With a career forged in companies such as Accenture or Capgemini Invent, Joan Amat (Barcelona, 1986) built the foundations of his career in the world of strategic consulting, helping large organisations to make decisions in complex environments. A chemical and industrial engineer by IQS and with an EMBA at IESE, he has always looked for a balance between structured analysis and practical impact.

The turning point came when Dr. Ferran Fillat, a traumatologist at Parc Taulí and Hospital Clínic, proposed him to join Tailor Surgery: an ambitious project that transforms orthopaedic surgery through personalisation. So he has begun a new phase as CEO, leading a startup that combines technology, medicine and 3D design; in short, a comprehensive 3D surgical planning service and the design of customised implants and instruments.

TB: What is the purpose of your project?

JA: We have a clear goal: to improve people’s health through innovation. At Tailor Surgery we believe that customisation in medicine is not just a trend, but a necessity. We use technology to offer surgical solutions adapted to each patient, with the aim of having a real and positive impact.

TB: What stage is the project at and where do you see it going in two years?

JA: We are in a sales and growth phase, consolidating our model in Spain and starting to prepare for international expansion. Two years from now, I envision Tailor Surgery as a global leader in customised orthopaedic and trauma surgery solutions.

TB: A good idea you have had.

JA: More than a specific idea, I think the strength lies in having a clear direction and adapting to what is coming. The best idea is to surround yourself with people with criteria.

TB: What has been your biggest challenge?

JA: The most important is team management: creating cohesion, maintaining motivation and making decisions in difficult moments. But the most worrying, realistically, is cash flow management when you have a fast-growing project.

TB: The best advice you’ve ever received.

JA: Do one thing and then do another. Multitasking doesn’t work when you are looking for excellence. It’s better to take it one step at a time and do things well.

TB: A role model.

JA: One of the most enriching things about my job is talking to people with very different profiles. You always learn something. But if I had to choose a role model, I would say Amancio Ortega: he has managed to have a global impact without forgetting his territory, Galicia. This has a lot of merit. I think there is often a tendency to demonise figures like him, when in reality they should be recognised for their ability to have created jobs, industry and value in their country.

TB: A technology that will mark the future.

JA: Artificial intelligence is already here, but we will see many more changes in medicine thanks to it. And I believe that operating offshore will be a reality sooner than we think.

TB: A startup or company.

JA: Netflix. Not for the technology itself, but for its ability to reinvent itself: from Blockbuster to DVD by post, and then to a global platform. Knowing how to pivot well is a lesson for any entrepreneur.

TB: What helps you to disconnect?

JA: Music. I play the piano and the guitar when I can. I also enjoy eating, I like to have time to go to a nice restaurant with good company.

TB: A book to recommend.

JA: ‘Yesterday’s World’, by Stefan Zweig. A book that helps to understand social and personal transformations in times of uncertainty. Very up-to-date, even though it was written almost a century ago.

TB: A series, film or song that defines your moment in life.

JA: ‘The Bear’. Because it’s not enough to have talent: you have to work hard, learn from your mistakes and resist to become number one.

TB: A recipe, a restaurant.

JA: Rice dishes, without a doubt. Both making them and eating them. I like to cook slow-cooked dishes and, if I have to choose a type of restaurant, I’d go for those that still defend true Catalan cuisine. We are too full of Asian restaurants and other international fashions without soul, it’s hard to find places that cook with roots, respect and authenticity.

TB: A place in the world.

JA: Any corner of nature where you can walk and think without making noise. More than a place, it’s a sensation.

TB: Where would you invest 100k?

JA: In startups that are just starting out but that already show that they can have a real and positive impact on society. Maybe the economic return is uncertain, but the social return is certain.

TB: What does Tech Barcelona mean to you?

JA:  It is a meeting point where talent, innovation and opportunities connect. A dynamic ecosystem that drives projects like ours and facilitates the connections that really move ideas forward. It is a community that accompanies entrepreneurship from within, with an open view of the future.