HARIMATA SP ZOO

Their core work

Harimata is a Krakow-based technology SME specializing in digital tools for the early detection and therapy of neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Their flagship work — the PLAY.CARE project — developed a technology-based system for early ASD diagnosis and therapeutic intervention, suggesting a product combining interactive or play-based assessment with clinical-grade screening. They subsequently joined an international research training network (SAPIENS) focused on the science of early infant-parent interactions and how the social brain develops, indicating they bridge commercial product development with foundational neuroscience research. In practice, they operate at the intersection of child neurodevelopment, digital health tools, and clinical diagnostics.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first H2020 project (2017–2019), Harimata operated squarely as a product company: PLAY.CARE was a funded commercialization effort under the SME Instrument, focused on turning ASD detection and therapy into a deployable technology — no published keywords suggest engagement with foundational science at that stage. By 2019, they shifted toward research participation, joining the SAPIENS training network where the focus broadened to infant-parent interactions, social brain development, and developmental trajectories across both autism and ADHD. The trend is a movement from applied product builder toward scientific research partner — they appear to be building academic credibility to complement their commercial product.

Harimata is moving from commercial product development into the scientific research ecosystem, likely positioning themselves as both a technology provider and an evidence-based partner for clinical and academic consortia in neurodevelopmental health.

How they like to work

Harimata has shown both leadership and partnership capacity: they coordinated PLAY.CARE independently (a demanding SME Instrument Phase 2 grant) and then joined SAPIENS as a participant within a large multi-country training network. With 17 unique partners across 8 countries from just two projects, they have built a surprisingly broad network for a small company. This suggests they are comfortable initiating projects and embedding themselves in larger scientific consortia — a flexible collaboration profile useful to consortium builders.

Harimata has engaged 17 unique partners across 8 countries through only two projects, indicating a wide collaborative reach relative to their size. Their network spans both the applied SME ecosystem (through PLAY.CARE) and academic research groups (through SAPIENS), giving them connections on both sides of the science-to-market divide.

What sets them apart

Harimata occupies a rare position as a Polish SME that has both led a commercialization project and participated in a prestigious MSCA researcher training network — most companies do one or the other. Their specific focus on play-based or interactive early screening for ASD is a narrow but commercially valuable niche, as early diagnosis tools for children remain in high demand across European health systems. For consortium builders, they offer a combination of clinical-market understanding and scientific credibility that is unusual for a company of their size.

Highlights from their portfolio

• PLAY.CARE
  As coordinator and sole EC-funded recipient of EUR 1,587,250 under the competitive SME Instrument Phase 2, this project demonstrates both commercial viability and the ability to lead a complex EU grant — rare for a small Polish tech firm in the health space.
• SAPIENS
  Participation in an MSCA Innovative Training Network (ITN) signals acceptance by the academic research community and access to a pan-European network of neuroscience researchers — unusual for a commercial SME.