INDPULS Partners Team Up with Startups to Boost the Competitiveness of Catalonia’s Industrial and Technological Ecosystem
One of INDPULS’s core objectives is to attract startups with technologies that address the challenges identified by its partners, fostering the development of practical solutions tailored to companies’ needs and enhancing their innovation strategies. Kheoos, Muutech, Siverus, BitMetrics, Akaroa Technologies, and Worsley are among the startups collaborating with the industrial ecosystem of INDPULS. Many companies within this industrial innovation hub are working alongside startups to create shared value and promote competitiveness in the industrial and technological sectors.
The Technology Radar and the Startup Support Program are two of INDPULS’s main initiatives. On the one hand, the association identifies and recommends companies and technologies with strong collaboration potential. On the other, it runs a validation and growth program for startups, attracting new companies with innovative technologies for its partners and enabling collaboration processes that may lead to investment from some INDPULS-affiliated firms. This network fosters open innovation and promotes competitiveness and business growth.
Many of the partnerships between INDPULS members and startups stem from this Startup Support Program, which held its second edition in 2024 under the theme “Accelerate your go to market.” The program’s mission is to support the growth of startups within the industrial innovation ecosystem and to identify opportunities for collaboration between startups and industrial companies to accelerate their joint growth.
The program officially launched in June, when the ten participating startups—selected from 58 applicants worldwide—were introduced to the partners. During the networking session, one-to-one meetings between corporations and startups helped identify collaboration opportunities and set up initial meetings.
In this second edition, “Accelerate your go to market” focused on circularity, new materials, and traceability. The selected startups are helping reduce environmental impact through material reuse and recycling protocols, energy efficiency improvements, wastewater treatment, the use of biodegradable new materials, and traceability of raw materials, products, and assets across the supply chain.
Success Stories of Startups-Corporate Alliances
One noteworthy success story is the collaboration between Girbau and the startup BitMetrics, which began as a pilot project during the first edition of INDPULS’s Startup Support Program. This partnership resulted in Sortech Vision, a Girbau tool developed with BitMetrics’ technology. The solution has not only reached the market but also won the “Project of the Year” award at the Nit de la Robòtica hosted by the College of Industrial Engineers of Catalonia. Sortech Vision uses Deep Learning techniques to automate the handling and sorting of soiled laundry in industrial laundries, increasing productivity and improving working conditions for employees. Mar Masulli, co-founder and CEO of BitMetrics, emphasized that “working with clear, shared goals” was critical to the project’s success. Meanwhile, Jaume Simonet, R&D Director at Girbau, noted that “BitMetrics has shown it can operate with the rigor of an established company while maintaining the agility of a startup.”
Another standout case is Kheoos, a French startup focused on circularity. Kheoos operates a marketplace specialized in the reuse of spare parts, connecting buyers and sellers of industrial components. This platform enables the reuse of parts instead of manufacturing new ones, reducing waste and optimizing resources. Comexi, a company specializing in flexible packaging machinery and services, is already using this platform to purchase spare parts for its systems.
Meanwhile, Siverus has signed agreements with Celsa and Ferimet to pilot its products at industrial plants. Siverus offers an innovative solution to ensure the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), enhancing workplace safety and compliance. This technology not only protects workers but also optimizes resource use and reduces waste associated with disposable equipment.
Other ongoing collaborations include Muutech and Pack2Earth. Muutech Monitoring Solutions has developed Minerva, a monitoring platform designed for industrial data analysis that helps companies reduce energy and water consumption and improve production efficiency. Pack2Earth, on the other hand, is a pioneer in creating compostable biomaterials at ambient temperatures for packaging dry, semi-liquid, and liquid products with long shelf lives. These startups have been selected by INDPULS to participate in the Boston Seminary 2025, a program on strategy, growth, and innovation organized by Lead to Change, providing them with opportunities for learning, networking, and market expansion.
Open Innovation and Co-creation: Success Lies in the Right Partnerships
The INDPULS Co-Creation Program is one of the association’s strategic pillars, generating new business opportunities and collaborative projects among its members. One sustainability project, soon to be launched as a spin-off, was made possible through a multidisciplinary Working Group involving various professionals from member companies and led by Worsley Acceleration Services. Worsley specializes in supporting executive teams with innovation projects that involve a high degree of uncertainty, bringing fresh, innovative, and rigorous perspectives. In addition to collaborating on INDPULS projects, Worsley also works on initiatives with member companies like Girbau, Frit Ravich, Alsina, AKO, and Celsa.
