Key growth indicators
Employment, turnover and investment figures in the BioRegion have continued to grow in the last five years, in parallel with the increase in the number of companies. Employment in industry (nearly 75,400 jobs) has grown by 20% since 2019. The turnover of companies in the life science and health sector has increased by 14.3% between 2019 and 2023.
€1.534 billion secured by startups and scaleups in five years (2020-2024)
In the last five years, startups and scaleups in the BioRegion have raised a total of 1,534 million euros. This significant growth has occurred mainly in the area of investments. While in 2021 258 million euros were raised, in 2022 this figure almost doubled to 478 million euros (122 M€ for tecmed Impress) and in 2023, the ceiling of 200 million euros in investments was exceeded.
In 2024 Catalonia reaches a new record in financing for startups and scaleups in the BioRegion, with 347 million euros, an increase of 54% compared to the previous year. In addition to local investments, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) has increased between 2020 and 2024, generating more than 5,800 jobs. 2024 has set another record, with an investment of 550 million euros and almost 1,700 new jobs, driven again by the Anglo-Saxon multinational AstraZeneca, which has reaffirmed its commitment to Catalonia.
The BioRegion has nearly 80 investors and a growing participation of international venture capital firms.
Growth in all investments
281.379 jobs and €44.757 billion in turnover
A quarter of the employment generated by the life sciences and health sector (75,379 jobs) corresponds to industry, a figure that has increased by 20% since 2019. In addition, 206,000 people work in healthcare institutions that offer diagnostic and medical treatments. The sector as a whole represents 7.3% of all employment in Catalonia.
Industry generates 57% of the sector's turnover (€25,493 million in 2023), which has also increased steadily in the last 5 years (+14.3%). Almost half of this income corresponds to pharmaceutical companies (€11,938 million).
