On 24 and 24 February, the Parc Científic de Barcelona (PCB, Barcelona Science Park) participated in the I Specialized Meeting on Management, Financing and Exploitation of Science and Technology Parks, organized by the Recoletos communication group. The Meeting, which included sessions by park managers and representatives from companies, universities and central and local government administration, aimed to stimulate debate on the new challenges faced by the sector.

The opening presentation, given by María Luisa Poncela, subdirector of Technology Parks of the Ministry of Science and Technology, addressed government initiatives to promote these structures and the support given to parks through the new Research, Development and Innovation Plan 2004-2007. In this regard, she presented the agreement reached with the Asociación de Parques Científicos y Tecnológicos de España (APTE, Spanish Association of Science and Technology Parks) through which the Instituto de Crédito Oficial (ICO, Official Institute of Credit) grants special loans to promoters of parks and to companies that move to these settings.

Ms. Poncela also spoke about the subsidies to pay the interests of these loans, with a capital bonus of up to 1% of the interest rate of the loans granted to promoters that are members of the APTE, or to companies installed in parks or that wish to set up in there. The Commercial Director of the PCB, Joan Bellavista, gave a presentation on the symbiosis established between the science and technology park and the university, and the difficulties and benefits that arise from this relation. In this topic and based on the model of the PCB, Joan Bellavista commented on the contribution of science parks to the generation and transfer of know-how and the diffusion and use of the same. In addition, he explained the concept of an “entrepreneurial university” as a promoter of parks that wishes to contribute to social and economic development. According to Dr. Bellavista, “parks are becoming a key instrument in the science-technology-business system because they include all the agents that are involved in this system “.

Among the subjects presented in these sessions, we highlight the description of the distinct park models and future projects. In this regard, the diversity in the management and organization structures shown by parks in Spain and the sectors to which they are devoted were stressed. Commercialization systems and financing sources were also addressed, highlighting the role of financial entities, among which saving banks predominate. Furthermore, the network system was presented, which has the APTE, the Network of Science and Technology Parks of Catalonia (XPCAT) and the Network of Technology Parks in the Basque Country as references. In addition, speakers also covered the role of companies hosted by parks, the establishment of synergies by the set up of mixed centres, and the advantages and the drawbacks from the point of view of entities hosted by parks.

The meeting has been held at moment marked by the growth of science and technology parks in Spain. According to data from the APTE, there are currently 18 parks in Spain that are fully operational, of which the PCB is one, and 33 new projects. In 2002, Spanish parks hosted 1,266 companies, which generated a total of 31,450 jobs.