IPLEXMED and MindSens winners of the III Global Graphene Call

The London-based MindSens and the Portuguese company IPLEXMED have been selected as the winners of the IIIGlobal Graphene Call, the international initiative aimed at identifying and accelerating business ideas based on the disruptive potential of graphene. This initiative was led by the Basque nanoscience research center, CIC nanoGUNE, in collaboration with BerriUp —ranked as Spain's number one private startup accelerator by the Financial Times—, Graphenea —nanoGUNE's first startup, dedicated to the production and commercialization of graphene—, Fomento de San Sebastián —the economic development and innovation agency of San Sebastián City Council—, and BIC Gipuzkoa —a Business Innovation Centre supporting the creation of innovative companies.

This third call, launched in September 2024, attracted over 30 projects from 14 countries, with significant representation from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Spain.

The first winner, MindSens, is a UK-basedHealthTech startup that has developed a device for the early detection of Alzheimer’s using just a single drop of blood. The device integrates graphene in its sensors, leveraging a graphene field-effect transistor (GFET) where functionalized graphene surfaces interact with target analytes, altering conductivity for precise detection.

The second winner, IPLEXMED, is a Portugal-based startup that offers diagnostic technology capable of rapidly and reliably identifying respiratory infections and their antimicrobial resistance. By incorporating graphene field-effect transistors into their consumables, they achieve high sensitivity levels without relying on DNA amplification, significantly reducing diagnosis times.

According to Patricia Casado, Director at BerriUp, “With this third edition, we are solidifying the initiative we launched in 2020, which has already become an international benchmark in the sector. The number of stakeholders joining the initiative is particularly significant. This helps positioning our region as an attractive location for emerging graphene-based projects.”

Jesús de la Fuente, CEO of Graphenea, highlighted: “We are delighted to participate in this Global Graphene Call and to offer our materials and manufacturing capabilities to emerging startups to drive graphene-based innovations.”

Iñigo Olaizola, Managing Director of Fomento de San Sebastián, congratulated both startups and added: “At Fomento, we aim to attract innovative projects to our city, like these two startups. In this case, the field of graphene offers an excellent opportunity to bring talent to San Sebastián. We provide them with an exceptional environment, including key resources such as EKINN, our innovation and entrepreneurship hub, to foster the development and growth of such initiatives in our territory.”

Ainara Garcia-Gallastegui, Technology Transfer Director at CIC nanoGUNE, emphasized the strategic importance of this initiative: “The highly innovative technological solutions offered by both companies align with nanoGUNE’s strategic lines, which focus on disease monitoring, creating a synergy opportunity that will undoubtedly be enriching for both parties due to their highly innovative nature and significant market potential.”

Finally, María Luisa Arriola, Managing Director at BIC Gipuzkoa, stated: “At BIC Gipuzkoa, we offer specialized services tailored to each project phase and sector. We provide startups with access to experts, an active community, key connections with industry, training, mentoring, funding, and a laboratory equipped with advanced technology. Our goal is to foster the development and consolidation of a competitive biotechnology sector with global reach in Gipuzkoa. The two winning companies will have the opportunity to leverage these resources through the Ekintzaile-Txekintek program.”

The two selected companies will participate in a personalized four-month training and acceleration program (from January to April 2025) at BerriUp's headquarters. Additionally, they will gain access to advanced materials from Graphenea and use the facilities of CIC nanoGUNE.

If the selected projects choose to establish themselves in San Sebastián, they will receive support from Fomento de San Sebastián, including a technology voucher aimed at developing projects with a technological component, as well as competitive access to the services, programs, and aids for accelerating innovative projects offered by EKINN, the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Hub. CIC nanoGUNE will make its facilities available to the two winning companies, along with other personalized support tailored to the specific needs of each project. This assistance will be complemented by access to the Ekintzaile-Txekintek program provided by BIC Gipuzkoa, a key initiative to promote the growth and scaling of technological startups in the region.