Programme is completely free for participants, and organizers abstain from seeking any equity. Instead, a meticulously designed profit-sharing structure is activated upon project or start-up success (success events), considering the programme’s valued at 30,000€ per project. In such an event, the generated proceeds will be reinvested into the Foundation Sant Joan de Déu and i4KIDS (FSJD/i4KIDS), guaranteeing sustained backing for innovative endeavours in paediatric and maternal health. 

Success events include: 

• Sale or licensing of the startup or its technology to a third party. 

• Revenue generated from the exploitation of technology (e.g., product sales, service provision). 

• Completion of investment round. 

In case of any successful event, participants are obligated to notify FSJD/i4KIDS. Below are the details regarding profit-sharing: 

• If a lump-sum payment equal to or exceeding 300.000,00€ is received, FSJD/i4KIDS is entitled to the total aid amount (30.000,00€). Payment to i4KIDS will be made within three months after receiving the payment. 

• If a lump-sum payment is less of 300.000,00€, and/or in the case of recurring payments, FSJD/i4KIDS is entitled to receive an amount equal to two percent (2%) of each recurring payment, up to 30.000,00€. Payments to FSJD/i4KIDS will be made annually for all recurring payments obtained during the same year, within the first quarter of the following year. 

Profit sharing will cease: 

• When FSJD/i4KIDS has obtained an amount equal to 30.000,00€. 

• After five (5) years since granting of the aid. 

All project submissions must be completed by filling out the i4KIDS ACCELERATION PROGRAMME 2026_Form before the specified deadline of April 12th at 11:59 PM. This form must be filled and sent in PDF format to the email contact@innovation4kids.org indicating in the Subject: “Application i4KIDS Acceleration Programme 2026”. 

Projects submitted after this deadline will not be reviewed. All proposals will undergo a thorough evaluation to assess their alignment with i4KIDS participation criteria, as well as their relevance to designated areas and fields. 

A panel of external experts will evaluate eligible candidates to select seven projects for the Acceleration Programme. Notification of selection will primarily be conveyed via the contact details provided in the Project Proposal for the i4KIDS Acceleration Programme, followed by dissemination through i4KIDS communication channels.  

CONFIDENTIALITY AND INDUSTRIAL/INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS  

This programme entails a commitment to confidentiality from all parties involved, regarding the ideas and information presented, if such ideas and information are not lawfully publicized. i4KIDS will always respect the ownership of the industrial and intellectual property of the participating entrepreneurs, as well as the ideas and know-how they contribute.  

Your participation in this programme does not imply any concession or transfer of such rights to us.  

DATA PROTECTION AND CONFIDENTIALITY 

Our programme requires all participants to maintain confidentiality regarding the ideas and information shared, until such time as they are lawfully made public.  

Participants in the i4KIDS Acceleration Programme may have their images and related materials disseminated on social networks and at events for promotional purposes. 

 Regarding personal data processing, the five candidates selected will sign a specific data sharing agreement. Each party is responsible for processing the personal data of the other party’s signatories. Contact details for responsible parties are provided in the agreement. 

 

Download the rules of participation of the i4KIDS Acceleration Programme 2026 in this link:

i4KIDS ACCELERATION PROGRAMME 2026