The Special Envoy participated on 3 February as a member of the Jury of the Social Awards of the Princess of Girona Foundation, of the Royal Household. During the awards ceremony, celebrated in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, His Majesty King Felipe VI of Spain thanked the Jury for their mission. Among 420 proposals, the winner was the engineer Pablo Sánchez, social entrepreneur whose work has saved lives in vulnerable communities around the world.
With a background in Industrial Technology Engineering and a master’s degree in Electrical Communication and Information Systems, the winner has always shown a concern for applying technology to real problems. He is the founder of the NGO Medicina Abierta al Mundo, which leads the manufacturing and distribution of in3ator, a low-cost neonatal incubator for low-resource hospitals in 30 African countries, saving the lives of hundreds of newborns.
The incubators are manufactured in collaboration with students from Salesian schools, which not only reduces costs, but also encourages community involvement. With more than 30,000 hours of operation recorded, the impact of its incubators is evident. The winner advocates for an open source approach, allowing other organizations to replicate his model in different contexts. His work combines technological innovation, sustainability and social commitment, making his career an example of how engineering can transform lives.
The winner thanked him for the award and stated that “if I am here it is because I am a big dreamer. A young man is worth everything he can dream of. For me, it has gone a long way, reaching more than a million and a half babies. I wanted to thank God in capital letters for being a God of life, who has made me fall in love with this project. I want to thank all the volunteers who have trusted me. In particular, thank you, mom and dad. “You have sacrificed your entire life for me and you are the ones who deserve the Princess of Girona award.”
His Majesty the King was accompanied by Minister Pilar Alegría, of Education, Vocational Training and Sports; President Salvador Illa, of the Generalitat of Catalonia; Government Delegate in Catalonia, Carlos Prieto; Regional Minister Esther Niubó, of Education and Vocational Training, and Mayor David Quirós, of L’Hospitalet de Llobregat.
https://www.casareal.es/ES/Actividades/Paginas/actividades_actividades_detalle.aspx?data=16410
Pablo Sánchez Bergasa, Premio Princesa de Girona Social 2025
