Parc Científic de Barcelona: a central research infrastructure for life sciences incubation

This article describes and analyses the strategy followed by the Parc Científic de Barcelona (Barcelona Science Park, PCB), which has converted the science park into a central research infrastructure for life sciences entrepreneurship. Together with other initiatives, this central infrastructure has established a strong biotechnology cluster in the region. Today, this regional cluster comprises 871 companies and 95 research organisations, with a yearly turnover of €15.956 billion (7.1% of the Catalan GDP) and 42,133 employees. Catalonia produces 3.15% of all European scientific production in the health and life sciences arena while constituting just 1.44% of Europe’s population.

This article describes the public policies deployed in Catalonia over twenty years that have achieved in this status quo and the lessons learnt, as well as proposals to foster the creation of new knowledge- and technology-based companies in the future.