Barcelona to host BIO-Europe Spring 2021
<p><strong>The city will once again host the spring edition of the most important partnering congress in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry in Europe</strong></p>
<p><strong>It will be the 4<sup>th</sup> edition in the city, after the success of 2010, 2013 and 2017</strong></p>
<p><strong>The number of international investors in the BioRegion of Catalonia has increased tenfold in 5 years. For the 3rd time in a row Financial Times has selected it as the best Southern European region for investment in 2020-2021</strong></p>
Barcelona, 27 March 2020.- Barcelona will once again host BIO-Europe Spring (BES), the European partnering congress that specializes in biotechnology and the pharmaceutical industry, which will take place in the city from March 22 to 24, 2021.
The event is organized by EBD Group, which has chosen Barcelona again to host the fair after beating participation records in the previous editions held in the Catalan capital, in 2010, 2013 and 2017.
“BIO-Europe Spring is the most significant annual springtime industry event where top executives from global biotech, pharma and finance access hundreds of potential partners to make their companies’ collaborative goals a reality,” said Pam Putz, Managing Director Europe for EBD Group. “After delivering the event in a fully digital format this week, we’re looking forward to gathering in person in 2021 in beautiful Barcelona, where we’ve had three highly productive and successful BIO-Europe Spring conferences in the last ten years.”
The latest edition hosted in Barcelona, in 2017, welcomed more than 2,500 healthcare and life sciences professionals from a total of 1,450 companies in 58 countries. “Hosting BIO Europe Spring again confirms Barcelona’s role as one of Europe’s main innovation hubs,” highlighted Biocat CEO Jordi Naval. “The international visibility this type of conferences bring helps attract venture capital and top executives looking for start-ups and commercial deals, opening up many opportunities for companies in the BioRegion of Catalonia.”
BIO-Europe 2021 will be organized by the EBD Group with collaboration from Biocat and Catalonia Trade & Investment heading up the Host Committee, which will add new companies and entities from the BioRegion of Catalonia in the next months.
One of the top innovation hubs in Europe
BIO-Europe Spring will be an opportunity to reaffirm the strategic position of the BioRegion of Catalonia, the Catalan healthcare and life sciences ecosystem, as one of the top innovation hubs in Europe.
The BioRegion of Catalonia hosts more than 1,000 companies and 89 research organizations. This sector generates €31.087 billion each year, makes up 7.2% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and 7% of all employment in Catalonia.
A new life sciences company is created each week in the BioRegion of Catalonia, which is the birthplace and headquarters of companies like Almirall, Esteve, Ferrer, Grífols, Bioibèrica, Lacer, Reig Jofré and Uriach. Global leaders in the sector are also present in Catalonia, including Amgen, Novartis, Sanofi, Roche, Bayer, B.Braun, Boehringer Ingelheim, Chiesi, Hartmann, Lundbeck and Menarini.
The investment ecosystem in the BioRegion of Catalonia is increasingly solid. In addition to specialized local investors operating in Catalonia like Ysios Capital, Caixa Capital Risc, Asabys Partners, Inveready, InVivo or Alta Partners, the BioRegion of Catalonia has shown spectacular growth in foreign investors committing to Catalan companies in the healthcare and life sciences arena. In just 10 years, the number of foreign investors participating in these companies has gone from 0 to 50 and over the past five years alone, the figure has increased tenfold. For the third time in a row, Financial Times has selected Catalonia as the best Southern European region for investment in 2020-2021.
About Biocat
Biocat is the organization that champions the healthcare and life sciences ecosystem in Catalonia working to transform science and technology into regional economic growth as well as social impact. Since 2008, Biocat has invested 13M+ euros in 450+ programs and activities, that have attracted near 24,000 participants, 2,600+ students and 1,500+ firms and organizations. In terms of business. 165+ projects have been accelerated and 300+ direct new jobs have been created.
