The FITA Fund, managed by Grow Venture Partners and promoted by the Government of Catalonia, the Institut Català de Finances (ICF), and the European Investment Fund (EIF), has announced its first five investments in key sectors for the future of the Catalan economy and European technological sovereignty, together with a group of private investors. The technology behind these companies originates from work carried out in universities and research centers.
This fact demonstrates a well-known reality: Catalonia holds a position of global scientific leadership, and this science can be transformed into technology and companies capable of generating wealth and employment, while taking a step forward toward Europe’s technological and strategic autonomy. These companies operate in three key sectors: chip manufacturing and quantum computing; space and communications; and medtech, with its direct impact on people’s quality of life.
Investments with major impact
In total, the five investments made by the FITA Fund represent a contribution exceeding €4 million. Thanks to these operations, nearly €25 million have been mobilized in joint investment among the participating companies. This financial effort not only strengthens the growth and consolidation of innovative projects in strategic sectors for Catalonia and Europe but also drives the creation of qualified jobs. It is estimated that, as a direct result of these investments, more than 100 new jobs have been created, contributing significantly to economic and technological development.
Regarding the details of the five investments, in the field of semiconductors and quantum computing, the fund has invested in Shinephi and Qilimanjaro.
Shinephi is a spin-off from the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) that has developed a disruptive optical technology based on interferometric phase imaging (LIM), which enhances resolution and speed in the analysis of materials and biological samples. Its system exceeds the sensitivity and performance of current techniques by more than 100 times. This technology is of great interest for quality control applications in the semiconductor industry.
Qilimanjaro is a spin-off of the Institute for High Energy Physics (IFAE), the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), and the University of Barcelona (UB), driving the new generation of full-stack quantum computers based on superconducting qubits. A global leader in analog quantum computing, Qilimanjaro paves the way toward quantum advantage through a unique hybrid approach. Its quantum data center will host up to 15 computers, offering companies an environment to test algorithms, develop use cases, and prepare for the fault-tolerant era. Initial applications focus on logistics, healthcare, finance, energy, and petrochemicals.
In the field of space and telecommunications, the fund has invested in the satellite company Kreios Space.
Kreios Space, a company born at the UPC, has developed a unique satellite engine technology called ABEP, which stands for Air-Breathing Electric Propulsion. These engines use the electrical energy generated by photovoltaic panels to accelerate the air present in the upper layers of the atmosphere, thus propelling the satellite. In this way, very low Earth orbits (VLEO), currently unreachable, become accessible to satellites. These orbits allow image resolution to be tripled and enable direct device-to-satellite communication, making them a competitive alternative to terrestrial communication networks.
In the field of medical technologies that improve our quality of life, VirTest and Health Tech stand out.
VirTest is a spin-off of Pompeu Fabra University that develops digital twins for planning structural cardiac surgery. It has created software that enables personalized planning of cardiac interventions. In an initial phase, it validated its fluid mechanics simulation technology in 250 left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedures and is currently working to extend its application to other cardiac interventions, as well as to anticoagulant dosage optimization.
HealthTech Innovations (HTI), a spin-off from the Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), aims to transform safety and efficiency in surgical care. The company focuses on improving hospital operations and the humanization of treatment through high-tech solutions. Its main product is MEDVISION PRO, the first module of a multifunctional platform designed for surgical areas. MEDVISION PRO is a surgical instrument counter that uses Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Computer Vision to automate and make processes in RUMEDs (Reprocessing Units for Medical Devices) safer. This system not only ensures the traceability and recognition of each instrument but also provides hospitals with a SaaS portal offering valuable analytical and performance insights. HTI will soon announce the commercial launch of MEDVISION PRO as the first component of its multifunction surgical platform.
A vital need for Europe
For Europe to compete in a global environment defined by technological disruption, it is essential to strengthen both productivity and strategic autonomy. The latter refers to the capacity to develop, implement, and scale homegrown solutions in key sectors without depending on third countries. In this regard, the FITA Fund is firmly committed to three essential pillars: DeepTech (space, AI, new computing...), Sustainability (energy, materials, bioplastics, or water...), and MedTech. This strategy helps reduce external vulnerabilities, promote skilled employment, strengthen industrial resilience, and ensure technological sovereignty in fields such as healthcare, energy, and advanced computing.
About the FITA Fund
The FITA Fund is promoted by the Government of Catalonia and the European Investment Fund and managed by Grow Venture Partners. Its goal is to support early-stage startups born from scientific research, with a particular focus on deep tech, medtech, and sustainability. FITA’s investments are backed by the European Union through the InvestEU program. The fund has a total endowment of €50 million.
It was created to act as a bridge between research centers, universities, and the market. The strategy focuses on supporting pre-seed, seed, and early-stage projects with a solid technological foundation, mainly originating from Catalonia’s R&D&I system. All announced investments have been made in startups emerging from scientific excellence environments and represent outstanding cases of technology transfer.
About Grow Venture Partners
Grow Venture Partners is a venture capital management firm specialized in technology transfer that invests in early-stage companies stemming from universities and research centers, primarily in the DeepTech, MedTech, and Sustainability sectors. Its diverse and committed team works with a service-driven mindset, aiming to help build better founders and, together with them, create sustainable wealth and employment with a positive impact on the world.
cloud technology axon
Xcalibur Smart Mapping, recognised as the global leader in airborne...
