The Health Research Institute La Fe and the Network of Technological Institutes promote nearly 40 healthcare innovation projects over five years of collaboration

Over the past few years, both organisations have carried out a range of joint initiatives aimed at fostering technology transfer, strengthening collaboration between researchers and technologists, and promoting innovative projects with direct applications in healthcare.

As a result of this collaboration, initiatives have been launched in diverse fields including artificial intelligence, digital health, advanced materials, biomechanics, probiotics and immersive technologies, among others.

The Scientific Director of IIS La Fe, Pilar Nos, highlighted that "our collaboration with REDIT has become a clear example of strategic cooperation to drive healthcare innovation by connecting scientific and clinical knowledge with the technological capabilities of the technological institutes." She also noted that "this partnership enables us to advance open innovation models that accelerate the development and transfer of innovative solutions with a real impact on patients and healthcare professionals."

Furthermore, Pilar Nos stressed that "the collaboration with REDIT is fostering the creation of multidisciplinary teams involving researchers, technologists and companies, facilitating the identification of clinical challenges and the development of technologies with strong transfer potential and real application within the healthcare system."

For his part, REDIT Director Gonzalo Belenguer emphasised that "the collaboration between both institutions demonstrates the enormous potential of cooperation between science, technology and industry to accelerate the implementation of innovative solutions within the healthcare system." He added that "initiatives such as this highlight the Valencian Community's ability to position itself as a national and international benchmark for innovation through collaborative ecosystems capable of connecting research, technology and the real needs of both the healthcare and business sectors."

Innovation with real healthcare applications

One of the main pillars of this collaboration has been the REDIT-IIS La Fe funding programme, an initiative designed to create synergies between IIS La Fe research teams and the technological institutes that form part of REDIT.

These funding calls have generated a total of 39 innovation proposals, of which 30 have received funding. All 11 technological institutes within REDIT have participated, contributing advanced technological expertise in areas such as advanced materials, digitalisation, artificial intelligence, energy, biomechanics and advanced manufacturing applied to healthcare.

Researchers and healthcare professionals from IIS La Fe have contributed by identifying unmet clinical needs, providing scientific and technical expertise, and offering extensive experience in clinical and healthcare research-key elements in guiding the development of technologies with real implementation potential.

In addition to the funding calls, this collaboration has also taken shape through the IIS La Fe Business Innovation Conferences, funded by IVACE+i, as well as networking events and knowledge transfer activities aimed at identifying clinical challenges and connecting the needs of the healthcare system with technological capabilities able to address them.

A partnership to shape the future of healthcare

In 2023, IIS La Fe and REDIT strengthened this partnership by signing a new collaboration agreement establishing a joint work programme through 2026, focused on aligning the interests of scientific and technological staff, promoting new initiatives and ensuring the continuity of future funding calls.

This collaboration forms part of IIS La Fe's commitment to strengthening collaborative innovation and accelerating knowledge transfer to the healthcare system, promoting the development of solutions that contribute to improving healthcare delivery, clinical practice and patients' quality of life.