BHV Partners and Elisava, the Design and Engineering Faculty of the University of Vic–Central University of Catalonia, have signed a collaboration agreement to bring the Smart Skin electronic tattoo based on nanotechnology and graphene materials to the market.

Unlike other electronic tattoos, graphene makes it thinner and more flexible and adheres better to the skin, avoiding breaks in the integrated nanotechnology and, therefore, improving electrical conductivity. The product is also temporary, hypoallergenic and sustainable as it does not require a battery to operate.

Smart Skin has been designed with an NFC/RFID (Near-Field Communication / Radio Frequency identification) chip which can generate and store data on people in a non-invasive and secure way. Its use can be very useful for monitoring and managing personal health information, access to online spaces (passwords and services) or physical spaces (gyms, airports or events) or payment systems.

It was invented by Dr Jessica Fernández, Head of Design Engineering Area at Elisava and Director of Master Engineering, and Dr Javier Peña, CEO of Elisava, and Elisava has held a patent on it since 2021.

“We are talking about a technology that we already use in our daily lives when we pay with our mobile phones or credit cards, but the fact that Elisava Research has designed a product that can be attached to the skin, without the need for other devices, makes it unique and has great potential for application,” says Marc Valls, Head of the Business and Entrepreneurship Department at Elisava.

“Bill Gates predicted that electronic tattoos could replace mobile phones. We are happy to join synergies and strengths with Elisava to bring Smart Skin to the market” explains Jairo Fraile, partner and advisor at BHV Partners with more than 22 years of experience as a high-tech sales and marketing executive. Once several prototypes and real working tests of Smart Skin have been completed, “over the next few months we will work to find a technological-industrial partner to license, manufacture and commercialise it for mass use”, said Jairo Fraile.

BHV Partners is the first venture builder specialised in healthcare in Southern Europe created in 2019 by executives, serial entrepreneurs, and scientists in the sector. BHV Partners has two lines of business: venture builder and consultancy for technology transfer and innovation institutions, start-ups, and the biomedical industry. Currently, BHV Partners has a portfolio of 8 investee biomedical start-ups and an international network of 70 partners and senior experts who advise and mentor new projects. BHV Partners is based in Barcelona, San Francisco (Silicon Valley), and San Sebastián.