Nanorobotics in Spain: The Movement That’s Shaping the Future
There is no stopping the growth of nanotechnology in Spain. Recent years have seen a substantial increase in scientific publications, patents, and new start-ups in the field. According to data from consulting firms NanoSpain and StatNano, Spain saw a rise from 3,559 scientific publications in 2012 to 5,568 in 2021. The number of patents also increased from just ten in 2013 to 36 in 2021. These numbers reflect a promising trend for the future of nanotechnology in Spain.
The surge in nanotechnology is driven in part by the explosion of nanorobotics and its applications in the medical field. Experts foresee a future in which small robots, no larger than particles, will play a crucial role in drug delivery, tissue stimulation, and tumor penetration in the human body.
Spain, it seems, is emerging as a reference country in this field. Leading the charge is Nanobot Therapeutics, a spinoff established in 2023 by the Bioengineering Institute of Catalonia (IBEC) and the Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), in collaboration with several private partners and researcher Samuel Sanchez. The team at Nanobot Therapeutics is developing promising technology based on the creation of nanorobots capable of penetrating tumors.
Most recently, the team at Nanobot Therapeutics announced a significant milestone. Their patented technology has led to the creation of nanorobots that reduced bladder tumors by 90% in mice. This breakthrough, published in the prestigious journal Nature Nanotechnology, marks an important step towards new treatments for bladder cancer that could result in shorter hospitalization times and lower costs.
Globally, the nanorobot market is projected to grow to $6.96 billion by 2032, up from $6.96 billion in 2022. This growth highlights the immense potential of nanorobots in the healthcare sector. Investors, too, have taken notice. Nanobot Therapeutics recently closed a pre-seed financing round of 478,000 euros, led by BStartup Health from Banco Sabadell.
However, despite the promising future of nanorobotics, the development of the sector faces a significant obstacle in obtaining financing. According to Samuel Sanchez, there is a great need for private financing, as the technologies need tens of millions of euros to reach the clinical trial phase. Nevertheless, Nanobot Therapeutics’ focus on bladder cancer has placed Spain at the forefront of research in this field.
The potential of nanorobots to revolutionize medical treatments is immense, and Spain is taking important strides in shaping the future of nanotechnology.