CIRIT The Catalonia BioCluster La BioRegió de Catalunya Marta Aymerich, MD, PhD Director Interministerial Council for Research and Technological Innovation Government of Catalonia

CIRIT Research & Innovation Plan Catalonia R&D, 2008 Mission: To position Catalonia among the leading research and innovation countries in Europe involving public and private agents

CIRIT R&D expenditure by sector Businesses 66,3% Higher Education 24,3% Non-profit entities 0,3% Public Administration 9,1% BusinessesNon-profitPublic AdminHigher Ed PUBLIC SECTOR (1/3) PRIVATE SECTOR (2/3) 2003 (INE)

CIRIT Technology & Science Parks UNIVERSITYUNIVERSITY BUSINESSBUSINESS Administration RESEARCH INNOVATION Research Centers & Hospitals Demand Offer Science&Technology push Market pull Knowledge society relations

CIRIT Catalan scientific production Catalonia has traditionally been strong in biomedicine and life sciences, with extensive scientific production Jordi Camí 1, 2, Eduard Suñén 1 i Raül Isaac Méndez-Vásquez 1 Institut Municipal d’Investigació Mèdica (IMIM) 1 i Universitat Pompeu Fabra 2, Barcelona. Estudio realizado a petición del CIRIT, abril 2004 a partir de bases de datos ISI. Documentos citables

CIRIT Critical factors for biocluster development 1. Strong science base 2. Entrepreneurial culture 3. Growing company base 4. Ability to attract key staff 5. Skilled workforce 6. Availability of finance 7. Premises and infrastructure 8. Business support services and large companies in related industries 9. Effective networks 10. Supportive policy environment Biotechnology Clusters; Lord Sainsbury, Science Minister UK, 1999

CIRIT - Abat Oliva University Good quality Higher Ed & Research facilities  12 Universities  30 advanced research centres  13 science parks: 3 biomedical, 3 agro-food  Synchrotron Light Source This new laboratory will be operative at the end of 2008, with 125 people providing services to more than 150 research groups and to nearly 750 researchers. It will be of use to the scientific community of southern Europe  Supercomputer Center (Mare Nostrum) Fourth supercomputer of the world. It started its activity at the beginning of this year (2005)

CIRIT Ability to attract key staff  ICREA program Aim: to attract high level researchers (overseas) 4 th year running: 100 senior researchers 70% are from abroad 2004 > 500 applications for 25 senior research positions  ICREA biggest percentage: biomedical sciences (31%)

CIRIT Catalonia BioCluster: Key facts  2 international business schools (IESE, ESADE)  Network of technological springboards (entrepreneurial centers linked to main universities and business schools; spin-off incubation) 46% of the pharmaceutical companies in Spain are located in Catalonia, accounting for 60% of the production Strong chemistry sector (fine chemistry, green chemistry) 38% of Spanish medical devices companies 40 biotech companies, 20 of them as core sector Entrepreneurial character Innovative national industry

CIRIT Ernst & Young, 2003 World biotech companies

CIRIT During 2004, the Catalan Government together with public and private bodies involved in the sector established a work team to develop a preliminary project for the Catalonia BioCluster Vision with a clear impact on the The existence and enhancing of a biomed and biotech based business activity of international reference in Catalonia, generation of added value and more and better welfare Catalonia BioCluster

CIRIT Supportive policy environment A. CastellsC. SolàJ. BargallóM. GeliJM Rañé M. EconomyM. ResearchPrime MinisterM. HealthM. Occup & Industry Public presentation of starting organization of the Catalan Biocluster 17 th November 2004

CIRIT Priority research lines  To foster all areas of science and technology, and in particular, to foster fundamental research while applying criteria of quality and excellence Biomedicine and the health sciences ICT engineering Agro-alimentary sciences and technology Social and cultural development Sustainable development and the environment.  Cross-disciplinary area: nanoscience & nanotech

CIRIT Prof. Carles Solà, Minister of Universities, Research and Information Society of Catalonia signing the agreement EuroBioCluster South