For the fourth consecutive year, the BioBasque Agency organises the delegation of the Basque BioRegion that from 3-6 May takes part in the most renowned biotechnology conference worldwide to be held in Chicago, USA. BIO is an annual event gathering almost 2,000 companies and more than 20,000 professionals from all around the world that has become the biotechnology benchmark at international level.

The Basque delegation is headed by the Deputy Minister of Innovation and Technology of the Basque Government, Juan Goicolea, accompanied by the Director of Technology, Edorta Larrauri, the head of the BioBasque Agency, María Aguirre, along with representatives from the Basque Development Agency (SPRI), the Venture capital society in the Basque Country (SGECR), the Basque Country Technology Park Network , business incubators, Ikerbasque and scientific and technological agents.

The delegation showcases the wide range of possibilities available in the Basque Country with regard to technological innovation, internationalisation, funding and talent attraction to support the growth of biobusinesses. But the leading role falls on the ten companies and corporations that attend the event to display their activity, present their novelties and reach trade agreements at international level. Biobide, Bioftalmik, BTI Biotechnology Institute, DRO Biosystems, Genetadi Biotech, Histocell, Ikerchem, Innoprot, Noraybio, Owl Genomics, and the Grupo Progenika.

BioBasque, the Basque BioRegion, has its own exhibiting area within the official Spanish pavilion coordinated by the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade (ICEX) and also comprising the BioRegions of Catalonia, Andalusia and the Community of Madrid. BioBasque takes up 20% of the surface arranged for BioRegions; this is an illustrative indicator of the consolidation of the biosciences sector in the Basque Country.

According to María Aguirre, head of BioBasque “in biosciences, internationalisation is not just an option but a duty, so our wide representation in such a leading event is highly satisfactory”.

After many years of sustained growth, biosciences make up a new industry within the Basque economy. This industry, international and innovative by default, is mainly based on R&D and technology convergence around biotechnology. The 70 Basque biobusinesses comprising the nucleus of the sector have an annual turnover of 300 million Euros, provide direct employment to 1,500 people (and as much again for indirect employment) and invest 19% of income in R&D, a figure that significantly increases (up to 55%) for start-ups.

The BIO International convention, which features the trade fair and partnering events, will bring together around 2,000 biotech companies, academic institutions, research centres and other related organisations from 70 countries. The programme involves 175 scientific sessions and lectures by public relevant figures like the former US presidents Bill Clinton and George Bush Jr. or the former vice-president Al Gore.