The companies linked to the Barcelona Science Park (PCB) attracted investments of 85.4 million euros during 2023, 38.6% of the 220 million raised by the biotechnology sector in Catalonia in 2023, as the park explained today from of the data prepared by Biocat.
The Parc, which Maria Terrades has directed since 2018, has more than 120 companies and public entities (including 7 large public research institutes) specialized in biomedicine and life sciences and nearby
of 3,500 professionals (58% women).
The investment captured by the PCB companies was 40% lower than that of 2022, when it reached 142 million euros, because that year two of the Parc companies closed the largest rounds in the history of the biotech sector in Catalonia: Minoryx Therapeutics (51 million) and SpliceBio (50 million). Compared to 2021, however, when it was 39 million euros, the investment has more than doubled, which in the opinion of those responsible for the park “evidences the potential to attract investment” despite the difficult economic situation that has reduced in general, venture capital investment around the world. In Catalonia as a whole, biotechnology investment in 2023 was reduced by half last year, compared to the 445 million raised in 2023.
The resources raised by the Parc companies came mainly from private investors (67.7 million euros), mainly from venture capital, and almost quadrupled the public financing achieved in competitive regional, state and European calls, which reached 17.7 million.
Half of the rounds of the companies in the park had foreign investors, and they also received 27.5 million in venture debt from the European Investment Bank (EIB) programs to promote disruptive innovation.
By subsectors, biotechnology (with 43.7 million) and medical technologies (24 million) led the attraction of investments.
The largest investments raised by the PCB companies were those of InBrain Neuroelectronics (20 million euros), Nuage Therapeutics (12 million, in a round led by Sofinnova Partners and Asabys); OneChain Immunotherapeutics (10 million) and DeepUll (4 million).
The PCB was the first science park in the Spanish State and the first area specialized in promoting biomedical research in Catalonia. Today, however, the strength of the biomedical sector in the capital has led to a proliferation of spaces such as Pier07, by Tech Barcelona, or the Barcelona Health Hub, located in the modernist Sant Pau precinct. But in addition, the expansion of the Clínic hospital has planned to create a health hub at the confluence of Barcelona with Esplugues and L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. However, the Parc's laboratory equipment continues to be key to attracting the installation of biotechnology companies.
