Barcelona Science Park sees all-time record in new companies

The Barcelona Science Park (PCB) has seen an all-time high in terms of number of new companies and occupancy of its office space.

Between January 2021 and February 2022, a period of 14 months, the number of companies at the park rose by 25, welcoming over 115 new employees, nearly a third of them being foreign and 43% women, to a 3,000-strong scientific community.

However, two-thirds of the new companies are led by women, or have female founders or CEOs.

Many of these companies come from all across the globe, such as France, India, the USA, the UK and Thailand.

Start-ups and spin-offs of research institutes and hospitals of excellence contribute to most of these new small companies, with around 5 employees each on average.

Owing to the new companies, the last year also saw the center reach near maximum occupancy, as of the nearly 33,000 square meters of floor space available, over 30,000 is in use, meaning the area is operating at 92% capacity, up 9% from 2020.

Of these 30,000 square meters, around 21,000 is laboratory space, with the other 9,000 or so being offices.

Furthermore, the park had €1.9 million in 2021 to refurbish these 33,000 square meters of client space.

A large majority of the new companies focus on the field of biotechnology in the context of health, however there are also some R&D companies, as well as 4 working in the circular economy and more efficient, eco-friendly production methods.

About the PCB

Established by the University of Barcelona in 1997, the PCB was the first science park in Spain, and has continued to grow since, becoming a benchmark ecosystem in Europe for innovation in science, technology and business in the life sciences and healthcare.