Two UAB projects, winners at the 7th edition of the iFest
Six teams of entrepreneurial teams have been awarded at the iFest by the Catalan Government to generate disruptive solutions to challenges on digital health, mobility, waste recovery, or obesity. Amongst them there are BitSpace, an app designed to combat digital anxiety created by UAB students, and TECOUS, a Legal Tech platform created by UAB alumni.
The finale of the 7th edition of iFEST, the programme on open innovation and entrepreneurship promoted by the Government through the Department of Business and Workforce, took place last May 13th at Sala Paral·lel, in Barcelona. The event honoured the best young initiatives created through social, environmental, and technological challenges, that have been created with design thinking methodology during months.
BitSpace and TECOUS, two proposals with UAB DNA
BitSpace is an app focused on transforming the excessive use of mobile devices into a wellness tool. Created by a team of UAB students, the project offers an alternative to juvenile digital anxiety through playful and creative strategies, helping to promote a healthier relationship with technology. Its focus combines gamification, digital psychology, and promotion of quality time off-screen.
TECOUS, developed by UAB alumni, is a legal tech platform that puts an end to the most repeated lie of the Internet: “I’ve read and accepted the terms and conditions”. Through an intuitive interface based on universally recognised icons, it allows the user to easily access the information they care about, transforming indifference into trust.
An international trampoline
The six winning teams of the iFest, including BitSpace and TECOUS, have been awarded an immersion stay in Portugal, within an international acceleration programme. This trip includes specialized training, mentoring, and visits to startups and innovation spaces, as well as real testing sessions of the proposed product or service. The goal is to facilitate the jump of the product to the market, so they can be consolidated as initiatives with an impact.
Promoting young talent
In this edition, 865 young people from all over Catalonia took part in the program, coming from both educational centres as well as universities. The 18 finalist projects were selected at a previous stage where a total of 146 ideas were received. During the closing act, the proposals were assessed by a jury made up of professionals from the business, scientific, and academic worlds.
Thus, iFest has consolidated as a key platform for the promotion of young talent and entrepreneurship in strategic and social sectors, highlighting the innovative potential of Catalan universities, such as the UAB.