Biocat and Consorci Zona Franca agree to promote the BZ area as a location for new biotech companies

Companies from the BioRegion of Catalonia that are seeking to expand will have access to space in the Barcelona Innovation Zone (BZ) business platform. Biocat and Consorci Zona Franca de Barcelona (CZFB) have signed an accord to help innovative biotechnology companies set up in the BZ area of the Zona Franca neighborhood of Barcelona.

This transformative project is centered on three axes: food, technology and culture. It was devised to complement the Catalan Agreement for Research and Innovation (PNRI), namely, as an area for expansion of projects by other economic and scientific entities from the Catalan science and technology arena.

Strengthening the knowledge economy

The agreement was signed by the president of the Executive Committee of Biocat, Manel Balcells, and by the special State delegate to CZFB, Manuel Royes.

Manel balcells underscored the importance of “having a specially designed space for innovative companies which allows them to foment synergies, unite their strengths and boost their competitiveness in response to the new economic and social changes. Spaces like the BZ enable consolidation of the knowledge economy policies being made in Catalonia”.

Manuel Royes commented on the recent inclusion of the BZ area as a member of the Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE) and affirmed that “it was born of a calling to serve innovative projects around the country that are seeking to expand in a prime industrial location, (where they can) exploit the productive potential offered by Barcelona and a multi-modal transportation network that will be available very soon with the arrival of the subway”.

The accord outlines future collaborations such as identifying, and deciding on, installment of the new companies and activities in the area (companies brought by Biocat will receive preferential treatment for choice of location), and deciding on the range of services that will be offered, such as business support and professional training.

Collaboration with Fenin

Additionally, Biocat has also reached a collaboration agreement with the Spanish Federation of Healthcare Technology Companies (Fenin) to promote medical technology innovation. Click here to read the full article.