Cuatrecasas Acelera closes the selection process of the startups that will participate in its 9th edition.

The Cuatrecasas Acelera open innovation program, which has already helped more than 50 startups to validate their legal strategy and boost their compliance, has chosen six projects focused on the Energy, Fintech, Foodtech, Healthtech, Legaltech and Proptech sectors for its ninth edition. This year, 100 applications were received from Spain, Portugal and Latin America from projects that offer disruptive solutions in a wide variety of industries.

“The legal complexity faced by startups today is remarkably high, especially in view of the rapid evolution of regulations seeking to regulate new technologies. For startups, it is crucial not only to comply with these regulations, but also to understand how they may affect their business models and revenues. Our goal at Cuatrecasas Acelera is to provide them with the knowledge and legal certainty they need to attract their clients and foster their growth,” says Francesc Muñoz, CIO of Cuatrecasas.

Bootcamp in Barcelona

The startups selected in this new edition will meet tomorrow, October 15, at the first Bootcamp in Barcelona. On November 28, they will meet again in Madrid to participate in the second Bootcamp scheduled for this year. Throughout the four months of the program, the entrepreneurs will be able to boost and strengthen their respective projects with the help of their legal mentors, both at a business and technological level. They will also have the opportunity to meet some of the participants from previous editions and expand their network of contacts in the ecosystem.

During these days, in addition to facing investment and negotiation simulation sessions, the participating startups will evaluate and define the legal strategies that will drive their growth, identifying the regulatory needs required by the disruptive technologies applied in their projects. In addition, they will learn how to drive them through lectures given by lawyers from the Firm who are experts in the main areas of business law and legal classrooms on tax and labor matters.

Cuatrecasas Acelera also counts on the collaboration of prominent representatives in the international venture capital sector, CEOs of reputable global companies and experts in the startup segment, which will allow participants to delve into relevant issues such as cybersecurity, compliance, growth hacking, UX/UI design, fundraising and finance, communication and sales, or corporate culture.

“Startups must be prepared to generate security for their customers in legal terms. Legal uncertainty can be a significant obstacle to growth and client confidence. At Cuatrecasas Acelera we focus on providing entrepreneurs with the necessary tools to face these challenges and turn them into business opportunities,” explains Alba Molina, Senior Innovation Project Manager at Cuatrecasas.

Legal Mentors

The team of legal mentors that will provide specialized and personalized advice according to the sector of activity of each startup is made up of the following Cuatrecasas partners and lawyers: Julio Brasa, an expert in public law; Juan Carlos Hernanz and Félix Plasencia, in public law, energy and infrastructure; Miguel Sánchez Monjo, in the financial andfintech fields; Ariadna Casanueva, in pharmaceutical and digital health regulatory; and Paula Álvarez, in intellectual property, technologies and digital media.

Selected projects:

Cicerai (Legaltech): founded by former Google AI specialists, it is a native AI platform and automation tools that streamline document research, drafting, comparison and compliance management to reduce the time spent on document review by up to 60% and thus speed up legal research.

Eara (Fintech): a financial representation tool that brings together traditional and alternative projects in one place for a retail and professional audience, thanks to the fusion of traditional finance with digital asset technology.

Hydros Power (Energy): contributes to decarbonization through green hydrogen storage and supply systems that enable an efficient and scalable transition to clean energy, with a special focus on the mobility sector.

Nimble (Healthtech): first medical device based on microwave interferometry (MWI) for continuous, non-invasive, non-ionizing monitoring of patients with implanted stents. Its MWI technology is capable of diagnosing stent status and potential problems, regardless of type and location.

Orygen (Proptech): offers sustainable and cost-effective solutions for rustic terrain using AI models that allow for the analysis of the stent’s condition and potential problems, regardless of the type and location of the stent.

Poseidone (Foodtech): provides high-quality, affordable and truly sustainable protein ingredients from seaweed by-products so manufacturers can create tastier food products while caring for the ocean and the planet.