BIOSPAIN 2026 concludes in Bilbao, consolidating its position as a meeting point for BioRegions and the epicentre of major biotechnology debates
- The congress brought together more than 1,900 attendees from nearly 900 organisations across 32 countries, as well as 95 investors from 50 national and international investment firms
- BIOSPAIN 2026 concludes its latest edition with more than 4,000 bilateral meetings held
- Barcelona will host BIOSPAIN 2027, with Mexico as the guest country
Bilbao, 1 October 2026.- The International Biotechnology Meeting BIOSPAIN 2026 took place on 29 and 30 September and today, 1 October, at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) under the theme “Bioinnovation that clicks”. The event was organised by the Spanish Bioindustry Association (AseBio), in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Basque Government and the Basque Health Cluster. The thirteenth edition has now come to a close, with Barcelona announced as the host city for BIOSPAIN 2027.
The congress brought together more than 1,900 attendees from nearly 900 organisations across 32 countries, as well as 95 investors from 50 national and international investment firms. BIOSPAIN 2026 concludes its latest edition with more than 4,000 bilateral meetings held.
The event concluded with the announcement of Barcelona as the host city for BIOSPAIN 2027, at an event attended by Teresa Riesgo, Secretary General for Innovation at the Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities; Ainara Basurko, Provincial Deputy for Economic Promotion of the Provincial Council of Bizkaia; Ion Arocena, CEO of AseBio; and Robert Fabregat, director general of Biocat. The event was also attended by Víctor Sanchez, CEO and founder of Pragmatec Enterprise Network México, the guest country of BIOSPAIN 2027.
As Barcelona takes over as host, Robert Fabregat, director general of Biocat, told attendees that “Hosting the next edition of BIOSPAIN will be an exceptional opportunity to showcase the scientific, business and clinical strength of the BioRegion and to continue connecting research, industry and investment. At Biocat, we are approaching this edition with great enthusiasm and with the ambition of making Barcelona and Catalonia once again a meeting point for the national and international biotechnology community,” said Robert Fabregat, director general of Biocat.
Catalonia has established itself as one of Europe’s most dynamic life sciences and healthcare ecosystems. The BioRegion brings together 1,650 companies and 94 research institutions, generates more than 306,000 jobs and accounts for 7.6% of Catalonia’s GDP. In 2025, its startups and scaleups also reached a historic investment record, raising €517 million.
Talent Day: bringing talent and biotechnology companies together
The final day also featured Talent Day, a space dedicated to connecting students, researchers and professionals with companies and organisations in the biotechnology sector, showcasing the career opportunities offered by the industry and helping companies access the specialised talent they need.
Throughout the day, attendees were able to take part in sessions on professional development, the importance of attracting and retaining talent, the transition from academia to industry, and the challenges of attracting and retaining specialised talent in the life sciences.
