Creativity and Health Come Together at the 2025 i-Days, the Innovation Event Driven by IDIVAL

The Marqués de Valdecilla Research Institute (IDIVAL), in collaboration with the University of Cantabria and EIT Health, has held a new edition of the Innovation Days (i-Days), an event that challenges students from different fields to design innovative solutions to real-world problems in the healthcare sector.

During the event, participants —from diverse academic backgrounds and professional profiles— worked in teams to address current health challenges, learning how to transform ideas into viable proposals with social impact.

The Santander i-Days 2025 have once again established themselves as a key platform for fostering creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit among students in Cantabria, promoting collaboration between science, technology, and society.

Learning, inspiration, and local talent

Throughout the event, participants were guided by mentors and experts who supported them in developing their ideas. They also took part in inspiring talks that connected innovation with real-world healthcare practice.

Among the highlights were:

• “Transferring health research results: From idea to patient”, led by Patricia Zorrilla de la Fuente, Technology Transfer Manager at IDIVAL, who explained the process that allows a scientific idea to become a useful solution for patients.
• “The importance of understanding challenges: The patient’s perspective”, presented by Laura Aja Mazo, educator and advocate for accessibility and hearing disability, who shared a close-up view on inclusion and empathy in healthcare environments.
• “3D Printing and Health: REUSE 3D Project”, by María José Martínez Fernández, occupational therapist at the Cantabrian Health Service, who demonstrated how 3D printing is transforming rehabilitation and patient autonomy.
• “A business perspective: Viacore IT – Solution for diabetic foot”, by David Pérez Álvarez, Business Development Director at Viacore IT, who introduced an artificial vision tool to improve diabetic foot care, developed in collaboration with the University of Cantabria and IDIVAL.
• “How to present your ideas”, delivered by Antonio Cornadó Quibus, Director of Communication and Strategy at CEOE Cantabria, who offered practical insights for communicating projects effectively and persuasively.

Winning project and international reach

The winning team of Santander i-Days 2025, composed of Carla Varela, Alba Esteban, Alejandra Lavín, and Yasmin Amamou, presented the project “Mental Health Corps: Student support for students”, an initiative focused on tackling mental health challenges in academic settings.

The project proposes a peer-based early detection and support system to prevent stigma and promote positive mental health habits among students.

Thanks to their work, the team will represent Santander at the EIT Health i-Days European Final, to be held soon in Paris, competing alongside winning projects from other countries on an international platform that celebrates innovation in health and well-being.

Boosting young talent and healthcare innovation

Through initiatives like the i-Days, IDIVAL and EIT Health continue to invest in the training and creativity of young people, strengthening the healthcare innovation ecosystem in Cantabria and promoting the transfer of knowledge to society.