The strategic collaboration between the company and the IQS School of Engineering (URL) consolidates the development of advanced medical devices for the treatment of aortic pathologies.
The company Aortyx has been included in the 10th Entrepreneurs List as one of the most innovative entities in the field of health in 2025. This distinction highlights the trajectory of a startup that has based its growth on technology transfer and collaboration with the academic ecosystem. Since its foundation, the company has maintained a close link with the Industrial Doctorate Plan of the Generalitat de Catalunya, through which it has developed applied research to resolve unmet clinical needs in the vascular field.
Aortyx’s scientific activity has been articulated through two industrial doctoral projects, both of which ended with the defense of the doctoral thesis. The first project , carried out with the GEMAT research group of the IQS School of Engineering (Ramon Llull University), has focused on the local release of RNA for the treatment of aneurysms in patients with Marfan syndrome. The second project , linked to the GEVAB group of the same institution, has allowed the design of a biocompatible adhesive for vascular patches that facilitates cell regeneration in dissected aortas. Dr. Noemí Balà, co-founder of the company, was initially integrated into the project as a researcher in training.
The impact of this research focuses on offering an effective alternative to highly invasive surgeries or current endovascular treatments that present medium-term complications due to the lack of viscoelasticity. The use of bioabsorbable patches and localized gene therapies allows the treatment of aortic artery tears, reducing the risk of mortality and improving the patient’s recovery. To date, the company has mobilized 16.8 million euros in capital and around 5 million in grants and loans, with the aim of obtaining marketing authorizations in international markets such as Europe, the United States and China.
Jordi Martorell, CEO of Aortyx, stated in the interview with Emprendedores magazine that the initiative arose from the need for ” better solutions so that doctors would not hesitate to operate or not ” given the limitations of current solutions for aortic pathologies.
The evolution of Aortyx highlights the effectiveness of the Industrial Doctorate Plan as a key instrument for the transfer of knowledge and highly qualified talent to the productive sector. The consolidation of this public-private collaboration model not only allows the generation of high-value-added clinical solutions, but also strengthens the competitiveness of the Catalan innovation ecosystem and reaffirms the capacity of academic research to solve complex technological and social challenges.
