BIOSPAIN 2026: Euskadi showcases the strength of its life sciences, health and innovation sector

Bilbao hosted the thirteenth edition of BIOSPAIN from 29 September to 1 October, turning the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC) into an international meeting point for companies, research centres, investors, institutions and professionals working across biotechnology and the life sciences.

Under the theme “Bioinnovation that clicks”, BIOSPAIN 2026 brought together more than 1,900 participants from nearly 900 organisations across 32 countries, including 95 investors representing 50 national and international investment organisations. More than 4,000 one-to-one meetings were held throughout the event.

The conference was organised by AseBio in collaboration with the Provincial Council of Bizkaia, the Basque Government and Basque Health Cluster.

For Euskadi, BIOSPAIN 2026 was an opportunity to showcase from Bilbao — and to an international audience — the scientific, business, technological and healthcare capabilities that make up the Basque life sciences and health sector.

Ten years after its previous edition in Euskadi, BIOSPAIN returned to Bilbao, putting the spotlight on the capabilities that have been built across the Basque life sciences and health sector over recent years.

Today, Euskadi is home to more than 300 companies, 20 research centres, four universities and leading hospitals working across life sciences and health. The sector generates more than €9.4 billion in economic activity and 62,000 jobs.

Against this backdrop, Basque Health Cluster, the Provincial Council of Bizkaia and the Basque Government joined forces to showcase Euskadi’s presence at BIOSPAIN under a common message:

Euskadi Basque Country. Science. Industry. Health.

One of the main meeting points was the Basque Pavilion · Stand F, an 80 m² space bringing together 12 Basque companies from different areas of the life sciences and health value chain:

• Emaia Health
• Golden Gait Biotech
• HAWK Biosystems
• Inbistra
• MAI CDMO
• Mikrobiomik
• Miramoon Pharma
• Qlarix Healthcare Solutions
• Samira DTx
• TAD – The Art of Discovery
• Taldeki Biosolutions
• WellTech Electronics

Across the three days, these companies had the opportunity to meet international stakeholders, build new relationships and explore potential partnerships and business opportunities.

The Basque presence at BIOSPAIN went far beyond the shared pavilion.

Companies, research centres, technology organisations, institutions and other stakeholders from Euskadi took part across the exhibition and meeting areas, including Biolan, Histocell, Litek Pharma, Innoprot, Mekindu, i+med, Viralgen, Albian, Cocoon, Burdinola, Vicomtech and Parque Tecnológico de Euskadi, among others.

Together, this presence reflected the diversity of Euskadi’s life sciences and health sector — from research and development and advanced therapies to manufacturing, technology and digitalisation, clinical research and specialised services.

The BIOSPAIN 2026 programme was structured around four main tracks — Policy, Health, Bioeconomy and Finance & Investment — bringing together different perspectives on the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of biotechnology.

European competitiveness, funding, biomanufacturing, technology scale-up, regulation and the need to strengthen value chains were among the key topics addressed throughout the programme.

Advanced therapies also featured prominently, reflecting the strategic importance of this field for Euskadi and for the European biotechnology industry.

Against this backdrop, Basque Health Cluster took part in several discussions and panels, bringing the Euskadi perspective to the table and highlighting the importance of connecting research, companies, healthcare systems and public institutions to turn innovation into real-world impact.

One of the key conversations at BIOSPAIN focused on the role of BioRegions in driving the biotechnology sector.

Representatives from Euskadi, Galicia, Asturias, the Balearic Islands, Navarra, the Valencian Community and Catalonia, among others, came together to share their different territorial realities, capabilities and priorities.

The discussion highlighted the value of connecting regions with different strengths and specialisations in order to create new opportunities and strengthen the position of biotechnology across Spain and Europe.

BIOSPAIN was also an opportunity to reconnect with fellow clusters from ACESABIO — BIOGA, BioAsturias, BIOIB, Navarra Health Cluster and BIOVAL — as well as with Biocat, which will host the next edition of BIOSPAIN in Barcelona.

Advanced therapies had a strong presence throughout BIOSPAIN, both in the programme and through the participation of Basque companies and research organisations.

Euskadi has developed significant capabilities across the advanced therapies value chain, connecting research, development and manufacturing. During the opening of BIOSPAIN, AseBio highlighted Euskadi’s positioning in life sciences and health, particularly in areas such as biomanufacturing and advanced therapies.

One of the sessions addressing these challenges was “Advanced Therapies and Next-Gen Biotech Platforms to Deliver Global Health Impact”, moderated by Idoia Muñoz Lizán, Managing Director of Basque Health Cluster.

The panel brought together professionals from organisations including Artos Biotech, IIS Biobizkaia, IIS Biogipuzkoa, Viralgen and Histocell to discuss the future of advanced therapies, manufacturing, industrial scale-up, technological innovation and global healthcare impact.

BIOSPAIN 2026 also provided the setting for a new edition of the BHC Perspectives podcast by Basque Health Cluster.

Three English-language conversations were recorded directly from the Basque Pavilion, focusing on some of the key issues shaping the future of health innovation.

The series explored three complementary perspectives:

Science. The role of science and research as the starting point for innovation.

Health. The need to connect innovation, healthcare systems, assessment and access so that solutions can ultimately reach patients and healthcare professionals.

Industry & International. The challenge of moving from innovation to scale, strengthening industry and opening pathways into international markets.

The recordings created an additional channel for taking the conversations started in Bilbao to an international audience and giving greater visibility to Euskadi’s life sciences sector.

The final day of BIOSPAIN also featured Talent Day, a dedicated space connecting students, researchers and professionals with companies and organisations from the biotechnology sector.

The programme addressed professional development, talent attraction and retention, the transition between academia and industry, and the challenges involved in finding and retaining specialised life sciences profiles.

BIOSPAIN 2026 also brought an important moment for the Basque biotech sector: Oncomatryx won the BIOSPAIN Pitch Competition.

The recognition brought international visibility to innovation in oncology emerging from Euskadi and highlighted once again the potential of Basque companies and technologies developing new solutions in health and biotechnology.

For three days, BIOSPAIN 2026 brought together discussions around some of the issues shaping the future of biotechnology: funding, regulation, competitiveness, industrialisation, advanced therapies, talent, internationalisation, market access and collaboration between regions.

The international dimension of the event was also particularly strong. The United Kingdom was the guest country, strengthening connections between the UK and Spanish life sciences sectors.

More than 1,900 participants, nearly 900 organisations, 32 countries and 95 investors came together in Bilbao, with more than 4,000 one-to-one meetings held throughout the event.

BIOSPAIN 2026 may have come to an end in Bilbao, but the connections and conversations generated over these three days continue.

For Euskadi, the event provided an opportunity to showcase its capabilities, connect companies, research, investment and institutions, and strengthen the international visibility of its life sciences and health sector.

It has also opened new conversations around how to finance and scale innovation, strengthen value chains, facilitate market access, attract and retain talent, and continue building connections between BioRegions.

And as Bilbao hands over the baton, Barcelona will host BIOSPAIN 2027, with Mexico as the guest country.

Thank you to all the companies, institutions, research centres, investors, clusters and professionals who made BIOSPAIN 2026 a meeting point for biotechnology and the life sciences.

Euskadi Basque Country. Science. Industry. Health. 🧬