Rob Surgical, a spin-off born at CREB. then IRIS, obtains CE marking for its ROB surgical robot in urology

At IRIS UPC we are proud to share this news: Rob Surgical is one of the spin-offs born from our institute, which we have supported since its very beginning. Its technological development stems from the research work of Alícia Casals and Josep Amat, leading figures in robotics and automation applied to medicine, and it stands as an example of successful transfer: from academic research to a certified medical device ready for European operating rooms.

CE marking certifies that the ROB system meets the European requirements for safety, quality and clinical performance needed for its introduction into the EU’s healthcare systems, and it caps a clinical process that began in April 2023, when the first patient procedure with the system was carried out at Hospital Clínic de Barcelona. ROB is a robotic surgery platform designed for minimally invasive procedures in specialties such as urology, general surgery and gynecology: it integrates four robotic arms on a single cart and features an open architecture, designed to make it easier to introduce into operating rooms without needing to replace existing equipment or substantially change surgical teams’ usual procedures.

According to Mario Ferradosa, CEO of Rob Surgical Systems, CE certification highlights and demonstrates more than 15 years of scientific research, unique technological development in the country, clinical work and regulatory discipline by an exceptional team, and it marks the beginning of a new stage for the company, in which Rob Surgical will continue expanding ROB’s use to other specialties, such as general surgery and gynecology.

The certification comes just months after Rob Surgical inaugurated, in early 2026, its first production plant in El Prat de Llobregat, in an event attended by Minister Jordi Hereu. The new facilities will allow the company to handle manufacturing of the ROB system and progressively scale up its production capacity as its commercial rollout advances. Last January, the company had already announced a €50 million investment over the coming years, aimed at the system’s commercial launch, its industrialization, expanding its capabilities, and extending its range of instruments. Rob Surgical’s reference shareholder is Scranton Enterprises, which is also the main shareholder of Grifols.

At IRIS UPC we will continue to follow closely ROB’s rollout across European healthcare systems, proud to see research born in our environment become health technology with real-world impact.