European success stories

"It allowed us to radically expand at European level, and from there to the rest of the world"

Dr. Giulio Ruffini, CEO of Starlab Living Science, shares his ideas about EU-funding. Starlab Living Science started in 2000 in Barcelona, Spain. The company focuses on transforming science into applicable technologies for space and neuroscience and employs 30 people today.

When your company first started, how many people did you employ and on which ICT field did you focus?

When we started we were only 7 people. We focused on Space technologies and their applications at that time, but our dual tech strategy, targeting space and neuroscience, was already in place. It just took longer to get our neuroscience strategy in motion, and we were able to do it to a good measure thanks to the EU R&D Framework Programmes.

And today, how many people do you employ? How has your company grown? Have you expanded your work to new or different areas?

Today we employ 30 people. Growth has been based on establishing solid relations with clients, including the European Space Agency and others in the space or energy sectors, and on developing new competences for future products. For the latter, a key aspect has been our work in EU Framework Programmes. This has allowed our company to attract talent and to deploy a critical mass in science and engineering, while funding key research work for our emerging products and services at different levels of research, development and commercialisation.

In the first years we focused on innovative radar technologies but later expanded our work to other technologies as we had planned. So we moved to electrophysiology technologies and applications. We are currently also developing products for improved brain monitoring and for non-invasive brain stimulation.

What made you apply for EU research funding? Was your first application successful?

Our first application for EU research funding arose from the idea of developing a new Electro-Encephalographic (EEG) sensor for brain activity, based on nanotech. It was not successful. However, the same idea was resubmitted later and that time it was accepted. That project -SENSATION under FP6- laid the ground for the development of an advanced wireless EEG system, Enobio, which is an important product of our company.

How has EU-funded research helped your business? What has been the most important or useful?

There are several important aspects. For us the main one was perhaps the possibility to put together a team to work on key technical aspects, and to be able to dedicate some serious effort to R&D, something which is not easy for a small company. It also allowed us to radically expand our network at European level, and from there to the rest of the world. Today we have clients and collaborators on all continents.

The different funding tools made available by the Commission serve different purposes at different stages. For example, when we led an EU-funded action to organize and coordinate the emerging research area of Presence (PEACH, funded by FET), we learned more about an emerging technology and to got to know a particularly multi-disciplinary research community. This, in turn, helped us to participate in related technical projects (BEAMING, funded by Networked Media Systems), which will hopefully allow us, down the line, to create new products in the Virtual Reality sector. At the other end of the spectrum, in HIVE (funded by FET-Open) we work on cutting-edge non-invasive brain stimulation science and technology as a follow up and carefully planned diversification of our EEG work. This helps us to broaden our science and technology basis and we expect to deliver a range of new products in the short to medium term.

Did EU funding enable your company to conduct research or explore new fields that would not have been possible without extra financial support? Have any concrete applications, products or processes come of this?

Yes, absolutely. Our first product has its origins in our first EU research project, which allowed us to build the necessary R&D base. Coordination Actions, another EU funding tool, provide opportunities for expansion into new areas and serious networking, not only for R&D but also to gain contacts and visibility in a broader European client base. Today, we only participate in projects where a product or service is envisioned, even if in the medium to long term. The last phase of product development, going from prototype to ready to sell product, is very challenging and not to be underestimated.

What has been the most positive experience from involvement in EU research programmes?

Meeting with very interesting colleagues around Europe. The satisfaction of going from vision to research to product in less than 5 years.

What is your top tip or word of advice for a young high-tech entrepreneur starting out today?

First, to assess and then accept some risk. Then to be sure to understand who will buy your product or service. This is absolutely critical. Finally, visualize the future, get a good team around you (excellence is key) and fly! Today there are plenty of funding tools to help you move your idea forward. It is important to focus, though, stay on course and be courageous and perseverant.