As a pilot initiative, the programme combines structured training, personalised mentoring, technical guidance, and access to Europe’s advanced AI computing infrastructure with connections to investors, corporate partners, researchers, and industry experts across the European AI ecosystem.
Kick Off: A Day of Inspiration, Learning and Networking
On 22 May 2026, the BSC AI Factory Acceleration Programme officially launched with its Kick Off session at the CaixaBank DayOne Office in Barcelona, bringing together the founders of all 15 selected startups for a full day of inspiration, learning and networking.
The session opened with an institutional welcome from BSC AI Factory, followed by a detailed presentation of the Acceleration Programme by Arnau Cuatrecasas, BSC AI Factory Space Manager, Sergi Besonias, BSC AI Factory Spin-Off Portfolio Manager, and Albert Cañigueral, BSC AI Factory One Stop Shop Manager, all part of the Innovation and Business Development unit at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center.
The morning continued with a talk by Roger Garcia Arribas, WWPS Senior Sales Executive at Amazon Web Services (AWS), who introduced participants to the "Working Backwards" methodology, one of the cornerstones of building customer-centric products and organisations. The session offered founders a practical framework to anchor product development in real customer needs.
The afternoon featured an inspirational talk by James Vincent, Founder and CEO of FNDR, who shared insights from his career spanning roles at Apple and beyond. The session was delivered in a hybrid format open via Zoom to BSC members, startups and spin-offs from the Incubation Programme. The day closed with a networking event, giving founders and teams the space to connect, share ideas and begin building the relationships that will define this first cohort.
"The Kick Off marked an important milestone for BSC AI Factory. Bringing together 15 ambitious AI startups with world-class speakers and the broader BSC ecosystem is exactly the kind of collaboration and knowledge-sharing we set out to foster. We are proud to accompany this first cohort on their journey,"
The 15 startups selected for this inaugural cohort are Pack2Earth, Lokutor, Avatia, OneCareAI, UP2SMART, Microsei Biotech, KeyNode, Biyiud, Montevive Artificial Intelligence, Elna Health, Vecify, Synqmonkeys AI, Qatium, Agrikola AI and K AI Superintelligence (Oppy).
About the Acceleration Programme
The BSC AI Factory Acceleration Programme, launched as a pilot initiative, kicks off on Friday 22 May 2026 with a provisional selection of 15 AI startups out of 87 applicants. Led by the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC) under the BSC AI Factory initiative, the programme is designed to accelerate early-stage AI companies developing advanced technologies with strong scalability potential. Participants will also benefit from connections with investors, corporate partners, researchers, and industry experts across the European AI ecosystem.
Future editions of the programme are expected to open new calls in the coming months. Interested parties can follow updates through the BSC AI Factory official website and social media channels.
Learn more about the Acceleration Programme here