In this episode we are joined by Arnau Valls and Sofía Ferreira from Sant Joan de Déu Barcelona Children’s Hospital, where they lead the hospital’s innovation department and also run an open innovation initiative called i4Kids.

We explore how they work to identify and address unmet needs within the hospital by connecting them with opportunities and partnerships from outside, including universities, start-ups, industry, patient groups, and other international hospitals. All with the aim of accelerating solutions that support children and families.

Arnau and Sofía explain how i4Kids operates, why collaboration is so critical, and how their approach is shaping the future of paediatric innovation in Spain and beyond. We also discuss their upcoming conference in Barcelona this November - The Paediatric Innovation Day 2025, an event that’s certainly not to be missed.

i4KIDS-EUROPE published the following report "Challenges and Opportunities for Effective Paediatric Innovation in Europe"

The report, published by the i4KIDS-EUROPE consortium, examines the state of pediatric innovation and includes recommendations to boost the pediatric and maternal health innovation sector in Europe. Increasing public and private investment, easing regulations, facilitating the adoption of innovation, and supporting the creation of pediatric innovation infrastructures in hospitals are among the proposals.

Thinking of Oscar website and contact details can be found here.

Follow us on Twitter here or Instagram here.

Theme Music - ‘Mountain’
–
Copyright Lisa Fitzgibbon 2000
Written & performed by Lisa Fitzgibbon,
Violin Jane Griffiths

Podcast editing - Chris Robson Audio

Podcast artwork thanks to - The Podcast Design Experts

In this episode, we're joined by Dr. Meritxell Teixidó, CEO and co-founder of Gate2Brain, a Barcelona-based biotech company that is pioneering novel ways of delivering therapies across the blood-brain barrier. Meritxell shares the fascinating journey of how her team are using peptide-based technology to open up entirely new possibilities for treating brain disorders, including those that affect children.

It’s an inspiring conversation about science, perseverance, and the impact that bold ideas can have on the future of paediatric medicine.

Thinking of Oscar website and contact details can be found here.

Follow us on Twitter here or Instagram here.

Theme Music - ‘Mountain’
–
Copyright Lisa Fitzgibbon 2000
Written & performed by Lisa Fitzgibbon,
Violin Jane Griffiths

Podcast editing - Chris Robson Audio

Podcast artwork thanks to - The Podcast Design Experts

This is a very special episode of the Podcast as it is the first video podcast, recorded live during the Final Pitch Event of the 2023 Children's Health Impact Accelerator, in London at the Science Gallery. If you wish to watch this episode, you can find it over on our Thinking of Oscar You Tube page.

In October 2023, David had the fortune of chairing an accelerator dedicated to Children’s Health in collaboration with London based Accelerator and Venture Builder Founders Factory, on behalf of UKRI / Innovate UK.

During the event we were fortunate enough to have a wonderful quartet of innovators who agreed to come on stage and talk about the opportunities, and some of the things to look out for, when financing a start-up focused on children’s health.

We are therefore delighted to share with you all a live recording of the panel conversation which included insights and guidance from Paediatric Venture leaders, John Parker and Marc Ramis, Children’s Health Innovation leader from Alder Hey Children’s Hospital Emma Hughes and wonderfully chaired by Founders Factory’s own healthtech investor Claire Mongeau.

Full details of each of the 10 wonderful start-ups who formed part of the accelerator can be found below:

🌟Happy Marlo
🌟ConsoneAI Ltd
🌟Goal Manager®
🌟Tutti Toot
🌟Hibi Health
🌟Grow with Iris
🌟Envisionit Deep AI®
🌟Moti Me
🌟Lorestry
🌟Tender Touch

I hope you all enjoy the conversation and please share and continue to shout from the rooftops the importance of investment in children’s health, not in the future, but now!

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Thinking of Oscar website and contact details can be found here.

Follow us on Twitter here or Instagram here.

Theme Music - ‘Mountain’
–
Copyright Lisa Fitzgibbon 2000
Written & performed by Lisa Fitzgibbon,
Violin Jane Griffiths

Podcast artwork thanks to - The Podcast Design Experts