Barbara Oliveira

Barbara Oliveira is the Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Luminate Medical, an oncology medical device startup based in Galway, Ireland. She holds a Master of Engineering from NOVA University Lisbon and a doctorate in biomedical engineering from the University of Galway, where her academic research focused on developing novel modalities for breast cancer diagnosis. Oliveira launched Luminate Medical through the Y Combinator Winter 2022 accelerator batch to engineer wearable technology specifically designed to prevent chemotherapy-induced hair loss in patients. Her technical work in translating complex medical concepts into successful first-in-human clinical trials earned her regional recognition as a European Innovator Under 35 by MIT Technology Review in 2023. Oliveira currently focuses on advancing the healthtech sector by guiding medical devices from initial concept ideation through rigorous bench testing, clinical validation, and eventual commercialization.