Skip to main content
Uncategorized

Launch of CataloniaBio, the Catalan Association of Biotech Enterprises

By 15 de March de 2006November 18th, 2020No Comments
< Back to news
 15.03.2006

Launch of CataloniaBio, the Catalan Association of Biotech Enterprises

The association CataloniaBio converges enterprises involved in the biotechnology sector in Catalonia. It aims to develop a common forum from which to defend the specific interests of this sector and to make a constructive contribution to defining measures to promote biotechnology as an economic driving force in the BioRegion of Catalonia.


“From a business perspective, we will contribute to making Catalonia a competitive reference region in the emerging biotech industry in Europe”, commented the president of CataloniaBio, Carlos Buesa. “Catalonia can and must develop an international brand image and this will be achieved only by the efficient coordination of policies initiated and by nurturing pioneering high-tech enterprises in a country with no tradition of innovation and one which shows mistrust of the same”.

Constituted on 2 March, CataloniaBio has more than 20 members, all enterprises devoted to research, scientific services, and financing and intellectual property issues in the biotech sector. Under the auspices of CIDEM and the Parc Científic de Barcelona, the association will be officially presented this afternoon in the building called “la Pedrera” (18.30h) in an act chaired by the minister of Industry and Employment of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Josep Mª Rañé. The presentation will also involve Joan Cornet, president of the Executive Committee of the BioRegion of Catalonia; Luis Ruiz, vice-president of CataloniaBio and director of Advancell; and Joan Roure, professor at the IESE.

Catalonia hosts a considerable number of biotech enterprises, among these several new ventures with high growth potential and strong innovation capacity. However, the characteristics of these companies make it necessary to differentiate them from other more mature industrial sectors such as the chemical, pharmaceutical, veterinary and agroalimentary ambits. In this regard, CataloniaBio will define measures to boost the application of public policies, at regional, state and European levels, that favour the growth and consolidation of the biotech sector. According to Carlos Buesa, “the challenge of placing the BioRegion of Catalonia on the international map must be taken up in order to achieve a strong and competitive private sector. Without enterprises of a certain size and international capacity we will not be able to generate wealth from a knowledge society, neither will we be able to make a return to society in exchange for public investment in R+D”.

In addition, the association will focus on and lend specialized support to the development of new enterprises that arise in university settings. It will also promote the consolidation, growth and internationalisation of companies already present in the market. “In this regard, we are especially interested in identifying the synergies between members of the association that facilitate the consolidation of enterprises in the sector and the generation of co-development projects which are internationally competitive while respecting the free competitive market. Market logic must lead us to the development of larger and more powerful companies”, states Carlos Buesa. The association will also identify funding sources for its members and will channel public investment in the development of this sector.