The Spanish Society for Technological Transformation (SETT) , a public entity attached to the Ministry for Digital Transformation and Public Function , has today formalized an investment of 29.9 million euros in the Spanish company Universal DX to boost its early cancer detection technology through the use of Artificial Intelligence .
The operation, authorized by the Council of Ministers last January, is part of SETT's public-private partnership strategy . SETT is participating with this €30 million co-investment in a capital increase round in which the company has raised a total of €62 million from various investment partners . Javier Ponce, CEO of SETT , and Diego Broseta , CFO of Universal DX , formalized the investment.
Universal Diagnostics (UDX) is a next-generation diagnostics company specializing in early cancer detection using liquid biopsy . Its clients are laboratories and large diagnostic operators in the U.S.
This public investment, with which the Government continues to support the implementation of advanced technologies and digitalization in the health sector , will help the company develop a system that combines AI, machine learning and molecular analysis to identify patterns in DNA with unique accuracy.
Unlike traditional techniques, its technology analyzes multiple levels of biological information in the blood , providing a more comprehensive view of the tumor's status. The process combines this analytical capability with a state-of-the-art digital infrastructure based on laboratory automation, big data management, and artificial intelligence.
Thus, UDX achieves a much higher sensitivity than other tests in the early stages of colorectal cancer and in precancerous lesions , making it a pioneer in the field of cancer diagnostics.
The company is finalizing commercial approval for its flagship colorectal cancer screening test and is developing similar tests for cancers such as lung, liver, pancreatic, and esophageal cancer. In a second phase, it will replicate the model in Europe.
Throughout its history, UDX has collaborated with numerous Spanish academic centers that have contributed to developing cancer detection algorithms, including the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, the Polytechnic University of Valencia (UPV) and the Institute of Mathematics of the University of Seville (IMUS).
SETT is carrying out this operation through its Next Tech facility , using funds from the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (Next Generation EU Funds) , which aims to boost financing for startups and scale-ups in the technology sector. In addition, SETT manages two other facilities to strengthen the technology business ecosystem: PERTE Chip , dedicated to microelectronics and semiconductors, and Spain Audiovisual Hub , which promotes the digitalization of the audiovisual sector.