Catalonia launches a pioneering 3D printing project to become a European benchmark in healthcare innovation

• The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona, Hospital Clínic Barcelona and Hospital del Mar have signed a collaboration agreement to promote digital manufacturing applied to healthcare.

• Minister of Health Olga Pané highlighted Catalonia’s commitment to incorporating new technologies that improve patient care and support healthcare professionals in their clinical practice.

• This unique project in Spain will facilitate new solutions for surgical planning, personalized treatments and patient rehabilitation.

Barcelona, September 18, 2026 ─ The Consorci de la Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB), Hospital del Mar and Hospital Clínic Barcelona are joining forces and talent to lead the development of 3D printing in healthcare in Catalonia through a project that is unique in Spain and pioneering in Europe, with the ambition of becoming a national benchmark in this field. The initiative, located within the CZFB’s 3D Incubator building, features a workspace of more than 1,000 square metres, where engineers and specialized technicians will work alongside clinical and innovation teams from both hospitals to develop new solutions that address real healthcare needs.

The three organizations signed the collaboration agreement on September 18, connecting the clinical and scientific expertise of Hospital del Mar and Hospital Clínic Barcelona with the technological capabilities of the CZFB’s 3D Incubator. The agreement was signed by Pere Navarro, Executive State Delegate of the CZFB, Jaume Raventós, Managing Director of Hospital del Mar, and Josep Maria Campistol, General Director of Hospital Clínic Barcelona, in an event attended by Olga Pané, Minister of Health of the Government of Catalonia.

The aim is to establish a collaborative innovation model that develops, tests and implements 3D printing and manufacturing technologies capable of meeting the needs of the organizations involved. The project will deliver solutions for surgical planning through three-dimensional models, customized surgical guides and components, personalized rehabilitation products for patients, and even spare parts for hospital equipment.

The products developed within the facility will have applications beyond patient care. They are also expected to support education and advanced simulation through the creation of anatomical models and simulated procedures for healthcare professionals, as well as research and innovation activities involving prototypes, new materials and medical devices.

Statements

Catalonia’s Minister of Health, Olga Pané, stated: “Projects such as this will help position Catalonia as a European leader in digital manufacturing applied to healthcare and keep our country at the forefront of health innovation, while reinforcing our leadership in Southern Europe.” She added that Catalonia already has successful 3D technology initiatives operating in leading hospitals such as Vall d’Hebron, Parc Taulí and Hospital d’Olot, as well as in regional hospitals including Hospital Verge de la Cinta and Hospital de Palamós.

Pere Navarro, Executive State Delegate of the CZFB, emphasized: “This is a success story demonstrating how cutting-edge technology can be transformed into solutions that benefit society and people’s lives. During the pandemic, faced with a health and humanitarian emergency, the CZFB’s 3D Incubator helped manufacture 400 ventilators. Today, we are taking another step forward by placing this technological capability at the service of healthcare, establishing a stable framework to turn collaborative innovation into real-world projects. Through this partnership with Hospital Clínic Barcelona and Hospital del Mar, we are driving a pioneering project in Europe and charting a path of innovation rooted in collaboration. I would like to thank both institutions for their trust and their commitment to building this together.”

For his part, Josep Maria Campistol, Chief Executive Officer of Hospital Clínic Barcelona, stated that: “this project exemplifies the best way to innovate in healthcare: bringing together clinical expertise, technological capabilities, and talent from different institutions to address the real needs of healthcare professionals and patients. 3D printing enables us to move towards increasingly personalized, precise, and efficient medicine, and this partnership positions Catalonia as a leader in transforming innovation into healthcare value”.

In the same spirit, Jaume Raventós, Managing Director of Hospital del Mar, stated: “This project is much more than a technological initiative. It is a strategic commitment to innovation through collaboration as a guarantee of sustainability and progress. It is designed to transform technology into tangible healthcare value, converting real clinical needs into personalized solutions that improve patients’ lives and support healthcare professionals. Cooperation is the smartest way to innovate. When two leading hospitals and an innovation ecosystem work together, limits become opportunities and barriers cease to be obstacles.”

Finally, Blanca Sorigué, Managing Director of the CZFB, emphasized that: “Innovation only makes sense when we are able to connect technology, knowledge, and talent to address real needs. This project brings together the clinical and scientific expertise of Hospital Clínic Barcelona and Hospital del Mar with the technological capabilities of the CZFB’s 3D Incubator, with the goal of shortening the distance between an identified challenge and an effective solution. At the CZFB, we understand innovation as a tool to transform society and generate a tangible impact on people’s lives”.

Generating economies of scale

The project is based on bringing together the expertise of two of Catalonia’s leading hospitals to improve the efficiency of resources and specialized talent. The goal is to create a collaborative ecosystem that fosters synergies, knowledge-sharing and innovation, attracts new partners, establishes new alliances and strengthens Catalonia’s international leadership in healthcare-related 3D technologies.

The CZFB 3D Incubator was the first high-tech additive manufacturing incubator established in Europe and has become a benchmark for supporting innovative projects in strategic sectors such as industry, mobility, construction, aeronautics and increasingly healthcare. Through this initiative, the three organizations reinforce their commitment to innovation, technology transfer and the development of solutions that improve people’s quality of life through technology