The University of Barcelona creates a spin-off that uses artificial intelligence to improve healthcare
The University of Barcelona creates Fedder AI, a new spin-off dedicated to applying artificial intelligence (AI) in the field of healthcare, with the aim of transforming clinical diagnosis and medical decision-making through advanced, ethical, and collaborative technologies. ICREA, the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, is also part of the company, contributing its expertise and experience in excellence-driven research.
In a context where innovation in healthcare AI is limited by the difficulty of accessing high-quality clinical data —due to strict privacy regulations and system fragmentation—, Fedder AI offers an innovative solution: a platform that allows AI models to be trained with real data without transferring or exposing them, keeping them secure and localized at their source.
With this ethical approach, the new company unlocks the development of scalable and reliable AI systems, fostering collaboration between healthcare centers and researchers. This enables medical professionals to be supported by data-driven insights and improves early diagnosis through models trained with real-world data.
Moreover, it promotes personalized medicine that predicts patient outcomes and responses, optimizing both the efficiency of the healthcare system and the time of its professionals.
According to José Conde, Head of the Business Creation Area at the Bosch i Gimpera Foundation, the University of Barcelona’s knowledge transfer office, Fedder AI represents “an opportunity for artificial intelligence to effectively assist in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, while always ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.”
A multidisciplinary team recognized in the field of medical AI
Fedder AI is composed of a multidisciplinary team of highly recognized professionals in the field of medical AI, coming from the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Barcelona.
The co-founder of the spin-off is Dr. Karim Lekadir, an ICREA researcher and an international leader in AI applied to global health, having participated in more than thirteen European projects.
Dr. Carlos Martin-Isla (CTO) is a postdoctoral researcher and the architect of the technological platform, an expert in federated systems and clinical deep learning. Dr. Kaisar Kushibar (CSO) is an assistant professor at UB and a specialist in medical AI applied to imaging, with experience in cancer analysis and deep learning. Finally, Dr. Laura Arbelaez (CRO) is a postdoctoral researcher and sociologist responsible for ensuring ethical and regulatory compliance, as well as supporting the company’s strategic decision-making.
The Dean of the Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Barcelona, Dr. Núria Fagella, emphasized the importance of the project: “Fedder AI exemplifies how the excellent research carried out at our Faculty can lead to technological solutions with high social impact. This spin-off reflects our commitment to responsible artificial intelligence, serving people and improving the healthcare system.”