The European Union grants €1.57 M to ULMA for the development of a technology-based project aimed at the Health sector
The Retinal project, promoted by the Centre for Business Promotion and Innovation of the ULMA Cooperative Group, promotes a comprehensive solution for the early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy.
In 2015, Retinal obtained the first award from the European Commission, which selected the project, along with 17 others, among the 543 proposals submitted to phase 1 in the category “Open Disruptive Innovation Scheme”.
Two years later, the European Commission, in phase 2 of the Horizon 2020 Programme, once again acknowledges the solidity of the proposal, its innovative character and its high impact on society, and financially supports the next two years with an amount of €1.45 M for the development of research activities, product development, demonstration (prototypes, testing, innovative process design, and performance verifications, among others), as well as the replication of the solution with a commercial vision. The project was selected among the 480 proposals submitted to phase 2 in this category in October, where the average success rate is of roughly 3%, being awarded with the recognition of “excellence”, as well as a major economic grant.
The selected project has been developed intensively in the last 5 years by the Centre for Business Promotion and Innovation of the ULMA Group, with the participation of entities that are renowned across Europe in the fields of health, ophthalmology and technology in the development of applications and technologies in the field of non-invasive medical imaging and its actual application in medical practice.
The Retinal project consists of an integral Software and Hardware solution for medical use based on an early diagnosis of the disease known as diabetic retinopathy, the main ocular complication caused by diabetes. It would be the first step in a larger initiative called IMNI (Non-Invasive Medical Imaging), led by ULMA and consisting of the development of an integrated platform that is composed of different modules, which seeks the early diagnosis of various diseases based on the analysis and treatment of medical images.
The ULMA Group works on a diversification strategy to address new business opportunities for the Group, generating high-added-value employment.
The result of the project, and in particular, its possible future impact on society are the key reasons that encourage the EU to support this initiative and consolidate the work that ULMA has been carrying out in the promotion and innovation of new business opportunities.
ULMA, through its Promotion Centre, has been developing over the last few years a policy of business diversification framed within a strategy of developing new promotions that may become, in the near future, new businesses that generate high-value-added employment and thus strengthen the current and future positioning of the ULMA Group’s businesses.
