ULMA MEDICAL TECHNOLOGIES SL

Their core work

ULMA Medical Technologies is a Spanish SME specializing in embedded systems and intelligent imaging solutions, with a dual focus on medical diagnostics and industrial digitalization. Their flagship work centers on retinal imaging technology for early detection of chronic diseases, which they advanced from feasibility (SME Instrument Phase 1) to full development (Phase 2) with over €1.5M in funding. In parallel, they contribute embedded systems and digital manufacturing expertise to large-scale Industry 4.0 consortia, bridging the gap between hardware-level engineering and smart factory software platforms.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their early H2020 period (2016-2018), ULMA focused on digital factory infrastructure — process automation, simulation and modeling, smart production, and electronic components for supply chain optimization. From 2019 onward, their industrial work shifted toward more advanced concepts: distributed manufacturing, cyber-physical systems, autonomous manufacturing, and manufacturing informatics. Throughout both periods, their medical imaging thread (RETINAL) remained constant, suggesting two parallel but distinct business lines.

ULMA is moving from component-level digital factory work toward system-level autonomous manufacturing intelligence, while maintaining a strong medical imaging product line — expect future projects combining embedded AI with both industrial and health applications.

How they like to work

ULMA operates in two distinct modes: as a project leader for their proprietary medical imaging technology (coordinating both RETINAL phases), and as a specialist contributor in large industrial consortia (Productive4.0 and Arrowhead Tools are 100+ partner projects). With 190 unique partners across 25 countries from just 5 projects, their network is broad but driven primarily by the massive consortia they joined rather than repeated partnerships. They are comfortable both leading small focused projects and embedding in very large multi-national efforts.

Connected to 190 partners across 25 countries, primarily through participation in two very large ECSEL/digital industry consortia (Productive4.0 and Arrowhead Tools). Their network spans most of Europe, with natural ties to Spain's Basque Country industrial ecosystem.

What sets them apart

ULMA occupies a rare niche: they combine deep embedded systems engineering for industrial digitalization with proprietary medical imaging technology — very few SMEs span both domains. Their Basque Country roots place them in one of Spain's strongest industrial innovation ecosystems (alongside ULMA Group companies). For consortium builders, they bring the ability to develop hardware-software integrated solutions where embedded intelligence meets real-world sensing, whether in a factory or a clinic.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RETINAL
  Successfully progressed from SME Instrument Phase 1 (€50K feasibility) to Phase 2 (€1.46M development), signaling strong commercial viability of their retinal imaging technology for chronic disease detection.
• Arrowhead Tools
  Major European digitalization initiative where ULMA contributed to engineering tools for Industry 4.0 solutions, connecting them to a vast network of electronics and automation players.
• DiManD
  Marie Skłodowska-Curie training network on distributed and autonomous manufacturing — positions ULMA at the frontier of next-generation manufacturing research.