BIOSPAIN 2025 kicks off in Barcelona, a national biotechnology meeting point and one of Europe’s benchmarks

Barcelona, October 7, 2025 – The International Biotechnology Meeting BIOSPAIN 2025, taking place from October 7 to 9 at Fira de Barcelona – Montjuïc, and organized by the Spanish Association of Biotechnology Companies (AseBio) and Biocat, in collaboration with the Generalitat of Catalonia and the City Council of Barcelona, brings together companies and institutions from the biotech sector, regulatory agencies and major national and international investors, with the aim of strengthening the role of the biotech industry as a driver of the new healthcare model and a key ally in building strategic autonomy for Spain and Europe in economy, health, sustainable food, and industrial green transition.

The fair was inaugurated today by AseBio’s president, Rocío Arroyo; the Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Universities, Juan Cruz Cigudosa; the Director General of Research and Innovation of the Department of Health of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Antoni Plasència i Taradach; and the Fourth Deputy Mayor for the Area of Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism of the City Council of Barcelona, Jordi Valls Riera.

In the words of Rocío Arroyo, “BIOSPAIN 2025 opens a new chapter for the sector, consolidating itself as the major meeting point of Spanish biotechnology and one of Europe’s benchmarks. We want this congress to act as a bridge between international ecosystems and, at the same time, as an engine of local growth, projecting the key role of biotechnology to reinforce Europe’s strategic autonomy in health, sustainability and economy. In this edition we take one more step, with a program combining innovation, investment, and forums such as the Green Innovation Forum or the Talent Day, which highlight the enormous potential of our industry to tackle great global challenges.”

Juan Cruz Cigudosa, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation, and Universities, highlighted the strategic role of the biotechnology sector as a driver of economic and social development and as an essential tool for responding to major global challenges, from health and nutrition to sustainability and the energy transition. He emphasized that Spain has a dynamic biotechnology ecosystem, made up of innovative companies and research centers of excellence. He also reaffirmed the Spanish Government's commitment to strengthening this ecosystem, promoting an ambitious agenda to support research, innovation, and knowledge transfer through programs and instruments designed to support the sector's growth and consolidate its role as a driver of a more competitive and sustainable production model.

BIOSPAIN 2025 connects investment, biotechnology, sustainable solutions and talent

Thus, over the three days of the event, it is expected to match, or even surpass, the record numbers registered in the last edition held in 2023, also in Barcelona, when over 2,200 attendees from nearly 1,000 companies and entities from 34 countries gathered. 

Under the slogan “Global crossroads, local vibes”, the BIOSPAIN 2025 program will address the main challenges and opportunities of biotechnology in health, investment and sustainability. In the health field, it will analyze Spain’s role in the development of advanced therapies (ATMPs) and its contribution to European strategic autonomy, as well as the potential of artificial intelligence and data in personalized medicine and oncology, and the early incorporation of health technology assessment (HTA) to accelerate the arrival of innovation to the patient. 

In terms of investment, focus will be placed on the role of national and international venture capital in driving startups, on the evolution of the Spanish investor profile, increasingly strategic and specialized, and on the opportunities offered by European and international capital markets to strengthen the biotech ecosystem. Finally, in green biotechnology the impact of alternative proteins and cultivated meat on the future of food, advances in sustainability and circular economy with projects converting CO₂ into value-added products, and the role of synthetic biology as a driver of the new European bioeconomy will be explored. 

This edition features a separate space, the “Green Innovation Forum”, aimed at companies in sectors related to agricultural, food, and industrial biotechnology (green biotechnology). This forum, which held its last edition in 2024 in Pamplona, is integrated into BIOSPAIN this year with the goal of strengthening synergies and increasing its international reach. 

Additionally, on October 9 the Talent Day will be held, a space dedicated to connecting young professionals, researchers and companies, promoting the talent that will drive the growth of the Spanish biotechnological ecosystem. 

Catalonia, one of the main engines of innovation and economic development  

The biotechnology sector represents a key pillar in building a more competitive, sustainable and autonomous Europe. In Spain, scientific production in the area of biotechnology knowledge represented 2.49% of global production in 2023, according to results from the AseBio 2024 report “Towards a more competitive Europe”. In the same period, the biotechnology sector invested €1,282 million in R&D, which represents a 5.2% increase over the previous year. Likewise, these figures place Spain in the ninth global position in the number of biotechnology publications.

For the Director General of Research and Innovation at the Department of Health of the Government of Catalonia, Antoni Plasència, “BIOSPAIN 2025 represents an excellent opportunity to consolidate Catalonia’s leadership in biotechnology and life sciences, strengthening collaboration between institutions, companies, and research centers. Innovation and talent are essential pillars for advancing towards a more efficient and sustainable healthcare system, one that is capable of improving citizens’ quality of life and contributing to the country’s economic and social progress — and events like this accelerate the achievement of these goals.”

At a regional level, the life sciences and health sector in Catalonia, the Catalonia BioRegion, has consolidated itself as one of the main engines of innovation and economic and social development of the country, positioning itself as one of the most competitive health innovation hubs in Europe. According to the BioRegion of Catalonia 2024 Report, the sector has achieved a new record in investment in health startups and scaleups, with nearly €350 million raised. The territory ranks fifth in Europe and eighth globally in the number of clinical trials involving Catalan centers. 

In this regard, the Fourth Deputy Mayor for the Area of Economy, Housing, Finance and Tourism of the City Council of Barcelona, Jordi Valls Riera, states: “Barcelona is a city of science and research, with a very good public health system that guarantees this right, which stimulates innovation as well as the attraction of companies and investments, generating a virtuous circle for the biomedical sector. This sector accounts for nearly 8% of Catalonia’s GDP and we are the leading exporting region in health sector products in all of Spain. And all of this is concentrated in Barcelona and its Metropolitan Area, where 94% of the 1,500 companies in the sector in Catalonia are located. For all these reasons, it is an honor and a pride to host the BIOSPAIN congress once more, which confirms us as one of the main biomedical capitals of Europe and the world.” 

Finally, Robert Fabregat, general director of Biocat, stated: “Catalonia has an excellent ecosystem, driven by a unique combination of cutting-edge science, entrepreneurial talent, and a growing network of investors and innovative companies. Our challenge is to turn this potential into real impact by connecting research with capital, the market, and society. BIOSPAIN is an excellent platform to strengthen these connections, create new opportunities for international collaboration, and boost the positioning of the BioRegion of Catalonia as a European benchmark in health innovation.”

• Check the BIOSPAIN 2025 website