Barcelona’s healthtech ecosystem has produced a new heavyweight. Biorce, a startup applying artificial intelligence to the design and execution of clinical trials, has closed a USD $52.5 million (around €44.1) Series A round, the largest Series A to date in the Iberian healthtech and AI space.
The round was led by DST Global Partners, with existing investors Norrsken VC and YZR Capital doubling down. New participation came from Mustard Seed Maze and Endeavor Catalyst. The round also attracted a group of high-profile angel investors, including Nik Storonsky and Arthur Mensch.
For Spain, the deal marks a milestone at a time when European healthtech founders are competing for global relevance in AI-driven drug development.
Founded in Barcelona, Biorce is building what it describes as an AI-native infrastructure for clinical trials. Its core product, Aika, is designed to help pharmaceutical companies and contract research organizations design better trial protocols, anticipate regulatory risks, and reduce costly amendments.
From Barcelona to the US
Clinical trial management represents an estimated $120 billion in annual global spend, according to industry data cited by the company. One of the major pain points lies in protocol amendments; each change can halt patient recruitment for weeks and add hundreds of thousands of euros in additional costs. Across the industry, these delays translate into billions in inefficiencies and slower patient access to new therapies.
Biorce claims its platform can reduce development timelines by up to 50% by leveraging a data foundation of around one million historical clinical trials. The goal is not only cost efficiency, but also a stronger scientific justification when engaging with regulators such as the FDA in the United States or the EMA in Europe.
“This round reflects both the scale of the problem we are addressing and the market’s confidence in our vision,” said CEO Pedro Coelho, recently named an Endeavor Entrepreneur. He argues that delays in clinical research “cost time, money, and ultimately lives,” framing the company’s mission as accelerating patient access to new treatments.
The funding caps a rapid 12-month trajectory in which Biorce raised three rounds, bringing total capital to more than $60 million. The new investment will support international expansion, particularly in the United States, with a planned presence in Austin, Texas, and the scaling of its engineering and commercial teams. In Barcelona, the company is preparing to move into the former AstraZeneca offices and aims to grow to 250 employees by the end of 2026.
For the Spanish startup ecosystem, this round of funding highlights investors’ growing interest in AI applied beyond consumer tools. If Biorce succeeds in fulfilling its global ambitions, it could position Barcelona as a serious contender in the race to modernize clinical research, one of the most complex and costly industries in the world.
