TIMEUP, a spin-off from the University of Coimbra and the Polytechnic Institute of Coimbra, is currently raising €400,000 in private investment to complete the clinical validation of its medical device for the early detection of uropathogens in urinary catheters.
The private investment will finance the non-funded component of a PT2030 project, approved last year with more than €1 million in eligible funding, as shared with Portugal Startup News.
The clinical investigation will be conducted at Unidade Local de Saúde (ULS) Coimbra and will involve 800 patients, aiming to demonstrate the device’s ability to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs), shorten catheterization periods, enable earlier clinical intervention, and decrease unnecessary antibiotic use.
According to the company, this project represents an important milestone, enabling the transition from a laboratory prototype (TRL 4) to a clinically validated solution (TRL 6). The technology has already been successfully validated in the laboratory, and the upcoming clinical investigation will validate its performance in a real healthcare setting.
The clinical need TIMEUP addresses
Catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) are among the most common healthcare-associated infections, with 70% to 80% linked to the use of indwelling urethral catheters. Prevalence studies indicate that urinary catheters are the most frequently used indwelling medical devices.
Infections of the urinary tract in catheterized patients represent a significant clinical and economic burden for hospitals.
As TIMEUP explains, current diagnosis is reactive, relying on the appearance of symptoms that trigger healthcare professionals to collect a urine sample and send it for laboratory analysis.
Depending on the diagnostic technique used, results can take up to three days. This delay often leads to late intervention, longer hospital stays, increased complication rates, higher healthcare costs, and additional workload for clinical teams.
It also frequently results in the empirical use of broad-spectrum antibiotics, contributing to the growing challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
The TimeUp device was designed to be coupled directly between the standard urinary catheter and the collection bag without altering the normal clinical workflow. As urine passes through the system, bacteria come into contact with a polymeric matrix.
The matrix contains compounds that react with specific enzymes from E. coli, resulting in the production of a visible color change and allowing for visual detection without the need for sample collection or laboratory equipment.
This device also allows for the detection of lower concentrations of bacteria when compared to the infection threshold, which is usually associated with the appearance of symptoms.
“TimeUp changes the standard of care from a reactive approach to a proactive one,” said Marta Santos, CEO and co-founder.
“By identifying E. coli before symptoms arise, healthcare professionals can intervene earlier through preventive measures, including increasing patient hydration or removing the catheter if no longer necessary.”
From research project to startup
TIMEUP was born in 2017 from a clinical need identified by healthcare professionals. The technology has since gained recognition, receiving several awards and grants, including the €25,000 EIT Health InnoStars program and a €77,000 CaixaImpulse grant from the “la Caixa” Foundation.
Santos subsequently focused her doctoral research on developing the polymeric matrices that are the core of the technology.
Following a successful proof of concept, the project secured €100,000 from Portugal Ventures and was incorporated as a company in 2023 by Santos and four other founders, namely Susana Alarico, Igor Tiago, Marcos Mariz, and Paula Ferreira, with expertise spanning microbiology and biomaterials.
More recently, TIMEUP won the Startup Pitch Competition at the Startup Capital Summit 2024, received a €20,000 Santander & University of Coimbra Proof of Concept grant, secured a €30,000 Green and Digital Voucher for Startups in 2025, and was awarded a €75,000 Women TechEU grant and mentoring program.
In the long term, TIMEUP aims to contribute to reducing hospital-acquired infections and antimicrobial resistance by providing healthcare professionals with a simple, decision-free, and sample-free detection device that can be easily integrated into routine clinical practice.
“In TIMEUP, Lda. we are not just developing a product, we are helping create more efficient patient management and reduce healthcare cost”, concludes Santos.
Featured image: TIMEUP co-founders (top row, from left: Marta Santos, Susana Alarico, and Marcos Mariz; bottom row, from left: Igor Tiago and Paula Ferreira) (Photo courtesy of TIMEUP)
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