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INNOVATION CHALLENGE

23-25 OCTOBER | UPC CAMPUS NORD

Hacking the Future of Health​

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The Innovation Challenge is a 3-day event organized by Xartec Salut that brings together students, researchers, healthcare professionals, patients, companies, and hospitals to solve real healthcare challenges through technology.

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Working in multidisciplinary teams, participants develop innovative solutions with real impact while connecting with key players in the HealthTech ecosystem and exploring future career opportunities.

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HACKERS

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MENTORS

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VOLUNTEERS

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SPONSORS

We look for passionate people in the HealthTech field with different profiles and backgrounds: from students, researchers, professionals, technology experts or start-ups. Programming is not required. You can join as insividual or by teams of 4-5. Any career is welcome!

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Advise and motivate all the participating teams in solving their challenges, guiding them in the decision-making process and supporting the teams in any task or doubt. Your knowledge is the key for them to succeed.
 

By joining our teams of volunteers, you will get to know the organizer's team, meet amazing people and live a great experience at HealthTech2030. Your time and effort will be recognized by Xartec Salut.

Take action with us in shaping the HealthTech of tomorrow, where your brand will not be unnoticed. There are many ways of being part of this initiative as a sponsor. Let's connect so we can personalize your sponsorship!

KEYNOTE SPEAKER

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Carla is a young Catalan innovator and one of the 2025 European ambassadors of Girls Go Circular, an EU initiative that promotes digital, entrepreneurial, and sustainability skills among young women.

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She was also part of Jatta Printi, the Catalan team that won 1st place in the Innovation Project category at the FIRST LEGO League Open Africa Championship in Cape Town, South Africa.

 

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Carla Monté

Girls Go STEM Ambassador | First Prize Winner – FIRST LEGO League Open Africa Innovation Award | Technovation Global Semifinalist

CHALLENGES

We will work together with important health companies and institutions to face real challenges with them. This are not just problems to solve, they are opportunities to innovate and make a difference in people’s lives.

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CHALLENGE 1

DECODING DISEASE

How can we uncover hidden patterns in hidradenitis suppurativa across different types of patient data?

THE PROBLEM

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a complex and heterogeneous disease, and its different manifestations are captured through clinical records, dermatological imaging, and molecular biomarkers, often with missing or incomplete information.

THE CHALLENGE

Given multiple synthetic datasets that describe hidradenitis suppurativa through different information modalities, each with different levels of coverage, completeness, and selection bias, can data scientists recover the underlying structure of the disease — its latent subpopulations and progression stages — consistently across datasets, and use what each dataset captures well to complement what the others miss, rather than capturing the artefacts of how each dataset was collected?

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CHALLENGE 2

CARE JOURNEY

How can we make the cancer journey simpler and reduce mental burden for children and families?

THE PROBLEM

Paediatric cancer treatment involves complex routines, appointments, medication and care instructions that can create a significant mental burden for caregivers.

THE CHALLENGE

How might we design a technological solution that reduces the mental burden associated with the everyday management of active paediatric cancer treatment, helping caregivers organise and anticipate tasks while also supporting the progressive autonomy of children and adolescents?

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CHALLENGE 3 

EARLY DETECTION

How can technology help detect bacterial exacerbations in COPD earlier?

 

THE PROBLEM

Detecting changes in patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is essential for the early identification of acute exacerbations. Changes in sputum colour, volume, and viscosity can provide important clinical information, particularly a shift towards a more purulent colour, a key indicator of bacterial infection. However, these characteristics are currently assessed subjectively through patient descriptions or visual inspection by clinicians.

THE CHALLENGE

How can we objectively detect and monitor changes in sputum characteristics (such as colour, volume, and viscosity) over time, using accessible technologies such as computer vision, mobile health, or artificial intelligence, to enable earlier identification of bacterial exacerbations and support timely clinical decision-making?

AGENDA

DAY 1 _
FRIDAY
23TH OCT

15:00 - 15:30 _ < Registration >

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15:30 - 16:00_ KICK OFF

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16:00 - 16:30_ < Keynote Speaker Carla Monté >

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16:30 - 17:10 _ < Presentation of the Challenges >

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17:10 - 17:30 _ < Coffee Break >

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17:30 - 19:00 _ TEAM BUILDING and frame. _

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DAY 2 _
SATURDAY
24TH OCT

09:00 - 10:30 _ < Masterclass > MAP + PESPECTIVE SWAP

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10:30 - 11:30 _ PLAY

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11:30 - 13:00_ < Masterclass >

 IDEA DEFINITION + SWOT

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13:00 - 14:00 _ < photo & lunch>

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14:00 - 16:00_ < Masterclass >

 BUILD

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16:00 - 18:00_ < Hacking + mentoring >

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18:00 - 20:00_ < free time for hacking and end of Day 2>

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DAY 3 _
SUNDAY
25TH OCT

10:00 - 11:00 _ 

< free time for hacking > 

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11:30 - 11:30_ < Masterclass >

 PITCHING

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11:30 - 14:00_< Rehearsals >

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14:00 - 15:00 _< lunch >

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15:00 - 17:00 _ 

<free time for hacking>

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17:00 - 19:30 _  SEMIFINAL 

< pitches and announcement of finalists >

FINAL
PITCH 

THURSDAY
12TH NOV

17:30 - 19:00 _ 

<FINAL PITCHES>

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19:00 - 20:00 _ AWARDS

< announcement of the winners: 1 per challenge >

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+ Chill Music & Networking>

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note: read more about the amazing venue where this will take place >> HealthTech2030!

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METHODOLOGY

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Learn by Doing: Design PLAY™

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Participating in the Innovation Challenge is much more than solving a challenge; it’s an intensive learning experience where you will absorb practical knowledge every single minute. Through the Design PLAY™ methodology, you will work in a creative, low-pressure space (learn by doing) to turn ideas into tangible prototypes, supported step-by-step by expert mentors in innovative methodologies.

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To celebrate this year’s HealthTech2030 theme commemorating Gaudí, Garage Stories apply the Trencadís approach: guiding you through ideation, validation, prototyping, and pitching, every piece you build comes together to create real impact.

AWARDS

Each challenge sponsor will award exclusive prizes to the winning teams, recognizing their creativity, commitment, and innovative contributions.

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But the benefits don't stop there...

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Every participant will receive an official Certificate of Participation, showcasing your experience in tackling real-world health challenges and collaborating within a multidisciplinary innovation environment; an excellent asset for any CV or LinkedIn profile.

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Barcelona_-_Universidad_Politécnica_de_Cataluña_UPC_-_Campus_Norte_-_Biblioteca_Rector_Gab

VENUE

The Innovation Challenge will take place at Sala Àgora, UPC Campus Nord (Barcelona), one of the city's leading technology and innovation hubs.

 

The venue is easily accessible by public transport, with the nearest metro stations being Zona Universitària and Palau Reial (L3), both just an 8-minute walk away.

SPONSORS

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PARTICIPATE & START INNOVATING NOW!

Want to join the Innovation Challenge? Fill out the registration form and don’t forget to spread the word. You can sign up individually or team up with your colleagues!

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