Biotechnology and economic growth: the need for long-term commitment

Biotechnology is being called upon to provide innovative solutions to some of the greatest challenges facing the world today – problems such as how to meet the food needs of a world population that will reach 8.3 billion people by 2030; the growing demand for energy, which expected to increase by 50% between now and 2025; and how to create more efficient, less polluting production processes that can guarantee the sustainability of limited resources such as water.

Catalonia possesses all the basics it requires to make use of the opportunities the sector offers. Firstly, because it has proven, recognised scientific capacity (including more than 430 consolidated bioscience research groups, internationally renowned research centres and institutes, large-scale infrastructures, and a significant hospital network), and secondly, because Catalonia has a growing business fabric made up of 480 companies, in the fields of biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, medical technologies and services, which employ a total of 22,000 people (half of whom work in research).

There are a number of key factors in order to achieve success – Catalonia must maintain and increase investment and spending on research, create attractive conditions to persuade international companies to set up here, promote the internationalisation of our companies and transnational collaborations between research bodies, introduce suitable fiscal arrangements for the sector, employ public purchasing as a tool to promote innovation, and offer financial packages to promote public-private partnership in the promotion of added value projects.

Cycle: Challenges of the 21st Century - VII The Voice of Discoveries: Discovering, Innovating, Transferring Knowledge

Organized by: Residence for Researchers