Councilor Irujo states that Navarre is entering a “strategic phase” to bring biotechnology and synthetic biology closer to the business community “both within and outside the region.”
These statements were made during BioSpain 2026, the leading biotechnology event, where Navarre is once again showcasing its biotechnology ecosystem in a prominent way this year.
A delegation from Navarre, led by the Regional Minister of Industry and Ecological and Digital Business Transition, Mikel Irujo, along with representatives from the public companies CEIN, Sodena, and NASERTIC; the Iris Innovation Hub of Navarra; and the Navarra Health s Cluster—all of which are part of the region’s biotechnology ecosystem—as well as some twenty companies and startups from Navarra, participated in Europe’s leading biotechnology event, BioSpain, which is being held in Bilbao through October 1.
BioSpain is a leading international biotechnology trade show that brings together biotechnology companies, investment firms, research centers, government agencies, and stakeholders in the innovation ecosystem with the aim of generating business, investment, and international collaboration.
The Autonomous Community of Navarra is participating in the event once again this year, with a shared space, to raise the profile of Navarra’s biotechnology and health sciences ecosystem. During a meeting with representatives from the entire Navarra ecosystem in attendance, Minister Irujo emphasized that “we are at a pivotal moment for the development of biotechnology and synthetic biology in Navarra. We have entered a strategic phase with a twofold objective: to bring biotechnology and synthetic biology closer to companies so they can integrate them into their processes, and to highlight the strengths of Navarre’s ecosystem, both within and outside the Autonomous Community.”
Navarre, an emerging hub for synthetic biology
Navarra is consolidating its position as an emerging hub for synthetic biology thanks to the coordinated efforts of Sodena, CEIN, and the IRIS Navarra Innovation Hub—three key players that are driving the development of this strategic field through investment, entrepreneurship, innovation, and the development of scientific and technological capabilities. Synthetic biology, which combines molecular biology, genetic engineering, automation, artificial intelligence, and data analysis to develop new biosolutions, opens up high-impact opportunities in sectors such as healthcare, agri-food, sustainable energy, and new materials.
Specifically, the Synthetic Biology Laboratory at the IRIS Hub, managed by the public company NASERTIC, offers a space and technological innovation infrastructure that is unique in Navarre. It is open to companies, startups, research centers, and technology centers with the goal of developing a field that is poised to play a key role in Navarre’s economic and industrial development in the coming years. In this regard, the Government of Navarre, through the Department of Universities, Innovation, and Digital Transformation, will invest 2.5 million euros next year to create a “biofoundry”—an automated bioproduction facility that enables the rapid design, construction, and testing of biological systems to provide industrial solutions in the fields of biotechnology, health, and agri-food.
This momentum is supported by an ecosystem that brings together universities, research centers, technology centers, state-of-the-art infrastructure, and more than 45 companies involved in advanced biotechnology. In this context, the IRIS Navarra Innovation Hub provides specialized equipment and services for research and technological development; CEIN promotes the creation and scaling of new business initiatives; and Sodena helps mobilize investment and support the growth of innovative projects, facilitating the transfer of knowledge to the market and the development of new business opportunities.
Representatives from Navarra Health , and Cluster emphasize that “BioSpain is a key event for Navarra’s business ecosystem, allowing us to connect our capabilities with opportunities within the national ecosystem. Navarra, as a hub for health and biosciences, has great potential to showcase year after year.”
Participating Companies from Navarre
The approximately 20 companies and startups from Navarre that will be at the booth will have the opportunity to showcase their products and services and connect with potential customers, investors, and partners.
These companies are Allbiotech, Amets Biotechnology, Betternostic, EAA Med Consulting, Embega Health Care, Eversens, First Assay, Genbioma, Guska, Innoup Farma, Insaight, Mimo Biosciences, Mirror Health, Nanogrow Biotech, Nucaps, Opportunity Health, Popcorn Therapeutics, Trimerbody Pharma, and VLabs.
Several of these companies have participated in the “ HEALTH ScaleUp” program—a program designed to help healthcare startups scale up—run by the European Business and Innovation Center of Navarra (CEIN), or receive financial support from the Navarra Development Corporation (Sodena). In addition, nine of these startups will have the opportunity to pitch to investors attending the fair.
Pamplona will host the ATG Synbio Navarra Summit 2026
In the field of synthetic biology, Councilor Irujo also highlighted the ATG Synbio Navarra Summit 2026, to be held in Pamplona from October 28 to 30, organized by ATG SynBio Spain in collaboration with the Government of Navarra, Sodena, CEIN, and the IRIS Cluster.
This international event will bring together leading figures from the scientific, business, investment, and institutional communities around the world to analyze the challenges and opportunities of synthetic biology and the bioeconomy, promote the generation of knowledge, and foster new global collaborations.
