Galicia launches Business Factory BioTrack, the advanced and disruptive accelerator connecting biotech solutions with industry challenges
The acceleration project, promoted by the Xunta de Galicia through Igape and XesGalicia together with the Galician Life Sciences Technology and Business Cluster, will select eight projects at the StartUp & Investor Day to validate technologies in real-world settings.
It's official. The first edition of Business Factory BioTrack (BFBioTrack) is entering its decisive phase. Following the close of the call for applications on 30 October, the programme is now in the process of selecting its participating projects, which will culminate on Friday 13 November at the StartUp & Investor Day, to be held at Biopolo Sionlla (Santiago de Compostela) from 9:00am to 6:00pm.
This advanced acceleration programme in biotechnology and life sciences, presented to more than 70 attendees from the Galician biotech ecosystem at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Chemistry and Biology (CICA) in A Coruña, the Centre for Research in Nanomaterials and Biomedicine (CINBIO) in Vigo, and the Mestrelab Research Centre (CIM) in Santiago de Compostela, takes a disruptive approach: it starts from industry's real needs and connects them with biotech solutions that are still maturing.
The initiative is promoted by the Xunta de Galicia through the Instituto Galego de Promoción Económica (Igape) and XesGalicia, Galicia's public venture capital firm, with implementation and technical coordination by the Clúster Tecnolóxico Empresarial das Ciencias da Vida (Bioga). Unlike traditional incubation programmes, BFBioTrack focuses exclusively on advanced acceleration for projects that already have a functionally validated technology or product and are seeking fast, efficient access to market.
A single challenge across three strategic verticals
The call for the first edition of BFBioTrack revolves around the following strategic challenge: “Innovative solutions for a healthy and sustainable bioeconomy”. Proposals must address one of the programme's three application verticals: biotechnology for sustainable production and food (products and processes that improve yield, health and resilience in agriculture, livestock and aquaculture); biotechnology for new valorisation pathways (industrial processes that turn underused by-products into high-value materials); and enabling technologies for biomedicine and drug development (screening, candidate design, preclinical trials, vaccines and diagnostic systems).
Funding and validation with anchor companies
The BFBioTrack programme, coordinated by Bioga, will select up to eight projects for a tailored pathway lasting up to twelve months. Participants will benefit from strong financial and industrial support.
Selected projects will receive direct non-repayable grants of up to €30,000 from Igape to cover salary costs, equipment, patents and acceleration-phase expenses, and will have the opportunity to access co-investment of up to €250,000 through equity or participating loans from XesGalicia, Galicia's public venture capital firm.
BFBioTrack will connect them with the reality of Galicia's biotech industry, where candidates will be able to test their solutions, receive specialised mentoring and carry out joint proofs of concept with leading anchor companies in the sector: CEAMSA, GalChimia, Hijos de Rivera, Lonza, Grupo Nueva Pescanova, Valora Marine Ingredients, Beta Implants, Syspro Automation, Campomayor and Zendal. They will also have direct contact with cutting-edge infrastructure, including preferential access to laboratories and pilot plants at the biotech hubs of A Sionlla, in Santiago de Compostela, and O Porriño, in the Vigo area.
The selection process
The Business Factory BioTrack call was open to biotech startups and companies up to seven years old, as well as spin-offs, university projects and entrepreneurial teams from any Spanish region or country, provided they establish their place of work in Galicia before starting the programme.
The BFBioTrack selection process begins with a document-based pre-assessment and an interview stage. Those that pass this first phase will go on to the StartUp & Investor Day on 13 November, where they will present their proposals to investors and companies. The eight initiatives finally selected will be evaluated by an external committee with scientific-technical, business and investment expertise.