Barcelona Health Hub and BBVA collaborate to boost the digital health innovation ecosystem

BBVA has reached a collaboration agreement with Barcelona Health Hub to promote and foster entrepreneurship and innovation in the digital health sector. BHH operates as a hub for interaction between more than 350 members (startups, corporations, healthcare institutions, universities and investors), with a presence on five continents, whose aim is to accelerate transformation in the field of digital health and facilitate knowledge transfer in the healthcare sector. At its headquarters in the Sant Pau Art Nouveau site in Barcelona, BHH hosts 33 startups with a total of 184 employees. BBVA has thus become BHH's partner of reference and will support it in the implementation of various initiatives. In addition, the bank will promote contacts with the associated startups, providing them with access to investors, training and, if they need it, offering them banking or financing services through the new BBVA Spark unit, which specialises in high-growth innovative companies. "This collaboration is another example of BBVA's commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship as key elements for facing present and future challenges. Healthcare is undoubtedly one of the sectors that can most benefit from the opportunities arising from technological disruptions and the development of talent; and that is why we want to support entrepreneurs in a sector that is so relevant for everyone and has such a high potential," says Roberto Albaladejo, Head of BBVA Spark. For its part, BHH is expanding its policy of collaborations with large public and private corporations, such as those recently signed with the Barcelona City Council and the Mobile World Capital. According to Cristian Pascual, President of Barcelona Health Hub: "at BHH we continue to grow and join entities committed to technological acceleration, innovation and the development of solutions in the field of digital health that help to improve people's lives. Having BBVA as a strategic partner is further proof of the importance of our sector and its potential. It also reinforces BHH's commitment to continue working towards the transfer of the current model towards digital health to improve daily clinical practice and, in turn, contribute to the sustainability of the healthcare system." The growth in the number of participants, the projects carried out, as well as the fact that it is a hub specialising in digital health, have contributed to positioning BHH as one of the best digital health hubs in the world, according to the About Digital Health portal. The first joint initiative between BBVA and Barcelona Health Hub will be the BBVA Spark event, to be held on 28 September at the BHH Headquarters- It aims to bring together companies, funds and investors specialising in digital health.