After being cancelled due to COVID-19 last year, the international tech startup event 4 Years From Now (4YFN) is back today through 1 July at the Fira Barcelona fairgrounds.

For the first time, 4YFN is part of the core of Mobile World Congress (MWC), maximising interactions between startups, investors and multinational companies.

Also new this year, the event has a special space for health called the Digital Health Hub. This is where the BioRegion of Catalonia pavilion is located, promoted by CataloniaBio & HealthTech, ACCIÓ (Government of Catalonia), Tech Barcelona and Biocat with 27 participating companies and organisations from this subsector that is transforming and growing in Catalonia.

Marta Príncep, managing partner of the venture builder BHV Partners, notes that “4YFN is an excellent opportunity to scout for startups and investors in a global setting and to find out about the latest trends in the most advanced technology.”

Groenlandia Tech presents the most advanced IoT solution on the market to track cold chain logistics throughout shipping of biological samples. “We hope to find national and international distributors who want to accompany us in our expansion,” explains Cristian Pujó, COO of the startup.

“At this edition of 4YFN, we’re presenting our new Compass software, which offers instant access to aggregate real world data and accelerates clinical research,” says IOMED CEO Javier de Oca.

Anna Roman, head of Marketing at Mowoot, notes that the return to in-person events “is key for us to showcase our innovative solution to chronic constipation. We believe this will be a great place to find potential investors and partners.”

Onalabs presents the devices they are developing to monitor vital signs and biomarkers through skin and sweat. “They will be used for chronic patients with conditions like COPD, heart failure and diabetes, and in sports medicine to measure performance” says its CEO Josep Cardona.

Another disruptive startup, WIVI Vision, represented by Eva Garcia Ramos who believes that “4YFN connects the main players in an ecosystem that is more alive than ever. We want to raise awareness of the fact that we need better prevention and treatment for vision dysfunctions. Artificial intelligence and 3D technology have allowed us to market a non-invasive tool that can provide clinical help through objective, personalised training sessions.”

Digital Health Summit and Open Innovation Challenge

4YFN also includes a Digital Health & Wellness Summit featuring experts from the Catalan ecosystem like Gemma Estrada, director of Digital Health at Ferrer; Ana Maiques, CEO of Neuroelectrics; and Jorge Juan Fernández, director of Innovation at EIT Health; and the Open Innovation Challenge organised by ACCIÓ and the Enterprise Europe Network (EEN).