Manel González-Piñero, PhD MBA — Co-Founder
𝗜’𝗺 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻 — 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵. I work with creativity and innovation as lenses to support projects in culture and health from their early stages, helping them grow into viable and sustainable initiatives across public institutions, companies, startups, and research environments. My focus is on studying, building, and rethinking creativity and innovation — not as buzzwords, but as practices shaped by context, systems, and people. I’m particularly interested in what emerges when disciplines that rarely speak to each other are invited to collaborate. What I do in practice: • I support and build innovation from early stages. As co-founder and CSO at XarTEC SALUT, I help accelerate high-impact research and translate knowledge into viable healthcare solutions. • I work across institutions, industry, and policy. As Head of Innovation at the Institute of Research and Innovation in Health (IRIS), UPC, I foster public–private collaborations that move ideas beyond silos and into implementation. • I teach and learn continuously. I work with students and professionals at the University of Barcelona and ESMUC, exploring innovation, organisational culture, and the management of cultural and creative industries. • I create spaces for cross-fertilisation. As co-director of the HEC Montréal – University of Barcelona Summer School, I bring together diverse perspectives to rethink creativity and innovation from multiple angles. My background spans economics, management, and the humanities (PhD, MBA, and dual degrees), but what truly drives me is a simple conviction: creativity and innovation only create value when they connect people, disciplines, and contexts with care and responsibility. Here, I share reflections on creativity, innovation, academia, and impact, especially in times of uncertainty and transformation. I’m not interested in trends for their own sake. I care about building sustainable public value through thoughtful, responsible innovation. Let’s connect if this resonates.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a Healthcare and Cultural Innovation Specialist with a focus on sustainable impact.
Location: Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
Experience: 26 yrs 10 mos
Skills
- Innovation Management
- Entrepreneurship
- Innovation Research
- Project Coordination
- General Management
- Cultural Management
Career Highlights
- Expert in fostering innovation in healthcare.
- Strong background in cultural and creative industries.
- Passionate about cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Work Experience
Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya - ESMUC
Professor (3 yrs 10 mos)
Xartec Salut
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer (6 yrs)
Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya
Head of Innovation - CREB UPC Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering (6 yrs 5 mos)
Innovation Manager - CREB UPC Research Centre for Biomedical Engineering (18 yrs)
Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences
Researcher (10 mos)
Kunsskapsverket - Nasjonalt Kunnskapssenter for kulturelle næringer
Researcher (9 mos)
Universitat de Barcelona
Assistant Professor -Department of Economy, Faculty of Economics and Business (17 yrs 1 mo)
UTS: University of Technology Sydney
Project manager -Industry Engagement & Commercialisation Area, Research & Innovation Office (3 mos)
National Research Council Canada / Conseil national de recherches Canada
Project manager -Business Development, Industrial Affairs Department. Biotechnology Research Center (4 mos)
Programa Innova. Technical University of Catalonia
Entrepreneurs Advisor (1 yr 1 mo)
FORMATEC SCCL
Consultant (5 mos)
UBXerox Lab
Tech Transfer Manager (2 yrs)
Education
Doctor of Philosophy - PhD at Universitat de Barcelona
Course at Esade
Bachelor's Degree in English Philology at Universitat de Barcelona
MBA at Universitat de Barcelona
Master's degree in Management Techniques at Universitat de Barcelona
Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration at Universitat de Barcelona
at Esade
