Biospain 2012 aims at becoming the fourth partnering event worldwide

Biospain 2012, organised by the Spanish Bioindustry Association (Asebio) and the Basque Government, will hold its sixth edition from 19 to 21 September at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre (BEC), with a programme that includes, among other features, a trade fair, conferences and the scientific congress of the Spanish Biotechnology Society (Sebiot), in addition to partnering and investment forums.

The characteristics of the Bilbao Exhibition Centre have allowed the organisation to double the space destined to the partnering event, which could add up to 4,000 meetings and place Biospain 2012 as the fourth global partnering event behind BIO, BioEurope and BioEurope Spring. Additionally, Biospain has increased the space for the trade fair by nearly 40% in comparison to the 2010 edition, held in Pamplona (Navarre). The current occupation has reached 90%, with over 125 exhibitors. The trade fair and the partnering event will be held together at the same place for the first time.

This edition of the event includes several new features. Firstly, the United Kingdom will be the guest country and will showcase its biosciences sector in a specific breakout session. On the other hand, Biospain 2012 will host for the first time an investment forum focused on industrial biotechnology, within theBiochemproject, supported by the European Union. This forum complements the standard BiospainInvestment Forum, where over 30 companies will be presented, as well as the sessions that are traditionally devoted to industrial biotechnology. Biospain will also include, for the first time, a Pharma-Biotech Co-operation Forum, organised by Farmaindustria and focusing on oncology.

The conference programme will include sessions on business models, health-related issues and biotechnology solutions for the agro-food and energy fields, including a novel session with industrial companies, mostly from the Basque Country, that have seen a path for diversification in the field of biosciences. The Basque BioRegion, BioBasque, will be very present in this edition, with the participation of over 30 institutions.

However, this event has an international scope, with growth expectations also focusing on the internationalisation goal; companies and institutions from over 25 countries, including Canada, USA and different European countries, have already confirmed their attendance.