Over the last two decades, the Basque Government has undertaken scientific and technological policies which support the existing industrial sector and prepare the Basque Country for future challenges. The commitment to life sciences is one more step in the ongoing efforts to renovate the industrial sector in order to remain competitive

The current biosciences scenario and its growing trend is the result of such a commitment. Key to this transformation was the development of a specific biosciences policy known initially as BioBask 2010, the first strategy of this kind in Spain. (click here to see the document, only available in spanish)

The strategy was designed in 2001 with the aim of developing a new business sector related to biosciences. The ultimate goal was the diversification of the existing industrial tissue, and quantitative objectives (40 new companies, 3.000 direct and indirect jobs) were also set up. The strategic mission was basically to establish a biocluster capable of competing internationally.

Based on the co-ordination of activities, the integrated approach built around three axes:

• Generation of knowledge.

• Business development.

• Dynamisation of the biocluster.

The strategy was implemented in 2002 and it is well into its second phase of development (2006-2010). The successful results obtained so far have encouraged the updating of the strategy (in progress) for implementation from 2010 onwards.