The event will gain more space in the next edition because of its meteoric growth

The impact of the 4 Years From Now (4YFN) is undeniable and has become one of the most significant spaces of the Mobile World Congress (MWC), which took place from February 27 to March 2. Hall 8 of the Gran Via exhibition center was packed with entrepreneurs, managers and investors throughout the event. In this ninth edition, the event has not only continued with its consecration, but has also demonstrated to the whole world -which was looking at the most important congress of the sector- the strength of startups. Among the almost 800 startups from more than 35 countries that participated, those focused on health and sustainability were highly relevant and confirmed that they are on the rise.

In fact, next year they will have an exclusive pavilion. “In 2024 we will gain space and will also set up in Hall 8.0, which is right on the lower floor. We will dedicate it to two up-and-coming sectors: environmental sustainability and digital health,” explained the show’s director, Pere Duran. This trend has been exemplified on this occasion by the participation of specialized entities such as Biocat, which coordinates and promotes the life sciences and health sector in Catalonia, and Barcelona Health Hub (BHH), a center for technological innovation in the field of digital health.

“In 2024 we will gain space. We will dedicate it to two up-and-coming sectors: environmental sustainability and digital health”

Pere Duran (4YFN director)

Some of the startups in this vertical that participated in this year’s edition were Nuage Therapeutics, which seeks new drugs that help in diseases with a clear medical need, such as cancer; Time is Brain, which has developed a new medical device to treat stroke; Inbrain Neuroelectronics, which works to improve therapies for epilepsy, Parkinson’s and brain tumors; Famba, a platform that offers personalized healthcare to those traveling abroad; or Emocional, in which Bcombinator invested, which uses artificial intelligence (AI) for the prevention and promotion of the emotional well-being of workers.

This growth and change in trend can be related, in part, to the harshness with which the Covid-19 pandemic struck. The outbreak not only paralyzed the world economy, but also revealed the shortcomings of the world’s healthcare systems in managing this type of situation. The needs generated during the crisis were the impetus for numerous start-ups, which sought to solve them with the help of technology. This commitment has made it easier for disease monitoring and testing, telemedicine, biopharmaceutical research and medical supplies to be at the heart of the ecosystem. In fact, it should be noted that 4YFN took on greater importance with the pandemic, and was practically the only reason that saved MWC 2021, thanks to the strength that the city’s entrepreneurs gained in the face of the lack of international participants due to the virus.

The result of this shift in investment preferences has meant that biotech or medtech startups in Catalonia have raised 445 million euros in 2022, 87% more than in the previous year. The attractiveness, moreover, is evidenced by the fact that these almost 450 million euros were distributed in 35 operations, practically the same figure as last year. It is therefore an indication that companies are getting more and more money in each deal. There are more than 1300 companies involved in this sector, with the sum of startups, pharmaceuticals, consultancies and suppliers. All of them had a total turnover of 39.3 billion euros in 2022, which translates into 8.7% of the region’s GDP.

In fact, an example of the success of this type of company is Sycai Medical. This Catalan startup acts as a medical assistant and helps radiologists to detect early pancreatic cancer, the fourth most deadly cancer in Europe, by presenting similar cases to help them confirm their diagnosis and predicting the probability that they are malignant. In 2022 it managed to close an investment round of 780,000 euros to complete the market introduction of its medical software and this year it was recognized as the most innovative startup in Catalonia at CaixaBank’s EmprendeXXI Awards, which aim to boost entrepreneurial activity and highlight the work and social impact of startups.

What has Bcombinator done during 4YFN 2023?

Bcombinator, as part of Barcelona’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, had a booth during the congress. We connected with hundreds of entrepreneurs with new ideas, discovered new business opportunities, enjoyed profitable conversations and experienced first-hand the growth of the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Barcelona and worldwide.

The purpose has been to inform about our programs to those interested in making their project real and viable. It has been an opportunity to show what our methodology is, based on working and growing together, and the success stories we have.

The 4YFN, in short, has allowed us to illustrate what Bcombinator is to thousands of attendees, an incubator, accelerator, startup investment fund and coworking space that works to ensure the success of the startups that join us and an investment fund in search of opportunities with the greatest potential.