Altum Sequencing wins Madrid Impacta award 2026 for cancer-fighting technology

The Madrid Impacta Awards, organised by the Madrid City Council, have awarded the top prize of their tenth edition to Altum Sequencing for its ‘Altum Atlas’ platform. This innovative technology, based on artificial intelligence, allows for precise monitoring of tumour cell evolution through liquid biopsy.

The award, which comes with a €12,000 prize, was presented by Ángel Niño, the city’s councillor for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. It recognises a less invasive technology that contributes to the advancement of personalised medicine and improves the monitoring of cancer patients.

This year’s edition has seen a record participation, with 151 entries and a total of €50,000 distributed among 14 companies. These were acknowledged with three main awards and 11 runner-up prizes for their solutions aimed at combating diseases, protecting the environment, enhancing accessibility, and creating new opportunities.

The second prize, worth €6,500, went to Compostrees SL for its ‘Compostree’ product, made from recycled, biodegradable, and compostable materials designed to protect newly planted trees and plants. Cooling Photonics SL received the third prize of €4,000 for its ‘CoolPly’ product, a multilayer technology that utilises passive radiative cooling to reduce the temperature of outdoor surfaces without the need for electricity, fans, or fluids.

Niño highlighted that the awarded companies have committed to addressing significant societal challenges with proposals that enhance quality of life, sustainability, and competitiveness. He emphasised that behind each initiative lies “an idea capable of improving people’s lives” and a commitment to building a more innovative, inclusive, and sustainable society.

In addition to the three main awards, the City Council has granted 11 runner-up prizes of €2,500 each across various categories, including Best Madrid Project, Best Company from the City Council’s entrepreneurship and innovation centres, and Best Project in Health and Wellbeing, among others.

Since its inception in 2017, the Madrid Impacta Award has seen participation from 1,039 companies, awarded 84, and distributed €370,000 to recognise and support business initiatives that generate a positive impact on society.