Ignacio Galiana

Ignacio Galiana is the CEO of Verve Motion. Prior to this, they were a staff engineer and program manager at the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering from August 2014 to January 2020. In this role, they led the development of soft wearable robots. Ignacio also managed a team of over 30 engineers, designers, and clinicians to translate concepts and prototypes into real devices that could increase the mobility of individuals.

Galiana has also reported on system vision, requirements, and deliverables to project stakeholders and tracked progress through weekly team meetings. Ignacio has led meetings with DARPA and government officials to report on program status. Additionally, they regularly participate in and coordinates meetings with research teams, industry collaborators, and clinical partners.

In addition to their team management responsibilities, Galiana also collects team feedback and creates technology development project plans with specific tasks to integrate efforts across multiple disciplines. Ignacio works closely with faculty, the Harvard Office of Technology Development, patent attorneys, and business development teams to define market research analysis, identify new directions for robotic programs, and develop IP strategy.

The developed systems for this program include custom electronic hardware, integrated wearable sensors to detect human motion, efficient and compact actuation systems, closed-loop control systems, and optimization algorithms. These systems have undergone over 2000 hours of human subject testing with over 200 participants, ARMY evaluations on over 20 soldiers walking through cross-country courses for up to 12 miles, multiple testing sessions on stroke patients and multiple hours on test fixtures (V&V).

Ignacio Galiana received their PhD in Robotics and Control Systems from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Ignacio also holds a Master of Science in Control Systems and Robotics from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, as well as a Bachelor of Engineering in Industrial Engineering - Electronics, Controls Systems and Robotics from the same school.

Some individuals on their team include Nathalie Degenhardt - Co-Founder & Head of Functional Apparel, Christopher Buck - Head of Product, and Bryan Boutwell - Head of Manufacturing & Supply Chain Operations.