Record investment in Catalan biomedical start-ups
<ul>
<li>The sector attracted €106.1 million in investment in 2018, with a continued upward trend</li>
<li>On May 20 and 21, Barcelona is hosting Bio€quity Europe 2019, the main event for biomedicine investors in Europe, with more than 50 Catalan companies participating</li>
</ul>
Barcelona, May 16, 2019. Start-ups in the BioRegion of Catalonia, the Catalan healthcare and life sciences sector, attracted a joint total of €106.1 million in funding in 2018, up 1.9% from the previous year. More than half of this investment (€61.3 million) was from venture capital funds. Furthermore, three in four euros in venture capital attracted by Catalan biomedical start-ups (75%) came from rounds with foreign participation.
In this context, on May 20 and 21, Barcelona is hosting Bio€quity Europe 2019, the main event for biomedicine investors in Europe. The event, organized by BioCentury and EBD Group, is held each year in a different European city and this year, on its 20th anniversary, it will be in Barcelona for the first time, thanks to the Regional Host Committee made up of Biocat, Ysios Capital, ACCIÓ and CataloniaBio & HealthTech. It also receives support from Caixa Capital Risc and Grifols as Regional Platinum Sponsors and Alira Health, Asabys Partners, Asebio, GP Pharm, Invivo Ventures, KPMG, Locust Walk and WeCubed Partners, as Regional Gold Sponsors.
Funding raised by biomedical start-ups in the BioRegion of Catalonia (in €M)
A total of 53 Catalan companies and organizations, mainly biomedical start-ups scouting for investment, will be participating in BioEquity 2019. The event will feature more than 550 delegates from 20 countries and expects to host 1,800 meetings between companies and investors.
Catalonia has a solid network of local investors specialized in the biomedical sector, like Ysios Capital, Caixa Capital Risc, HealthEquity, Inveready and Alta Life Sciences, as well as the newly created Asabys Partners and Invivo Ventures. Plus, the number of international investors in companies in the BioRegion of Catalonia has doubled in the past two years and there are now more than 50.
In fact, according to the CataloniaBio & HealthTech and EY Study on investment in the Biomedical industry in Catalonia, 80% of shareholders in Catalan biomedical companies are located in Catalonia, 13% are foreign and 7% are from the rest of Spain.
The joint turnover of the healthcare and life sciences sector in Catalonia is more than €31 billion a year, or 7.2% of the Catalan gross domestic product (GDP), including companies from the sector and healthcare services. In total, more than 223,000 people are employed in the sector, roughly 7% of all those working in Catalonia. On average, one new company is set up in the sector in Catalonia each week, according to data from the 2017 Biocat Report.
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. Biocat focuses its strategy on different key points: raising awareness and promoting the ecosystem with the aim of positioning the BioRegion as an international reference; providing innovative training and developing talent; and accelerating technology transfer and business growth by supporting and carrying out activities for increasing the value of the sector, placing special emphasis on the access to capital. More information on: www.biocat.cat/en
About Catalonia Trade & Investment
Catalonia Trade & Investment is the Catalan Government agency for foreign investment and business competitiveness. It promotes innovation, internationalisation, trade and funding of Catalan companies and startups. It also organizes trade missions in countries chosen strategically for their business and technology cooperation opportunities. In addition, it offers specialised one-stop-shop services to international investors and corporations, attracting foreign direct investment to Barcelona and Catalonia. Headquartered in Barcelona, Catalonia Trade & Investment operates from 40 offices around the world, covering more than 100 markets. More information on: http://catalonia.com/
About Ysios Capital
Ysios Capital is a leading Spanish independent venture capital firm that provides private equity financing to early- and mid-stage human healthcare and life science companies. We target the biotechnology industry, with an exclusive focus on therapeutics. Founded in 2008, Ysios Capital has € 191,4 million in assets under management through its two funds: Ysios BioFund I (€65 M) and Ysios BioFund II Innvierte (€ 126M). We aim to create value by providing talented entrepreneurs with the resources and tools to achieve success in transforming intellectual capital and scientific knowledge into successful companies. More information on: www.ysioscapital.com
About CataloniaBio & HealthTech
CataloniaBio & HealthTech is the association of companies in the biomedicine and health arena in Catalonia. Its mission is to promote research, development and innovation (R&D&i) to help the business fabric generate new products and services in biopharmaceuticals, medical technology and digital health to improve people’s wellbeing. The association currently has 150 member companies and collaborating agents, including hospitals, research centres and universities that are leaders in biomedical R&D&i. More information on: http://www.cataloniabioht.org/
