BIOSPAIN 2026: partnering, policy, and the rise of Spanish biotech

Hello, and welcome to Beyond Biotech, the weekly podcast from LoBioTech. I'm Dylan Kysain, and this is episode 212 for the podcast. Today, I'm thrilled to bring you a special episode highlighting one of Europe's premier biotechnology events, Bio Spain. Joining me is Stuart Medina of Assabio, who will take us inside this landmark gathering. For the first time and in response to strong sector demand and growing interest, Bios Spain moves to an annual format. Hosted this year in vibrant Bilbao in Spain's dynamic Basque Country, the event runs from the September 29 to the October 1 at the Bilbao Exhibition Center. In this episode, we explore the Bayer Spain program, the partnering opportunities on offer, the new talent day, and all the practical and logistical details for attendees. Bios Spain promises unmatched networking and collaboration, and I hope you enjoy my discussion with Stuart Medina from Acebio. Stuart, welcome to Beyond Biotech. Actually, welcome back to Beyond Biotech. Thank you for the invitation. It's a pleasure to talk to you again, once again for an occasion of another edition of BioSpin. You've had a pretty busy year since we last had you on the podcast back in episode one sixty five, almost a year ago now. What have you been doing? Well, obviously, organizing the next edition. We have to start working international activities of the association. It's mostly participating in other international events like Bio Europe, Swiss Swiss biotech days. We usually have a a stand in those events. Also you know, we get international delegations, agreements with other international, clusters, etc. So quite a busy year. We also had the Green Innovation Forum earlier this year in April. Of course, we're here to talk about Bio Spain. This is a fixture in the European biotech calendar since 2003, so nearly twenty five years now. What do you think's helped Bio Spain become just one of the largest partnering events in Europe? Yes. I think it's a good question. I think it's well, there's more than twenty years of history behind this. The Association organized its first Bio Spain in 2003, so more than twenty years of experience. I think also, Acebio has been very good at trying to coalesce, the the all the regional clusters and the sector. And, I think, people understand, even though Spain is a very regionalized country, I think people understand that there's value in having a large national event, and also to internationalize that event, to have it in the English language, so that foreigners can participate and feel comfortable. And that that's another, I think, important, factor. And, I think all in all, also the fact that the industry in Spain has is maturing. We we are seeing a large number of companies in Spain. Some of them have managed to to, do initial public offerings for for a large amount and and and, private placements also for for some significantly large amounts. So there's still ways to go, but …