• Igluco Tech, the University of Seville and researchers from the public healthcare system have made this breakthrough in diabetes monitoring possible.

Photo courtesy of MD Comunicación – Igluco Tech

Seville, 24 September 2026

Almost five million people have diabetes in Spain, and a very high proportion of them have type 2 diabetes. Knowing and controlling their blood glucose levels should be part of their daily routine. However, many do not do so, not because of a lack of willingness, but because having to prick their finger several times a day ultimately becomes too much of a barrier.

To address this problem, Andalusian technology company Igluco Tech today unveiled GLUCUBE, a non-invasive device that measures glucose without the need to draw blood. It is the world’s first device in this category to obtain CE marking as a medical device under the European Medical Devices Regulation, confirming its safety and clinical performance.

Its development has been made possible by ten years of work by the company’s engineers, in collaboration with researchers from the Biomedical Engineering Group at the University of Seville and the Virgen del Rocío and Virgen Macarena hospitals. In January 2019, the University of Seville protected the knowledge generated by the research group by registering the national patent for this non-invasive measurement system.

The launch event was held at the Seville Institute of Biomedicine (IBIS) and was attended by the University of Seville’s Vice-Rector for Research, Montserrat Arista, and by the Regional Ministry of the Presidency, Health and Emergencies of the Andalusian Regional Government, represented by its Secretary-General for Humanisation, Planning and Emergencies, Silvia Pozo.

How it works

The device is very simple to use: the user places their finger inside the device, which analyses the interaction between infrared light and their blood, with the result appearing on their mobile phone within seconds. No needle, no test strip and no pain. It is already available in pharmacies through Cofares’ distribution network.

Glucube goes beyond simply providing a measurement: through a mobile app, it allows users to monitor how their glucose levels change throughout the day, identify the impact of each meal or physical activity, and share this data remotely with their doctor or specialist.

Clinical validation against a reference blood glucose meter showed that 99.01% of the results fell within the clinical safety zones of the Parkes Error Grid. Glucube complements the use of a conventional blood glucose meter, which is required for initial calibration and for confirming out-of-range readings or adjusting treatment. Glucube makes it possible to take measurements more frequently and, as a result, provides greater insight into how glucose levels change throughout the day, without having to prick a finger every time.

“The problem is not that patients do not want to monitor themselves. It is that the current method makes doing so every day inconvenient. Glucube removes that friction,” explained Pedro Luis Navarro, CEO and founder of Igluco Tech. Meanwhile, the University of Seville’s Vice-Rector for Research, Montserrat Arista, said: “The project, which began in the laboratories of the University of Seville, has been a genuine partnership between the university, the public healthcare system and a technology company.”

About Igluco Tech

Spanish technology company founded in Seville in 2017. GLUCUBE is the first non-invasive blood glucose meter to obtain CE marking as a medical device, developed in collaboration with the University of Seville and the Valencia Institute of Biomechanics. 100% made in Spain.

Ten years of R&D: scientific backing

• Collaboration with the Biomedical Engineering Group at the University of Seville (GIB-US).

• 5 clinical studies conducted at the Virgen Macarena and Virgen del Rocío University Hospitals.

• More than 9,000 clinical measurements collected.

• 5 publications in indexed scientific journals (MDPI Sensors, Elsevier, IEEE EMBC, ATTD, CASEIB).

• Patent registered in 14 jurisdictions: Spain, EPO, USA, China, Japan, South Korea, Israel, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Vietnam and Singapore.

• Public funding: CDTI (Cervera programme), ENISA, the Andalusian Regional Government, Red.es and European Funds, among others.