Outreach News

A South Korean delegation visited ICMAB, promoted by ACCIO

On Wednesday, 1st of July, a delegation of south korean delegates from both the public and private sectors came to visit ICMAB, organised by ACCIÓ

ACCIÓ is the public agency of the Generalitat de Catalunya responsible for helping Catalan businesses grow and become more competitive. It is not a government department (departament) itself, but a public agency that operates under the Generalitat's economic and business portfolio.

The visit was proposed by the ACCIÓ office in South Korea. The delegation was led by Ernest Mèlich, Innovation Consultant at ACCIÓ in Seoul. The delegation included members from both the public (institutions such as ETRI, GIST, and KOPTI) and private sectors (companies such as Sixfiber Systems, Imeditech, MPINICS, and Break the Rules), representing a diverse range of profiles, including researchers, research managers, innovation professionals, and others.

The aim of the delegation was to learn about research centers in Catalonia working on advanced materials in preparation for future funding calls in which South Korean institutions may participate. By establishing connections early, we hope to foster partnerships that can evolve into collaborative consortia. The visit was intensive and focused: it began with an introduction to the Institute and its three main research areas. Given the composition of the delegation, particular emphasis was placed on our expertise in photonics and nano-optics, as well as surface functionalization and biomaterials for wound healing.

Introductory talk by Martí Gich, Vicedirector at ICMAB | ACCIO

Afterwards, the visitors split into three thematic groups to tour key research infrastructures and explore in greater depth the topics presented during the introductory session. During the Health visit, led by Anna Laromaine, Mariana Köber, and David Piña, participants visited the Soft Service, the high-throughput C. elegans screening platform, and the bacterial nanocellulose facilities in the Nano & Nanobiotechnology (NN) Biolab laboratories. During the Energy Storage and Transport visit, led by Alexandre Ponrouch, Dino Tonti, and Mar Tristany, participants visited the MATGAS clean room, where inks for the synthesis of superconducting tapes are formulated, as well as the Green Energy laboratory, where alternative battery materials are being developed. During the Nano-optics and Photonics visit, led by Isabel Alonso, Sebastián Raparaz, Agustín Mihi, and members of the Nano-Optics group, participants explored the Institute's research activities and facilities in this field.

The delegation had the opportunity to visit some of the ICMAB laboratories | ACCIO

We hope that this visit will strengthen our interactions with South Korean institutions and help us seize future opportunities for collaboration. We are as well pleased to be recognized as a leading research center and to continue strengthening our international visibility. Both the visiting delegation and our researchers exchanged contact information to facilitate future collaboration

We would like to express my sincere thanks to the heads of the research lines—Marta Mas, Anna Laromaine, and Alexandre Ponrouch—as well as to the management team (Martí and Lourdes) for supporting the Knowledge and Technology Transfer Unit (UCT) in making this event possible. We hope this will be the first of many such visits. We would also like to thank all ICMAB members who contributed by giving presentations or showcasing the Institute's facilities.

Oriol

13 July 2026