Catalonia
June 23, 2026
Type: Global Innovation Hub Session
Catalonia is a a Top European Hub in Scientific Excellence and R&D, ranking #1 in Horizon projects per capita and #4 in ERC grants, with the highest share of Highly Cited Papers. Its BioRegion hosts 1,650 companies, 94 research centres and 17 of the world’s top 20 pharma/medtech multinationals, and is Spain’s main pharmaceutical manufacturing hub with 79 plants. It is #7 worldwide and #4 in Europe in active clinical trials, participating in 92% of Spain’s studies, supported by hospitals excelling in advanced therapies and early‑phase research. In 2025, investment reached a record €517M, with 82% international VC, driven largely by biotech. Catalonia also offers exceptional talent, producing 26,000 STEM graduates annually, employing 18,500 researchers, and attracting 30+ new digital and health innovation hubs, including AstraZeneca’s €1.3B Global Hub in Barcelona, a major boost to the region’s innovation capacity.
Company HQ City:
Barcelona
Company HQ Country:
Spain
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