Jennifer Mendoza
Research expert covering health, pharma and medtech
Biotechnology in Spain- statistics & facts
Biotechnology is generally defined as the branch of science that uses biological systems or living organisms for the development of products and production processes. Biotechnology is used in a large number of areas, such as human and animal health, agriculture, food production, environment, and industrially. In Spain, the most common use of biotechnology is in human health, usually known as red biotechnology. In 2020, over 50 percent of companies that used biotechnologies operated in this field. Food products, agriculture, and forest production are also popular areas of application.
Biotech companies
In 2020, around 1.4 thousand companies and institutions utilized biotechnology in Spain. Of these, 653 were strictly biotech, that is, companies whose main activity is biotechnology. The major part of Spanish biotech firms focus on healthcare, as well as mostly being new and small enterprises. In fact, almost 40 percent of biotechs have fewer than 10 employees. Some renowned Spanish biotechnology companies include Grifols, Oryzon Genomics, Reig Jofré, and Sanifit.Regional distribution
The autonomous communities of Catalonia, Madrid, and Andalusia have the highest number of companies in the industry. Catalonia is, without a doubt, the leading region in the industry. It has the most developed biotech sector in the Mediterranean country, with around 46 percent of the of the industry turnover. The region also has the highest number of biotech-related facilities, with three scientific parks, 16 investigation centers, one cluster, and one regional industry association.Research and development
The biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries invest the largest amount of money in research and development in Spain. In 2020, R&D expenditure on biotechnology in the country amounted to more than two billion euros. The private sector has seen the greatest increase in research and development in the last few years. In 2020, biotechnology companies invested a total of 897 million euros in R&D in Spain, around 281 million euros more than in 2016.Effects of COVID-19
The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has put biotech at the forefront, as many small biotechnology companies have been key to develop effective vaccines and treatments. In fact, according to a 2020 survey, around 45 percent of Spanish biotechnology companies focused on COVID-19 during the first year of the pandemic. Regarding the private funding received by Spanish biotechs in 2021, it increased by almost 77 percent compared to figures prior to the sanitary crisis.
