AseBio

Spanish biotechnology hits new record, attracting over €180 million in private investment in 2021

Private investment in the biotech industry up 20% from 2020. The figures were announced at AseBio Investor Day 2022, which brought together over 50 investors from all over Europe and more than 260 participants

ion arocena investor day
AseBio
Madrid, España
International
Financing

The Spanish Bioindustry Association (AseBio) hosted AseBio Investor Day 2022 this Thursday in Madrid, with support from ICEX Spain Trade and Investment, with General Director of Business Internationalisation Elisa Carbonell, and collaboration from Kaudal and PwC as the platinum sponsors of the event. At the event, the association announced advance data on funding in the Spanish biotechnology sector, which surpassed the previous record for private investment from 2020 by 20%, attracting €180 million in 2021. Some of these operations were accompanied by the CDTI INNVIERTE programme, which committed over €20 million in the biotechnology sector last year. 

Elisa carbonell

Photo: Elisa Carbonell, General Director of Business Internationalisation (ICEX)

Additionally, according to the advance figures* presented by AseBio CEO Ion Arocena, biotechnology is still in the spotlight for international players, both corporations that acquire Spanish companies and international investors that bet on them. The number of capital increases with participation from international investors held steady in 2021 at over €100 million secured. A total of nine companies have received support from investors in countries including Belgium, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Portugal, France, Switzerland, Italy, Germany and Singapore.

2021 was a milestone in the history of Spanish biotechnology, with Sanifit being acquired by Swiss company Vifor Pharma for €205 million up front, an additional €170 million tied to milestones and additional payments subject to sales in the hundreds of millions of euros. Furthermore, in line with this general increase, AseBio has detected that funding through loans and capital stakes from business development entities is up over 70%. 

Making science a resilient, high-impact industry

“Over the past two decades, the Spanish biotechnology ecosystem has transformed to grow and become an industry known for its economic impact and intensive R&D investment. And access to investment has been a key part of this growth and consolidation,” noted AseBio Chairwoman Ana Polanco. “So, we’re going to keep building bridges and creating spaces of trust, such as this forum that has brought together over 260 participants today, including companies, researchers and investors,” she added.

ana Polanco

Photo: Ana Polanco, Chairwoman of AseBio

AseBio Investor Day 2022 welcomed 55 investors from 12 countries who held nearly 400 one-to-one meetings. The main goal of this event is to foster access to funding by connecting major national and international investors that specialise in the life sciences with Spanish biotechnology companies. In short, transforming the science being done in Spain into innovation that can reach society and make a difference, and Polanco confirms it: “The promotion of the sector, now more than ever, means making sure the science of today becomes the industry of tomorrow. Because we’re a sector that aims to contribute solutions to society.”

The event, which brought together 145 organisations this Thursday, is a clear reflection of the evolution of the biotechnology sector. AseBio Investor Day has more national investors each year that, in conjunction with international investors looking for new opportunities in an unexplored market, are pushing the sector’s private investment figures to new heights year after year. 

asebio mesa 1Photo: The first AseBio Investor Day 2022 panel: ‘From academia to industry: lessons learned building a successful biotech company’, with our sponsor Kaudall



* These figures are from the 2021 AseBio Report, which will be published on 30 June.
Attached files
NdP9_El sector biotecnológico español supera su récord de 2020 y capta más de 180 millones de euros en inversión privada_AseBioInvestorDay2022_DEF.pdf625.4 KBDownload