The Basque Country is a European leader in personalised nanomedicine thanks to the Smart Hydrogels Transformative Project

This third Transformative Project under the Euskadi 2030 Industry Plan involves an initial investment of €72 million over the next three years, of which more than €28 million will be allocated to R&D and technological development activities

It will create 232 direct, highly skilled jobs, as well as 370 indirect jobs. A total of 602 new jobs

The project, led by i+Med, will involve 10 companies, 5 of which are SMEs, and will benefit from the collaboration of the Basque Health Cluster

Furthermore, it will involve 9 technology centres and stakeholders from the Basque Network for Science, Technology and Innovation (RVCTI), led by the GAIKER Foundation and CIC biomaGUNE

The Basque Government’s Minister for Industry, Energy Transition and Sustainability, Mikel Jauregi, has presented the Transformative Project “Smart Hydrogels for Personalised Nanomedicine” at the headquarters of the cooperative company i+Med on the Vitoria-Gasteiz Campus of the Basque Country Technology Park. This is the third industry-based project to emerge from the Industry Plan – Euskadi 2030. This is an ambitious biopharmaceutical project aimed at the development and industrialisation of smart hydrogels for biosanitary applications involving pharmacological, biological and genetic active components.

The launch of this transformative project will enable the development of a highly advanced biopharmaceutical network, positioning the Basque Country as a European leader in personalised nanomedicine.

The event, attended by representatives from the companies, SMEs, technology centres and clusters participating in the project, was attended by Regional Minister Mikel Jauregi, the CEO of i+Med, Manu Muñoz; the Provincial Councillor for Economic Development and Sustainability of Araba, Saray Zárate; the Deputy Minister for Technology, Innovation and Digital Transformation, Jaione Ganzarain; the Deputy Minister for Science and Innovation, Adolfo Morais; and the heads of VIVEBiotech, Gurutz Linazasoro, and RPK, Eduardo Melón, amongst others.

Councillor Mikel Jauregi stated that “the bio-health sector is a HAZI sector – an emerging sector with the potential to drive future growth – within the Basque Country Industry Plan 2030. Thanks to many years of work, we in the Basque Country have managed to consolidate a network that connects cutting-edge research with industry”.

“This Transformative Project on smart hydrogels,” he noted, “is an example of the union of our science, technology and industry, which come together to create a new industrial fabric. A large-scale project, built on the foundations of our small and medium-sized enterprises, which will propel the Basque biopharmaceutical industry to the next level and make the Basque Country a European benchmark in personalised nanomedicine”.

Manu Muñoz, CEO of i+Med, stated that “the medicine of the future will be personalised, precision nanomedicine, and today, with the Smart Hydrogels for Personalised Nanomedicine project, we are laying the foundations for the Basque Country to become a global benchmark – as developers of its R&D, as manufacturers of this nanomedicine, and as its end users. It is this entire bio-health value chain that guarantees the success of this transformative project”.

Gurutz Linazasoro, from VIVEBiotech, has stated that “the project will provide VIVE with the opportunity to innovate within its lentiviral vector production platform, as well as to strengthen the bio-health ecosystem through current and future collaborations in personalised nanomedicine. Furthermore, we see this as a national project, the seed of an industrial hub of excellence in technologies for the transfer of advanced therapies for cutting-edge healthcare, in line with the industrialisation strategy embodied in Europe’s Biotech Act. In short, a magnificent showcase for the Basque biotechnology industry”.

Finally, speaking on behalf of RPK, Eduardo Melón emphasised that “the project will enable RPK to tackle the challenges it faces as a high-tech industrial cooperative with a global presence and strong links to the automotive sector, thereby driving its diversification into the biomedical sector within its division specialising in the manufacture of advanced components for medical devices. Furthermore, this project is a clear example of collaboration between different companies and institutions joining forces to enhance their synergies and capitalise on the high industrial capabilities existing in the Basque Country”.

Over 20 years of science and advanced knowledge in the Basque Country

This Transformative Project will involve an initial investment of €72 million over the next three years, of which around €28 million will be dedicated to R&D and technology development.

The launch of the project, which will be led by I+Med as the driving force, will create 232 new highly skilled direct jobs, as well as 370 indirect jobs, between 2026 and 2028. In total, 602 new jobs will be created. It will involve 10 companies, five of which are SMEs, and will benefit from the collaboration of the Basque Health Cluster.

The development of new technologies for the creation of smart hydrogels with inherent therapeutic capabilities for personalised therapies will involve nine technology centres and organisations from the Basque Network for Science, Technology and Innovation (RVCTI), led by the GAIKER Foundation and CIC BIOMAGUNE.

Thanks to the momentum of over 20 years of science and advanced knowledge in the Basque Country, a network has been established that connects cutting-edge research and industry through the development of nanostructures, biomaterials and unique capabilities in molecular imaging and radiopharmaceuticals. All this knowledge, together with strong participation in European projects and leadership in securing competitive funding, is continuously transferred to the industrial sector.

This fosters collaboration with industry and the creation of innovative solutions with a real impact on society, as is the case with smart hydrogels. Thanks to this reality, the Basque Country’s industry is advancing by accelerating its transformation, consolidating its position in high value-added technological and biomedical sectors, and increasing its competitiveness.

The Basque Government offers Transformative Projects a range of support measures, including both existing and new programmes and tools.

The potential of the Basque bio-health industry

The Basque bio-health industry comprises almost 300 companies. It generates a turnover of over €1.16 billion and provides around 6,000 direct jobs in the Basque Country.

This industry has demonstrated resilience and sustained growth since its inception in the Basque Country. Between 2015 and 2024, the growth rates in the number of companies (60%), revenue (187%) and direct jobs (151%) demonstrate the potential of the biosanitary industry in the Basque Country. These are highly significant figures, given that half of the Basque companies in the sector are less than 10 years old and most start-ups are in the product development phase.

In this context, the i+Med Transformative Project represents a new qualitative leap in the development of the Basque bio-health industry, positioning the Basque Country as a hub for personalised nanomedicine.

Transformative Projects: €232 million in investment and 1,902 jobs

To date, three Transformative Projects have been submitted, representing an initial investment of over €232 million, of which €123 million is earmarked for R&D and technological development.

Between them, the three projects will create more than 1,902 high-quality jobs over the coming years. They will also drive growth in a further 40 companies – mostly SMEs – within the Basque industrial sector, with the collaboration of the region’s Technology Centres.

On 16 and 26 February, the first two Transformative Projects were presented: the project entitled “New Aircraft Engine Architectures for Sustainable and Competitive Aviation in the Basque Country”, and the ROBOOST project, respectively.

The first, led by ITP Aero, aims to ensure that the Basque Country plays a significant role in the new generation of aircraft engines of the future on a global scale, driven by the energy and digital transitions. It involves an initial investment of over 110 million euros over the next three years, of which more than 60 million euros will be allocated to R&D and technology development. The project is expected to create 800 jobs – 200 direct and 600 indirect.

Meanwhile, ROBOOST involves an initial investment of around €50 million over the next three years, of which more than €35 million will be allocated to R&D and technology development. The initiative will involve the creation of 500 jobs – 200 direct and 300 indirect – and will help to strengthen the international competitiveness of the Basque industrial sector. This Transformative Project will enable the Basque Country to position itself as a leading player in an emerging niche: robust and precision robotics.