Business competitiveness
Fostering entrepreneurship, in order to create new biotech and techmed companies, and growing and consolidating existing companies are the two aims of this strategic focal point. In order to achieve this, Biocat works on actions like the BioEmprenedorXXI business-plan competition (see side bar on the right), and to detect the needs of and provide personalized support for companies in the sector, setting up meetings with international companies and investors, identifying collaboration opportunities with public and private bodies, and facilitating access to various levels of the public administration.
Biocat also collaborates with bodies like the Barcelona Medical Association (COMB) and ACC1Ó to detect and valorize projects of interest for investment forums and international programs.
In the medical technology arena, continuing on with the Action Plan launched in 2010 to promote contract manufacturing, we worked to bring the Medevice Design & Manufacturing fair to Barcelona on 5 and 6 October 2011 in order to put medical device manufacturers from around Europe and Catalonia in contact with potential suppliers. Jointly organized by Ascamm Technology Center, Biocat, UBM Canon and the Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), the fair was complemented with an international conference on biomaterials.
Regenear wins BioEmprenedorXXI
Awards ceremony at the 2011 Biocat Forum.
One of the main challenges now facing the life sciences arena is creating innovative companies with a vision for the future to bring research developed in universities, hospitals and research centers to the market. The BioEmprenedorXXI program promotes the creation and growth of quality, innovative, technology-based companies with a sense of the future in the field of the life sciences. It’s an integral training, guidance and support program for entrepreneurs that provides participants with a series of tools and resources to facilitate both the creation and consolidation processes of a company. Evaluation and start-up of the idea is done through a business plan.
This program is a joint initiative of “la Caixa”, the Barcelona City Council (through Barcelona Activa), Biocat, Genoma España and the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce.
Regenear, a cutting-edge biotechnology company, won the forth edition of the BioEmprenedorXXI awards —presented under the framework of the 4th Biocat Forum— for the best entrepreneurial initiative in the life sciences sector. The panel of judges recognized that they are pioneers in biomedicine and their project to develop the first biokits to regenerate three-dimensional facial cartilage from the patient’s own cells. Endoasic Technologies and Minoryx Therapeutics were the runners-up.